TECHNICAL REPORT STANDARD TITLE PAGE 

1. Report No. '2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient's Catalog No. 

FAA-AM-72-22 

4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Dote 

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF FEMALE AND MALE May 1972 

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER TRAINEES 6. Performing Organization Code 

7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Re:port No. 

Bart B. Cobb, M.S., John J. Mathews, B.A., and 

Caroly_n D. Lav B.A. 

9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. 

FAA Civil Aeromedical Institute 

P. 0. Box 25082 11. Contract or Grant No. 

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73125 

13. Type of Report and Period Covered 

12. Sponsoring Agency Nome and Addres• 

Office of Aviation Medicine OAM Report 

Federal Aviation Administration 

800 Independence Avenue, s.w. 14. Sponsoring Agency Code 

Washington, D. c. 20591 

15. Supplementary Notes 

This research was conducted under AM-B-69-PSY-2, AM-A-70-PSY-23, AM-B-71-PSY-23, 

and AM-B-72-PSY-23. 

16. Abstract 

This study compares age, education, pre-FAA experience, aptitudes, trainingcourse performance measures, and post-Academy attrition rates of the 83 women 

who entered basic air traffic control (ATC) training at the FAA Academy during 

November 1968 through March 1970 with those of various samples of the 3,760 

males who entered training during the same period. The study revealed no 

significant differences between the means of the female and male trainees with 

respect to age and educational level. When samples of the 83 females were 

compared with groups of male trainees in terms of performance on 36 different 

aptitude tests, only four mean differences, all of which favored the females, 

proved statistically significant. Only 45.8 per cent of the 83 women had 

pre-FAA ATC-related experience, while such experience was possessed by 63.9 

per cent of a sample of 798 males; the difference was significant at the .01 

level. The means of the training course grade averages of the two groups 

differed by only three-tenths of one point and there was no significant 

difference between the Academy attrition rate of 20.5 per cent for the females 

and 23.2 per cent for the 798 males. However, the groups differed markedly with 

respect to post-Academy attrition rates. It was determined that 33.3 per cent 

of the 66 females who completed Academy basic training were no longer in the 

air traffic management system as of April 1971 whereas only 19.1 per cent of 

the 613 males (within the sample of 798) who graduated from the Academy were 

subsequently attrited. 

17. K"y Words 18. Distribution Statement 

Air Traffic Controllers Availability is unlimited. Document may 

Aptitudes be released to the National Technical 

Personnel Selection Information Service, Springfield, Virginia 

Attrition 22151, for sale to the public. 

19. Security Classif. (of this report) 20. Security Classif. (of this page) 21. No. of Pages 22. Price 

Unclassified Unclassified 24 $3.00 

Form DOT F 1100;7 IB·69l 

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF FEMALE AND MALE AIR TRAFFIC 

CONTROLLER TRAINEES 

I. Introduction. 

This report compares aptitudes, ages, pre-FAA 

experience, training-course performance measures, 

and post-Academy attrition rates of the 83 

women who entered basic air traffic control training at the Federal Aviation Administration's 

Academy during 20 November 1968 through 27 

March 1970 with those of various samples selected 

from the 3,760 male trainees who entered during 

the same time period. The opportunity to conduct this study was made possible by the availability of data which the FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute (CAMI) collected during the 

17-month period for the Academy's total input 

of 3,843 trainees in conjunction with a comprehensive research project aimed at the identification 

of factors bearing upon training performance.5 6 

The decision to undertake this comparative 

study of female and male Air Traffic Control 

(ATC) trainees was precipitated by the FAA's 

interest and participation in the Federal Government's overall program to eliminate sex as a 

discriminating factor in the selection of new employees. It has long been a governmental policy 

to provide equal employment opportunity in the 

Federal service to all persons, regardless of race, 

color, religion, national origin, or sex. This 

policy was reiterated by President Richard M. 

Nixon on 8 August 1969 in Executive Order 

11478 wherein the head of each department and 

agency was directed to "establish and maintain 

an affirmative program of equal employment 

opportunity" to eliminate all remaining vestiges 

of discriminatory practices. The study was also 

prompted by the fact that women have never 

represented more than a very small proportion of 

all personnel directly involved in air traffic 

management. (Because experience is heavily 

weighted in establishing an applicant's Civil 

The assistance of Peter Nelson, Dana Hauserman, and 

Barbara Mallett in the collection, processing, and/or 

analysis of the data· is gratefully acknowledged. 

1 

Service eligibility rating, the "best qualified" by 

normal standards are usually male veterans 

with experience in military ATC work or as 

pilots.) 3 4 10 12 13 It was therefore contemplated 

that comparative analyses of the various types 

of data available for the 83 females and larger 

groups of male trainees would yield findings of 

value to the FAA in its formulation of future 

recruitment, selection, and training programs. 

II. Procedure. 

As part of a comprehensive research project,5 6 

various aptitude tests were administered, on an 

experimental basis, to all but three of the successive incoming classes of the Academy's basic 

training courses in Terminal Area Traffic Control (TATC), Air Route Air Traffic Control (or 

En Route), and Flight Service Station (FSS) 

work during a 17-month period. CAMI was to 

be provided a report on each trainee at time of 

entry into the Academy, reflecting types and 

amounts of pre-employment experience, facility 

of assignment, the overall eligibility rating (used 

for selection purposes), pay grade, and other 

information; the report on each trainee who took 

the operational CSC ATC Aptitude Test Battery 

was also to include all part scores and the composite measure of performance. 

The vast majority of the trainees arrived at the 

Aeronautical Center for enrollment in the 

Academy's TATC, En Route, or FSS course 

within two weeks after being hired by the FAA. 

Combined enrollments for the three training 

courses during the period 20 November 1968 

through 27 March 1970 totaled 4,015 of whom 

86, or 2.2 per cent, were females. However, 172 

cases (including three females) were deleted for 

all phases of the project due to gross incompleteness of data records. Records for many of 

the remaining 3,843 trainees were also incomplete 

but contained data and information sufficient to 
warrant inclusion in one or more of the scheduled 

im·estigatiYe phases. 

