Why Pilots Push On: Motivational Influences on Weather-Related Risk Appraisal in Small Airplane and Helicopter Operations

Abstract: This study explores the multilevel influences associated with commercial pilots’ risk appraisal when deciding whether to continue a flight into deteriorating conditions, focusing on small airplane and helicopter commercial operations in Australia and New Zealand. Deductive content analysis of online survey responses identified congruences with the extant literature. Commercial/financial and customer pressures were discovered as major external influences. Notably, pilots’ prior experience of similar conditions emerged as an important personal motivator that potentially leads to risk normalization. The findings underscore the interplay between multilevel influences and extrinsic/intrinsic safety motivations affecting pilots’ risk appraisal. The outcomes offer insights into the motivational orientations behind risk-taking intentions, offering an additional perspective on this complex aviation issue and contributing to efforts to reduce weather-related accidents.