A recent study conducted by experts at the University of Waterloo suggests that female pilots may excel above their male colleagues in high-pressure flight scenarios.

The results contest conventional beliefs in aviation and indicate that female pilots may possess distinct advantages that warrant more acknowledgement in pilot training and assessment frameworks.

“These findings are exciting because they push us to rethink how we evaluate pilots,” Naila Ayala, the principal author of the study and a postdoctoral scholar at Waterloo’s Multisensory Brain and Cognition Lab, stated.

“We can’t assume that because two pilots are looking at the same things, they will react the same way. Our study shows that women may be better at keeping control and making decisions in stressful flight scenarios.” 

The study revealed that although male and female pilots exhibit virtually equivalent visual attention patterns and flight experience, female pilots generally commit less flight control errors at heightened stress levels.

This indicates that although both genders focused on the same material during a flight, women exhibited greater consistency and accuracy in their responses. The findings underscore the necessity of examining deeper indications beyond superficial metrics such as visual attention when assessing pilot performance.

The researchers employed a high-fidelity flight simulator to examine 20 seasoned general aviation pilots—10 females and 10 males—navigating a range of standard and emergency scenarios. Throughout each situation, the crew documented the pilots’ gaze and their responses.

The pilots donned eye-tracking glasses and executed standardised flight tasks, which encompassed unforeseen engine failures and landing obstacles, aimed at evaluating their responses under duress. This enabled researchers to collect data on visual attention and performance accuracy.

“Understanding how different people perform under pressure helps us build better training programs for everyone, safer cockpits, and more inclusive aviation systems,” said Suzanne Kearns, associate professor and director of the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Aeronautics.  

“At a time when the industry is facing a pilot shortage, tapping into the full potential of all pilots, regardless of gender, is more important than ever.” 

The team anticipates that the findings will influence the development of future pilot training and evaluation standards by acknowledging a broader spectrum of skills and capabilities.

Original Publication
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3715669.3723124
Authors: Naila Ayala, Suzanne Kearns, Elizabeth Irving, Shi Cao, Ewa Niechwiej-Szwedo
Article Title: Exploring gender differences in aviation: Integrating high-fidelity simulator performance and eye-tracking approaches in low-time pilots
Article Publication Date: 25 May 2025