Although participation in the experimental 

testing program was not mandatory, few declined 

to do so. Only 410 (10.7 per cent) of the 3,843 

trainees were not examined and the majority of 

the 410 were in classes for which testing sessions 

were cancelled in order to avoid holiday travel 

conflicts. Generally, each group was examined on 

the day of arrival at the Academy. No more than 

three hours could be allocated for each testing 

session v,nd adherence to training schedules precluded more than one session per class or group. 

Inasmuch as the overall project specified that the 

potential of many different types of tests be explored as predictors of training performance, the 

groups of tests selected for experimental administration were intentionally varied. At least 

one week, and sometimes two, intervened between 

incoming groups. Each group was administered 

only five to seven instmments but periodic modification of the battery ultimately resulted in the 

collection of response data on samples of different 

size for 36 different tests or subtests (these 

yielded 41 performance measures). 

The validities of the experimentally administered tests and intercorrelations of the 

scores, background variables, and criterion measures have been previously reported 5 6 for selected 

samples only. Such correlative data, however, 

were not computed for the various samples and 

subsamples involved in the present study. 

A. Criterion Variables. Academy training officials provided CAMI with an "Evaluation of 

Performance Record" for each trainee shortly 

after the graduation date of each class. The 

evaluation forms for the ARTCC, TATC, and 

FSS trainees were different in several respects, 

but each provided grades which permitted derivation of a similar, corresponding measure of performance for each subject, regardless of training 

option. The summary measure, referred to as the 

"Combined Academic and Laboratory Grade 

Average" or "A+ L," represented an arithmetical 

mean of two separate averages : one based on 

grades of examinations relating to academic materials, instruction, and the like, and the other 

based on performance grades for simulated airtraffic-control work in the laboratory. 

The second major criterion variable was "PassFail Status" (or "P-F") for the training course. 

2 

Generally, students who failed to successfully 

complete the course, regardless of reason, were 

designated as "fails" and graduates as "passes." 

In some analyses, however, a further distinction 

was made in regard to the non-graduates, with 

students whose records indicated "withdrawn in 

non-failing status" being considered separately 

from the fail and pass cases. 

The third criterion variable, "RetentionAttrition Status," reflected whether the trainee 

was or was not with the FAA in ATCS work as 

of 1 April 1971. CAMI test records were compared with an agency magnetic tape record of all 

personnel within the FAA who, on 1 April 1971, 

possessed an occupational code of 2152 (denoting 

the ATCS speciality). Collation procedures determined those individuals still within the air 

traffic management system on that date; each such 

case was designated as a "retention." Each of 

the remaining cases of the CAMI samples was 

designated as an "attrition." For many of the 

analyses, however, the attritions were divided 

into two groups, reflecting either failure in the 

Academy training course or attrition after having 

passed the course. Unfortunately, no means were 

available to determine the month or year in which 

a "post-Academy attrition" terminated his or her 

service. 

B. Background Variables. CAMI administered a lengthy questionnaire to each incoming 

class of trainees in order to obtain first-hand information relating to each subject's educational 

background, pre-employment experience, and age 

at entry into the Academy. Educational level 

was coded on a 9-point scale, with a code of "1" 

denoting "no high school diploma," codes "2" 

through "7" reflecting progressively greater 

amounts of education, "8" denoting award of a 

Bachelor's Degree, and "9" indicating a Master's 

Degree. 

In one section of the questionnaire, the trainee 

was requested to indicate whether he had ever 

held a license, certificate, or rating as a "pilot" 

and/or in "air traffic control work" and/or in the 

field of communications. These are the types of 

experience which the FAA has traditionally considered most important in the selection of personnel for ATCS training. There were always 

some students in each Academy group who replied "No" to each of the three areas, while the 

remainder checked "Yes" for one or more. The 
responses provided the basis for assigning each Academy training failures than for graduates. 

case to one of the eight mutually exclusive cate- The reason why this occurred is unknown but it 

gories, ranging from certificated experience in all may have been related to the fact that test records 

three fields to one indicating no rating in any of trainees in each Academy class were usually 

area. Analyses were then undertaken to compare forwarded several weeks after class graduation 

the females and males in terms of experience and date; records of attrited personnel may have 

to assess possible effects of experience upon train- been discarded by that time. A matter of great 

ing£rformance. _ __ , -". . . ~ importance, however, is that any bias in the col- ffi -.-~if'>v,.B-.A-\OM-\\fa: Sl-tfS0J2L;IS ,-,hl_<;; LU~ . r..oun te: ttre nearest t>itthday at tnne ofen:iiry --1ectwn of such data would preclude an accurate 

rouded to the nearest birthday at time of entry assessment of the battery's validity for prediction 

into Academy training. Analyses were then of training-course pass-fail status. We are therescheduled to compare age distributions for females fore obliged to presume that analyses accomand males and also to relate age to the perform- plished in the present study (and in other phases 

ance measures of the respective groups. of the overall project) 5 6 have produced atten0. OSO ATO Aptitude Test Scores. Scores uat~d valid~ty coefficients for the operation~llyfrom the operational CSC Screening Battery ~eriVe~ aptitude measures and that correl~twns 

were provided by the Regions for about 52 per mvolvmg the latter and age and other variables 

cent of the 3,843 trainees involved in the overall have also been affected. 

project. The percentage was lower than expected Descriptions of the five tests comprising the 

because almost three-fourths of the entire group CSC Aptitude Screening Battery and the manindicated on the CAMI Questionnaire that they ner in which each is weighted for derivation of 

had been operationally examined with the the Composite Score are presented in Table 1. 

battery one or more times. Moreover, scores were The Composite CSC Scores only, rather than 

provided for a much smaller proportion of the part scores, were dealt with when establishing 

TABLE I. Description of CSC-ATC-Aptitude-Screening-Test Battery. 

