Training Pilots to Think Beyond the Checklist

Dr. Maneerat Tianchai, Lecturer in Aviation at the University of Southern Queensland, believes pilot training must do more than teach procedures—it must prepare crews to adapt when there is no checklist.

Speaking with Captain Jacques Drappier, APATS Conference Chair, ahead of APATS 2026, Tianchai said her research found experienced airline pilots demonstrate greater cognitive flexibility, stronger task-focused coping skills and lower stress than aviation students, suggesting these skills can be deliberately developed through training.

Rather than requiring additional simulator time, Tianchai said instructors can build resilience into existing programmes through simple techniques such as switch thinking drills, which introduce small unexpected changes during routine scenarios, and a three-step action plan that helps pilots prioritise actions under pressure.

"The most important thing is to keep it simple," Tianchai said. "You don't need to redesign the training programme. By consistently reinforcing flexible thinking and task-focused actions, these behaviours become habits that improve performance under pressure."

Tianchai will present "Startle Has No Checklist: Building Flexible Thinking and Task Focus Through Resilience-Based Training" at APATS 2026.