Aerospace Psychology
Pilots, air traffic controllers, astronauts, and operators in other skilled professions are, both, an asset and a liability regarding safety in aerospace. Indeed, proper decisions together with functioning human-machine and human-human interactions enhance the reliability of technical system tenfold.
Yet, operators are also responsible for the majority of aviation incidents and accidents. By developing, validating, and implementing comprehensive selection systems, the Department of Aviation and Space Psychology makes a significant contribution to safety in aerospace. Research in the field of performance under (simulated) microgravity, flight cockpit design, flight operation of aircrafts and drones, virtual reality and passenger comfort in trains and aircraft expands the research range of the department and promotes cooperation with operators and manufacturers for the benefit of travelers and crews.
Given the importance of human factors, our work will help attaining the goals of Flightpath 2050, an 80% reduction in accidents. Our safety-related research program is of high scientific, economic and societal value, contributes to employment security and job satisfaction of selected candidates, and supports economic development of aerospace industry by reducing training costs and minimizing errors. An additional part of our research addresses acceptance of new technologies, which is a critical barrier for economic success of novel technology.
Welcome to our Coaching Area for Assessments
The German Aerospace Center provides you with free training software and information to assist you during your preparation for a DLR assessment. It is your own responsibility to make extensive use of this opportunity. The company accepting your application and assigning you to an assessment date will provide you with the required username and password.
We strongly recommend...
- ...not to attend a DLR assessment if you have less than ten days time for a thorough preparation.
- ...not to use material (documents, blank forms, CBT programmes) from other sources than this website as they might be outdated, misleading, incorrect or incomplete.
- ...to make sure you have the latest version of the training material. Visit this website regularly and compare the date of your software with the date of the files we provide here.
Working Groups
Air Traffic Control (Dr. phil. Yvonne Pecena)
- Requirements for operators in control centers
- Personnel selection of air traffic controllers
- Development of aptitude diagnostic procedures
- Psychological diagnostics using eye-tracking methods
- Collaboration in teams and multi-teams
- Unmanned flying – Concepts of air mobility in urban and rural areas
- Acceptance of flight systems
Crew Performance and Transport (Prof. Dr. phil. Dirk Stelling)
Based on scientifically founded job requirement analyses for the various fields of work in aviation, the department has been successfully conducting psychological aptitude tests for aircraft and helicopter pilots for many decades with the overriding goal of increasing safety in aviation. Since 2002, the entire diagnostic process has been ISO-9000 certified in order to meet the highest quality standards in the aviation industry.
Space Psychology (Dr. Dipl.-Psych. Viktor Oubaid)
- Selection of astronauts
- Psychological inflight support of astronaut
- Maintaining human performance and well-being in space