CSC Subtest 

esc 24 

Computations 

esc 51 

Spatial Patterns 

esc 135 

Following Oral Directions 

esc 15 7 

Abstract Reasoning 

and 

Letter Sequuncp 

esc 540 

Air Traffic Problems 

esc Composite or Total 

of Weighted Scores 

Weight 

2 

Description 

A highly-speeded test of arithmetic skill. The problems involve 

simple addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. The 

aptitude factor is referred to as "numerical facility." 

A test consisting of two different types of spatial items. In one 

type, the task is to identify solid figures that can be made 

from unfolded patterns. In the other type, three different views 

of an object are presented and the subject must select the correct 

object from one of four alternatives. 

In this test the subject must listen carefully to orally-presented 

directions and information; then discriminate between relevant 

and irrelevant information in order to proceed toward the proper 

solution of a series of simple tasks. 

In tht· "Abstract Reasoning" portion of the booklet, the task is to 

indicate which of a series of choices (figures) properly carries 

out a principle of logical dt>vclopment exhibited by a sequence of 

figures. In 11 Letter Sequenc~" the subject must indicate which of 

a series of letters properly carries out a principle of logical 

development exhibited by a sequence of letters. 

A highly-speeded test consisting of two parts of thirty items each, 

In each part, the subject is presented a flight data display for 

sevc·ral aircraft and must determine whether certain changes in 

altitude may be directed without violating a specified timeseparation rule. 

Sum of the weighted raw scores for each of the five CSC test 

booklets (i.e., six subtests). 

3 
the interrelationships of performance on the 

battery and variables such as age, experience, 

attrition-retention status, and other criteria. 

However, when preparing summary profiles reflecting the performance of females relative to 

males, the means of scores were computed for 

each of the five tests of the CSC Battery, the CSC 

Composite, and also for each of the experimentally administered tests. 

Many of the test records forwarded to CAMI 

included a CSC Composite Score but not part 

scores. This explains the otherwise unexpected 

inconsistency in the numbers of cases involved 

in some of the analyses. 

D. The Experimentally Administered Tests. 

Since the basic aim of the overall research project 

was to explore the potential of many tests for 

improving the aptitude screening of ATCS applicants, groups of tests selected for experimental 

administration were intentionally changed from 

time to time. A few incoming classes, involving 

870 trainees, were experimentally administered 

the complete CSC Battery, together with one to 

three additional tests. Over 95 per cent of these 

870 trainees claimed to have been assessed with 

the CSC Battery upon entry into the FAA and 

records to this effect (though not always complete 

with part scores) were forwarded to CAMI for 

64.8 per cent of them. 

All other classes of the 17 -month period were 

administered five to seven of the commercially 

published or FAA-developed instruments described in Tables 2 and 3. As mentioned earlier, 

periodic modification of the experimental batteries 

ultimately led to the collection of data on samples 

of varying size for 36 different tests or subtests, 

yielding a total of 41 performance measures or 

scales. 

E. Samples. The present study consisted of 

three investigative phases. In Phase I, two 

analyses were accomplished which involved the 

entire group of 3,843 trainees. The first analysis 

was directed toward establishing the number and 

proportion of females and males in each of the 

three training options (i.e., ARTCC, TATC, and 

FSS options). The other focused upon a comparison of the 83 females and 3,760 males in 

terms of Academy attrition rate by age group. 

In Phase II, numerous analyses 8 were undertaken to compare the females with a selected 

sample of 798 males with regard to educational 

4 

level, experience background, age, operational 

CSC Test Scores, Academy pass-fail status, and 

post-Academy retention-attrition status. Eighty 

of the 83 females entered training at a pay grade 

(or General Schedule level) of GS-7, which was 

the normal entry level. The remaining three were 

GS-9's, who presumably qualified for appointment to training at the higher pay grade on the 

basis of specialized pre-FAA ATC-related experience. Inasmuch as the total number of 

female cases was only 83, and the deletion of the 

three GS-9's would have rendered the sample 

even smaller, the GS level of each female was disregarded in all analyses. In the selection of male 

cases, however, only those of GS-7 level were 

considered. The 798 males comprising the sample 

against which the 83 females were compared in 

Phase II represented the total number of men 

who entered Academy ATCS training at the 

GS-7 level during 8 May 1969 through 31 July 

1969, a period roughly midway between the first 

and last testing session of the 17-month test 

period. 

Phase III consisted of a series of analyses in 

which the females were compared with GS-7 

level male trainees in terms of mean performance 

on each of the experimentally administered tests. 

Due to successive modification of the experimental batteries, however, the sizes of the samples 

were quite variable for both the males and 

females. Many of the tests were administered to 

groups which included appreciable numbers of 

females, but some were administered to several 

classes for which the total number of women 

was less than 10. In making each comparison, 

the maximum number of female cases available 

was used, whereas each sample of males usually 

represented only a portion of the total number 

of men examined with a specific test. 

III. Results and Discussion. 

PHASE I 

A. Trainlng-Oourse Attrition Rates of Total 

Female and ll!ale Groups. Slightly over 65 per 

cent of the 83 female subjects were enrollees of 

the Academy's basic training course in En Route 

or ARTCC procedures, 24.1 per cent attended the 

basic T ATC or Terminal course, and the remaining 10.8 per cent took initial FSS training (see 

Table 4). Of the 3,760 males, 70.4 per cent were 

ARTCC students, 22.8 per cent attended the 
TABLE 2. Descriptions of tests administered experimentally to substantially large proportions of both the female 

and male ATCS Trainees. 

Tests for Which Comparative Results Are Presented in Figure 8. 

Press Test 

(Three Parts) 

CAM! Direction a 1 

Headings Test 

(Three Parts) 

CAM! Symbolto-Digit Test 

\\.US Digitto-Symbol 

A. I. R. 

Locating Data 

A speeded test in Hhich the subject responds to Hords or dots 

representing four colors by writing the letters R, B, G, and 

Y. The subject responds to: the Hords "red", "blue", "green", 

or "yelloH" (Part I); dots colored red, blue, green, or yellow 

(Part II); or the color of ink in Hhich the words "red", 

"blue", "green", or "yelloH" are printed (Part III). 

