Decision-making under pressure is one of the most critical pilot competencies. Traditional frameworks such as DODAR and FORDEC provide useful structure, but they cannot reveal the hidden cognitive and crew processes that drive real-world decisions in high-stress environments. TACET bridges this gap by combining simulator data with eye-tracking, making decision-making measurable, visible, and coachable. This evidence-based approach strengthens Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA), enhances debriefs, and helps pilots prepare for the unexpected, not just the routine.
Why Decision-Making Matters in Aviation
In aviation, decision-making often determines the outcome of an event. Pilots must think and act decisively, even with limited information and under time pressure. Frameworks such as DODAR and FORDEC exist for this reason. They bring order to complex situations and guide crews through structured steps.
However, these models describe what to do, not how decisions unfold in real time. The underlying factors such as stress, attention narrowing, confirmation bias and authority gradients are often invisible during training. Without visibility, they are difficult to assess or improve.
The Cognitive Challenge
Cognitive science explains why poor decisions happen. Under stress, working memory becomes overloaded, reducing the ability to hold multiple factors in mind. This leads to predictable breakdowns:
- Tunnel vision: narrowing of attention on a single parameter or system
- Premature closure: clinging to the first workable option
- Automation complacency: overlooking cues while over-relying on systems
These are not signs of incompetence but natural limits of cognition under pressure. Accident reports consistently show these patterns.
Crew Dynamics and Authority Gradients
Decision-making is not just cognitive, it is social. Even when a framework is applied, outcomes can be undermined by crew dynamics. For example:
- A first officer notices a risk but fails to speak up assertively
- A commander, under stress, dismisses input that contradicts their plan
Such dynamics often determine whether the decision made is truly the right one.
The Training and Assessment Gap
Traditionally, training has focused on outcomes. Did the crew apply the checklist? Did they follow the diversion plan? What remains hidden is the process behind the outcome:
- Did the crew recognise the problem early enough?
- Did they consider multiple options or default to the familiar?
- Did they scan thoroughly, or fall into tunnel vision?
Instructors can observe behaviour but cannot objectively see how the decision was formed. Without that insight, coaching remains superficial.
How TACET Makes Decision-Making Measurable
This is where TACET adds unique value. By integrating eye-tracking with simulator data, TACET makes the hidden layers of decision-making visible:
- Scanning patterns: where attention was directed, and where it faltered
- Option evaluation: whether crews genuinely explored alternatives
- Automation interaction: when systems supported the decision, or distracted from it
For instructors and examiners, this transforms debriefing. Instead of judging only the outcome, they can analyse the pathway that led to it. Pilots see evidence of their own thought process, including strengths, weaknesses and how these shaped the final decision.
Alignment with CBTA and Regulation
Regulators are moving towards Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA), requiring airlines to demonstrate not just training but measurable competency. Decision-making is central to this.
TACET aligns with CBTA by:
- Providing objective data on how decisions are formed
- Supporting evidence-based debriefs
- Revealing patterns across pilot populations that inform course design and SOPs
Preparing Pilots for the Unexpected
Frameworks like DODAR and FORDEC will remain important, but they are no longer sufficient alone. The future of pilot training lies in preparing crews for the unexpected, including low-probability, high-impact “black swan” events.
TACET represents the next leap forward. By capturing and analysing decision-making under pressure, it helps instructors coach at a deeper level and enables pilots to understand their own thought processes. The result is not just better training but safer and more resilient flight operations.
Find out more about TACET on our case study.