A highly speeded test requiring the interpretation of letters, 

symbols and degrees in order to establish true headings 

(Part I), exact opposites of true headings (Part II), and 

exact opposites of true headings under conditions of aural 

distraction (Part III). 

A highly speeded test of decoding symbols to digits in accordance with a nine-unit key. 

One of 11 subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. A 

highly speeded test of encoding digits to symbols in accordance Hith a nine-unit key. 

A speeded perceptual-precision task in Hhich the examinee is 

provided a data display resembling that of a series of flight 

progress strips Hithin which he must quickly locate blocks of 

data containing specific groups of numbers and/or symbols. 

(Developed by American Institute for Research.) 

Tests for Which Comparative Results Are Presented in Figure 9. 

BroHn-Carlsen 

Listening 

Comprehension 

A-Immediate 

Recall 

B- FolloHing 

Directions 

C-Recognizing 

Transitions 

D-Recognizing 

Word Meanings 

E-Lecture 

Comprehension 

A five part test in Hhich each item or problem is presented 

orally. 

A test of immediate recall of the order in Hhich numbers, letters or Hords are presented in each of several items. 

FolloHing oral directions in addition, subtraction, underlining, 

and/or circling of numbers and letters presented in a display. 

Measures ability to recognize Hhether a sentence is of an 

introductory, transitional, or concluding nature. 

Selection of best synonyms for words in accordance with the 

context in Hhich they are used in specific sentences. 

Provides a measure of delayed recall. The subject's task is to 

recall facts and information presented in a 12-minute lecture. 

5 
TABLE 3. Descriptions of tests administered on an experimental basis to relatively small numbers of the female and 

male ATCS Trainees (see Table 6). 

California Test of 

Mental Maturity (CTMM) 

CTMM Figure Analogies 

CTMM Inference 

CTMM Coins 

CTMM Arithmetic 

Differential Aptitude 

Test Battery (DAT) 

DAT Space Relations 

DAT Abstract Reasoning 

DAT Numerical Ability 

Dailey Technical and 

Scholastic Test (TST) 

Dailey Spatial 

Visualization Test 

Vocational Educational 

Test Battery (VETB) 

Four of the 12 subLests comprising the CTMM test booklet 

were administered to selected classes. 

In each item, the subject must recognize the relationship 

between a pair of drawings (objects) in order to identify, by analogy, one of four alternatives as being 

similarly related to a third drawing. 

Comprehension of statements presenting premises used in 

the derivation of logical conclusions. 

Involves the mental manipulations of interrelated amounts 

of money and numbers of coins. 

Solving of word-presented arithmetic problems. 

A battery of eight different aptitude measures. Three 

of the tests were administered to selected classes. 

The task is to visualize three-dimensional forms or 

objects that can be made from unfolded patterns. 

Indicating which of a series of choices (figures) properly carries out a principle of logical development 

exhibited by a sequence of figures. 

A test of general arithmetic computational skill. 

An omnibus test measuring technical and scholastic 

knowledge as well as general aptitude for achievement 

in the physical sciences. Certain items scattered 

among 150 are scored to yield measures of knowledge 

and/or skill in areas of vocabulary, algebra, arithmetic, electricity, science, mechanics, and electronics. 

The subject must visualize three-dimensional figures 

from a flat unfolded pattern in order to match certain 

lines, angles, and parts of each presented pattern with 

corresponding aspects of the constructed figure. 

Six tests providing measures of arithmetic reasoning, 

abstract reasoning, mechanical reasoning, two-dimensional visualization, three-dimensional visualization, 

and reading comprehension. 

6 
TATC course, and 6.8 per cent were FSS trainees. 

Although the total number of females was rather 

small, the male-female proportions per each 

training option are remarkably similar; none of 

the differences proved to be statistically significant. However, women were vastly underrepresented in each of the training options. As 

shown in the lower portion on Table 4, the 

females comprised only 2.0 to 3.4 per cent of the 

various input groups. 

The number and proportion of trainees in both 

the female and male groups who failed to successfully complete Academy basic training are 

presented in Figure 1, which also reflects the influence of age upon performance. Before considering age, however, one should note the degree 

of similarity between the attrition rates of the 

groups. Some 16.9 per cent of the females, compared to 16.6 per cent of the males, were attrited 

with failing grades. For both groups, 3.6 percent "withdrew in non-failing status." 

Although not tabulated or graphed, the women, 

as a group, scored significantly lower (p<.05) 

than the men on examinations relating to 

academic and instructional materials, whereas 

their mean performance rating on laboratorysimulated air traffic control problems was somewhat higher, but not significantly so, than that of 

the men. Such group differences, however, had 

no differential effects on the overall attrition rates 

for the two groups. 

The non-graduates of both groups totaled 777, 

representing an overall attrition rate of 20.2 per 

cent for these 3,843 trainees of recent years. A 

point of more than incidental interest is that this 

attrition rate is substantially lower than the rates 

of 28 to 33 per cent which prevailed during 1960 

through 1963-before operational implementation 

of the CSC Aptitude Screening Battery.U 13 

This finding· suggests that current screening procedures are substantially better than those used 

prior to 1964. 

B. Academy Failures by Age Group. Returning again to Figure 1, it should be noted that 

the majority of the trainees were relatively 

young. The 55 females who were 30 years of age 

or younger represented 66.3 per cent of the 

sample of 83 whereas the 2,652 males of the same 

age category represented 70.5 per cent of the 

sample of 3,760. In each sample, the trainingcourse graduation rate was highest for the 

youngest group (i.e., age 30 and less), somewhat 

lower for those 31 to 35 years old, and significantly lower for those who entered after reaching their 36th birthday. 

The implications of age upon performance tend 

to be conveyed even more clearly when expressed 

in terms of failure rate, rather than graduation 

TABLE 4. Percentage of females and males in each training option. 

En Route Terminal FSS Combined 

Trainees Trainees Trainees (All Options) 

N N N N 

fo % lo fo 

Females 54 20 9 83 

65.1 24.1 10.8 100.0 

Males 2646 859 255 3760 

70.4 22.8 6.8 100.0 

Total 2700 879 264 3843 

70.2 22.9 6.9 100.0 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Percentage of trainees 

represented by females: 2.0 

7 

2.3 3.4 2.2 
Failed Academy 

~ Withdrew in DGraduated and 

Basic Training Non-Failing Received ATCS 

Course Status Certificate 

Females 

Aae 

N 6 11 17 

'7. 35.3 64.7 

36 & > 

N 1 1 9 11 

1.. 9.1 9.1 81.8 

31 - 35 

N 7 2 46 55 

'X. 12.7 3.6 83.6 

30 & < 

H 66 83 

1.. 79.5 

All Ages 

Males 

Ase 

N 195 33 310 538 

1.. 36.3 6.1 57.6 

36 & > 

N 128 27 415 570 

'7. 22.5 4.7 72.8 

31 - 35 

N 301 76 2275 2652 

't 11.3 2.9 85.8 

30 & < 

N 3000 3760 

'7. 79.8 

All Ages 

FIGURE 1. Proportion of students by sex and age group who failed, withdrew in non-failing status, or successfully 

completed Academy basic training in TATC, ARTCC, or FSS procedures during 20 November 1968 through 27 

March 1970. 

8 
rate, for each age group. For example, slightly 

over 35 per cent of the 17 oldest females and 36.3 

per cent of the 538 oldest males failed to successfully complete Academy basic training. In contrast, the failures represented only 12.7 per cent 

of the 55 females of age 30 and less and only 11.3 

per cent of the 2,652 youngest males, Such 

findings are not only comparable for the two 

samples; they also closely parallel those stemming 

from a number of previous studies 5 11 13 and thus 

provide further justification for proposals to 

limit the recruiting of personnel for ATCS 

training to applicants under 35 years of ageregardless of pre-FAA ATC-related experience. 

PHASE II 

The analyses accomplished in Phase II of the 

study involved a comparison of the 83 females 

with the 798 males of the selected sample relative to educational level, Academy trainingcourse performance grades, age, experience background, CSC Aptitude Test Scores, and also the 

extent to which each such variable was related 

to Academy pass-fail status and post-Academy 

retention-attrition status. Before examining 

these analyses, however, the groups should first 

be compared in terms of attrition rates while at 

the Academy and for subsequent training extending up to 1 April 1971. 

A. Training Attrition Rate8. Academy nongraduates, including "failures" and '"withdrawals 

in non-failing status," represented 20.5 per cent 

of the 83 females and 23.2 per cent of the 798 

males (see Figure 2). The latter attrition rate 

is higher than the 20.2 per cent previously established for the entire group of 3,760 males but 

neither percentage is significantly higher than 

the 20.5 found for the females. In contrast, the 

post-Academy attrition rate of 26.5 per cent for 

the females is significantly higher (p<.Ol) than 

the 14.7 per cent obtained for the males. 

Although only 53 per cent (N=44) of the 83 

women were still in FAA ATC work as of 1 

April 1972, compared to 62.2 per cent (N=496) 

of the 798 men, this difference was not statistically significant. 

It should be mentioned that the records utilized 

for follow-up purposes were last updated on 1 

April 1971 and that inasmuch as the subjects 

entered the Academy at different times, the postAcademy training periods ranged from approxi9 

mately 10 to 27 months for the females whereas 

the range for the males was 18 to 20 months. 

However, the average length of the post-Academy 

training period was almost the same for the two 

groups. It was 181/z months for the non-attrited 

females and 19 months for the non-attrited males. 

The authors were therefore inclined to consider 

the di'fference between the post-Academy attrition rates (26.5 per cent for females vs. 14.7 per 

cent for males) as one o:f the most important findings of the entire study. Inasmuch as the women 

evidently performed comparably with the men 

while at the Academy, there is need for :further 

research, beyond the scope o:f the present study, 

to determine the :factors (e.g., the basis for 

volitional attrition) underlying their relatively 

high post-Academy attrition rate. 

B. Educat?'onal Level. Figure 2 illustrates 

that the educational level o:f the females was 

generally higher than that of most males, but 

the analysis failed to yield any evidence to warrant an assumption that education beyond high 

school should be required :for entry into ATCS 

training. In :fact, some evidence to the contrary 

was obtained. For example, 16 :females (19.3 

per cent) possessed a college degree but 9 o:f the 

16 were attrited either at the Academy or in subsquent phases of training. The attrition rate o:f 

56.2 per cent for this relatively well-educated 

subgroup was higher (though not significantly) 

than the rate of 47.0 per cent established for the 

complete female sample. Similar findings were 

obtained for the males. Although only 73 (9.1 

per cent) o:f the 798 males were college graduates, 

26 o:f them failed Academy training and an additional 14 were eliminated during later stages 

o:f training, resulting in an attrition rate of 54.8 

per cent, which was significantly above the overall rate of 37.9 per cent for the 798. 

Thirty females, representing 36.1 per cent o:f 

the 83, possessed no formal education beyond high 

school and 15 of them were still with the FAA 

as of 1 April 1971, yielding a retention rate approaching that established with the entire sample. 

Three hundred and fifteen, or 39.5 per cent, of the 

males had no more than a high school education 

but 64.4 per cent of the 315 were "retentions." 

The latter percentage is higher (but not significantly) than that (of 62.2) obtained for the total 

sample of 798. 

In view of these findings, an additional analysis 

(not presented in any table or figure) was accom-
• Academy Trng. Schl. Attr. ~Post Acad. Attritions 0 Retentionl Apr. '11 

Education. Code: 

Level: 

83 female ATCS ~rainees 

Mean of coded education 4.8 

s. D. of coded education 1.9 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 

< HS GED HS < lyr 1 yr 2 yr 3 yr BA 

Dpl. HS Grd. Col. Col. Coi. Col. BS 

9 

MA Total Per 

MS N Cent 

N With FAA Apr. '71 1~ 9 6 4 3 6 1 44 53.0 

N Po•t-Acad. Attr. 1 8 4 2 1 6 22 26.5 

!i !.rBL. £0.!F.!.•_A!.t.!.. _______ §. __ 3 __ !± ____ 1 __ 3 _____ !7_ 10.a.5_ 

N Total 1 29 16 12 5 4 15 1 83 

Per Cent of Sample 1.2 34.9 19,3 14.5 6.0 4.8 18.1 1.2 100.0 

Education. Code: 

Level: 

798 male ATCS trainees 

Mean of coded education 4.4 

S. D. of coded education 1.7 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 

< HS GED HS < lyr 1 yr 2 yr 3 yr BA 

Dpl. HS Grd. Col. Col. Col. Col. BS 

9 

MA Total Per 

MS N Cent 

N With FAA Apr. 1 71 2 34 167 93 86 49 32 33 496 62.2 

N Post-Acad. Attr. 6 38 25 16 13 5 14 117 14.7 

!i Ir~ £~.!.e_A~t,!.. __ 1 _ 15 _ _ 51 _ 18 _ _ 2!± _ !8 __ 1! _ 16 _ ____ 1~5- 13~2-

N Total 3 55 257 156 126 80 48 73 798 

Per Cent of Sample 0.4 6.9 32.2 19.6 15.8 10.0 6.0 9.1 100.0 

FIGURE 2. Educational levels of 83 female and 798 male ATCS trainees. 

10 
-~------------------~~--------------~~------------~ .Acad. Trng. Schl. Attritions ~ Post Trng. Schl. Attr.ORetentioos Apr.'71 

Academic + Lab 

Grade Average 

82 of 83 Females 

Mean .. 84.8 

S. D. = 7.2 

No 69 70 

Grade & < -72 

73 76 

-75 -78 

79 

-81 

82 85 

-84 -87 

88 91 94 Tot. 

-90 -93 & > 

N With FAA Apr. 1 71 1 5 4 8 15 9 2 44 

N Post-Acad. Attr. 1 1 5 3 11 1 22 

N Acad. Non-Grads 1 5 2 4 2 1 1 1 17 "N total------ -1- -5--1- -2-- 5--8- -10- !2- -i7- 1o-- 2- -a3 

Per Cent of Sample 1.2 6.0 1.2 2.4 6.0 9.6 12.1 14.5 32.5 12.1 2.4 100 

Academic + Lab 

Grade Average 

790 of 798 Males 

Mean = 85.1 

s.D.=7.o 

& < 

Tot. 

& > 

N With FAA Apr. '71 4 23 57 166 150 80 16 496 

N Post-Acad. Attr. 1 3 10 40 23 32 8 117 

!i ~F.§.d.L !i<>!!-Qr.§.d~ __ ~ _ 16 __ I_ 15 _ _ 2!± _ 12 _ _ 22. _ 1_2 _ _ lQ __ 9 __ l _ 182 

N Total 8 26 7 16 31 65 126 211 192 97 19 798 

Per Cent of Sample 1.0 3.3 0.9 2.0 3.9 8.1 15.8 26.4 24.0 12.2 2.4 100 

FIGURE 3. Distributions of "Academic + Laboratory" (or "A + L") training course grade average for 82 of 83 

female and 790 of 798 male ATCS trainees. 

11 
plished for the male sample alone. Only 43.8 

per cent (N =32) of the 73 male college graduates, 

67.6 per cent (N =277) of the 410 males who had 

some college education but no degree, and 63.8 

per cent ( N = 201) of the 315 who never attended 

college had held pre-FAA ratings in either ATC 

work, as a pilot, in communications work, or in 

two or all three of the latter areas. In other 

words, the group of college graduates was 

significantly less experienced (p < .01) than either 

of the other groups. Moreover, an examination 

of the trainees' records and their responses to the 

CAMI Questionnaire indicated that most of the 

non-experienced college graduates established 

their eligibility for entry into FAA training on 

the basis of education and/or aptitude-screeningtest measures. 

As will be noted in later sections of this report, 

education was negligibly correlated with every 

criterion measure utilized in the study. Such 

findings are consistent with those obtained in 

previous studies. 2 4 12 

C. Academic and Laboratory Grade Average. 

Distributions of the "A+ L Grades" for the 83 

females and 798 males are shown in Figure 3. It 

should be reemphasized that the A+ L Grade is 

a CAMI-derived measure representing the mean 

of two averages, one based on scores of examinations relating to academic materials and instruction, and the other based on all laboratory performance grades. None of these is utilized by 

training officials as a criterion measure. Instead, 

graduation from the Academy requires that the 

trainee attain satisfactory grades of at least 70 

in each of several different academic areas and 

in all phases of laboratory work. As many as 

three "retakes" of tests relating to specific areas 

are sometimes permitted but inability to ultimately master even one area can lead to elimination from the training program. Thus, the 

CAMI-computed A+ L Grades for some of the 

training-course non-graduates are higher than 

those of many training-course graduates. 

With the exception of the relatively high proportion of female cases represented in the A+ L 

Grade interval of "88 to 90," the distributions of 

the. two samples are rather similar in shape, or 

contour. Both are negatively skewed and about 

three-fourths of the cases in each sample are 

within :four of the 11 three-point intervals (from 

82 through 93) . The mean A+ L Grade of 84.8 

12 

for the females is not significantly different from 

the 85.1 for the males, and the standard deviations are also highly comparable. 

D. Chronological Age. The ages of the females 

averaged 29.5 years (range: 21-48) whereas the 

ages of the 798 males (range : 20-52) averaged 

28.4. The mean difference was not statistically 

significant. The distributions of age for the two 

groups appear in Figure 4. By adding the frequencies shown for the four lowest age brackets, 

it can be determined that 65 per cent (N =54) of 

the females and 66 per cent ( N = 526) of the 

males were less than 30 years old at time of 

entry into training. Each distribution is highly 

skewed, with about one-third of the cases in each 

sample being distributed among the remaining 

nine older age categories. As may be noted, 

however, the distribution for the males illustrates 

that a relatively small proportion, 15.5 per cent, 

of the latter were over 33 years of age. In contrast; 26.5 per cent of the females were age 34 or 

older. The difference between the proportions 

was statistically significant (p< .01). 

Further analysis of the data shown in Figure 4 

indicated, as did Figure 1, that age was inversely 

related to success in ATCS training. For example, 54 per cent (N=67) of the 124 men of 

age 34 and older were eliminated from training, 

while at the Academy or afterwards, whereas 

only 34.9 per cent (N=235) of their younger 

colleagues were attrited; the difference was 

statistically significant at the .01 level. Almost 

64 per cent ( N = 14) of the 22 older females and 

only 41 per cent (N=25) of the 61 younger 

women were attrited at some stage of training 

prior to 1 April 1971. The latter difference, 

though even greater than that based on the 

sample of males, was not significant (JJ<.10) due 

to the small number of cases involved. Nonetheless, the findings obtained with both samples 

further illustrate that selectees over 34 years of 

age are much more likely to be unsuccessful in 

achieving journeyman ATCS status than their 

younger colleagues-regardless of experience 

background. 

E. Pre-FAA ATO-Related Experience.' Subjects who indicated on the CAMI Questionnaire 

that they possessed no certificated ATC-related 

experience represented 54.2 per cent of the 

females and 36.1 per cent of the male sample; 

the difference was significant at the .01 level. 
These and other findings in Figure 5 are based on 

an analysis, described earlier, in which each case 

of each sample was assigned to only one of six 

mutually exclusive categories. Only in the "No 

Rated Experience" category did the proportion of 

the :female sample exceed that o:f the males. 

However, the two groups were similar in that, 

when an individual possessed a rating or certificate, it was usually as an "ATC Only" or as 

a pilot who also held some sort o:f communications rating. 

Slightly over 24 per cent o:f the :females and 

26 per cent o:f the males indicated they had certificated experience both as a pilot and in communications. Some 15.6 per cent o:f the :females 

and 22.9 per cent o:f the males stated they held 

an "ATC Rating Only." The cases in the remaining experience categories accounted :for only 

6 per cent o:f the :female sample and less than 

15 per cent o:f the males. 

Further inspection and analysis o:f the data 

presented in Figure 5 will reveal that the 

majority of the males and females who were 

eventually attrited either possessed no rated experience o:f any type or ratings which did not 

directly pertain to ATC work. For example, 125 

o:f the 302 attrited males possessed no related experience and an additional 87 were categorized 

under "Pilot and Communications"; this total o:f 

212 represented 70.2 per cent o:f the attritions o:f 

the male sample. It should also be noted that the 

attrited :female cases within the "No Rated Experience" and "Pilot and Communications" categories add to 31, accounting :for almost 80 per 

cent o:f the 39 women who terminated their ATCS 

career before 1 April 1971. 

Such findings are in general agreement with 

those o:f previous studies 12 13 14 based on samples 

recruited prior to 1964. In this earlier research it 

was determined that every type o:f experience 

other than work directly involving air traffic control (i.e., radar or VFR control) was negligibly, 

and sometimes inversely, related to measures o:f 

training performance. This was particularly 

true with respect to evaluations o£ pilot experience. Also, assessments o:f communications 

work have never correlated appreciably with any 

criteria other than the laboratory performance 

grades o:f FSS trainees. Although a number o:f 

changes in the procedures £or evaluation o£ preemployment experience have occurred since 1964, 

15 

the results obtained in the present study with 

recently recruited groups of trainees tend to indicate that the experience assessment methods 

may need further revision. 

F. Operational OSO Aptitude Test Screening 

Scores. Records :forwarded to CAMI by Regional officials included performance scores on the 

CSC Aptitude Screening Battery :for 59 (or 71.1 

per cent) o:f the :females and 512 (or 64.2 per 

cent) o£ the males; the difference between proportions was not statistically significant. However, findings regarding the esc test measures 

should not be taken at face value because, as discussed earlier, scores were not forwarded for 

many o:f the trainees who claimed to have been 

operationally examined. Inasmuch as this was 

particularly true with respect to the trainingcourse :failures, it was impossible to reliably estimate the true validity o:f the battery :for prediction o:f the criterion measures :for either the males 

or :females involved in this study. 

The CSC Score distributions for the two 

samples are shown in Figure 6. Virtually all o:f 

the reported scores were above 210, which is considered as minimally qualifying on the battery, 

and some o:f the trainees in each sample scored 

over 285-a score which was attained by less than 

one per cent o:f the pre-1964 students who participated in the original validation research. 5 6 

The irregularity o:f contour in the distribution 

o£ scores :for the :females is probably due to the 

small number o:f cases comprising the sample. In 

contrast, the distribution :for the 512 males more 

closely resembles a Gaussian, or "normal," curve. 

The mean score o£ 250.3 :for the :females did not 

differ significantly :from the mean o:f 246.7 obtained :for the males. We estimate that no more 

than 12 per cent o:f the general population would 

score above 210 on the battery and that less than 

3 per cent would attain scores higher than 245. 

A point o£ salient interest is that the attrited 

cases in each sample are distributed throughout 

the entire range o:f obtained CSC Test Scores. 

I:f bias had not occured in the collection o:f the 

test performance data or i:f the scores had been 

available :for proportionately as many Academy 

training-course failures as passes, the results 

might have been contrastingly different-but 

nevertheless grossly attenuated due to the exceptionally high and narrow range o:f aptitude scores 

:from which all these trainees were selected. 
II Academy Attritions~ Post-Academy Attritions ORetentions as of Apr. '71 

Females 

Mean = 250.3 

S. D. = 20.8 

(No scores for 

24 of 83) 

Operational esc 

ATC Test Score & < -239 -248 -257 -266 -275 -284 & > Total 

N With FAA Apr.'71 1 2 3 2 7 4 10 2 2 2 35 

X Qf_G!P_W1S£o~e~ ___ 1·1 _3~4- 1·1 _3~4_11.2 _6~8_ll.Q _3~4- l·~ _3~4- _ ..2,9~3 

N Post-Acad. Attr. 3 1 2 3 1 1 3 2 · 16 

% Qf_G!P_WlS£o~e~ ______ 5~1- 1·2 _3~4- 1·1 _1~7- 1·1 _5~1- l·~- ___ 17~1 

N Acad. Non-Grads 1 3 2 1 1 8 

% Qf_G!J>_WlS£o~e~ ________ .1·1 ___ ..2,.1 _3..,!.4 ____ 1...!.7_ !·1 ____ .13...!.6 

N Total 1 5 5 4 13 7 11 6 5 2 59 

% of Scored Group 1.7 8.5 8.5 6.8 22.0 11.9 18.6 10.2 8.5 3.4 100.0 

Males 

Mean = 246.7 

S. D. = 23.1 

(No scores for 

286 of 798) 

Operational esc 240 

ATC Test Score & < -221 -230 -248 -266 -275 -284 & > Total 

N With FAA Apr.'71 19 31 25 40 66 52 49 36 19 22 359 

% Qf_G!P_WlS£o~e~ ___ l·l _6...!.1_ ~·2 _7~8_11·2 .10~2- 2·& _7~0- 1·1 _4~3- _ 10~1 

N Post-Acad. Attr. 2 9 5 13 14 13 11 7 4 1 79 

1 Qf_G!J>_WlS£o~e~ ___ Q.~-1~8- l·Q _2~5- 1·1 _2..,!.5_ 1·1 _1~4- Q.~ _0~2- _ 15~4 

N Acad. Non-Grads 8 5 9 9 12 15 8 5 1 2 74 

1 Qf_G!P_WLS£o~e~ ___ 1·& _1~0- 1·~ _1..,!.8_ 1·1 _2~9- 1·& _1~0- Q.1 _0~4 __ 14~5 

N Total 29 45 39 62 92 80 68 48 24 25 512 

%of Scored Group 5.7 8.8 7.6 12.1 18.0 15.6 13.3 9.4 4.7 4.9 100.0 

FIGURE 6. Distributions of operationally derived CSC A TC Aptitude Test scores which were available for 59 of 83 

female and 512 of 798 male ATCS trainees. 

16 
TABLE 5. Intercorrelations of variables involved in analyses accomplished in phase II of the study. 

Intercorrelations 

Level Oper. esc Rel. Exp. <\cad.+Lab Academy Poat-Acad. 

Females Males of ATC Test vs. Training Pus/Fail Retention or 

Max, N Max, N Educatic.n Score No Exp .+ Grade Statue+ Attrition+ 

Mean Mean Female Female Female Female Female Female 

S.D. S.D. Male Male Male Hale Male Hale 

Chr,m. Age 83 798 -.20 -.03 .04 -.09 -.13 -.05 

29.5 28.4 -.01 -.08 -.02 - .15* -.22* -.18* 

7 .o 5.8 

Education 83 798 ,34* -.13 -.01 .01 .02 

4.8 4.4 .17* -.07 ,03 -.05 -.06 

1.9 1.7 

Ooer. esc 59 512 -,22 .08 -.04 .08 

250.3 246.7 -.23* .12* .10* .08 

20.8 23.1 

Exoerience .14 .11 -.01 

N-With Exp, 38 no .o9* ;09* .09* 

N-No Exp, 45 218 

Acad.+Lab 82 790 .69* .43* 

84.8 85.1 • ~3* .44* 

7.2 7.0 

Pass/Fail 

N-Pass Acad. 66 613 

N-Fail Acad. 17 185 

Ret. /Attrit, 

Tot, N W/FAA 44 496 

Tot. N Attrited 39 302 

* Significant at less than the .05 level. 

~ A ~oint biserial correlation was computed between this and each continuous variable, and a phi coefficient 

where another dichotomous variable was involved. 

Moreover, regardless of the effectiveness achieved 

in aptitude screening, it is likely that there will 

always be a substantial portion of trainees in 

every sizable group who will be attrited from 

training due to a variety of other reasons. Conseqqently, a distribution of attrited cases throughout the restricted range of aptitudes, such as 

picted in Figure 6, should be expected. 

G. Interrelationships of Variables. A matrix 

of intercorrelations of the background variables, 

the CSC Test Scores, and training performance 

measures of the 83 females and 798 males appears 

as Table 5. 

Many of the correlations were not of sufficient 

magnitude to be statistically significant and the 

differences between corresponding coefficients for 

the two samples were generally rather small; only 

one such difference was significant. The latter 

pertained to the correlations between the CAMIderived "Academic + Laboratory Grade Aver17 

age" and "Pass-Fail Status" which was .69 for 

the sample of females and .53 for the males. 

Several other differences between the two 

groups were substantial yet not statistically 

significant. For example, the correlation (or 

"r") between level of education and age was 

-.20 for the females and only -.01 for the 

males. The mean age (27.1) of the 16 college 

graduates in the female sample was significantly 

lower (p<.05) than that of the remaining 67 

women (30.1 years), whereas the mean age of 

the 73 male college graduates (28.3 years) was 

almost identical to that (28.6) obtained for the 

725 men who possessed no college degree. It 

may be recalled from the previous discussion that 

the mean age of 29.5 years for the entire group 

of females was not significantly higher than the 

28.4 obtained for the 798 males and that the 

average educational level of the females was only 

slightly above that of the males. 
Each sample yielded a significant and positive 

correlation between Coded Educational Level and 

Composite CSC Test Score; the "r" was .34 for 

the females and .17 for the males. Due to the 

small number of females for whom CSC Scores 

were available (N=59), the difference between 

the two coefficients was not statistically significant. A supplemental analyses revealed that the 

CSC Scores forwarded for 43 of the 73 males 

who possessed college degrees averaged 255.7 

which proved to be significantly higher than the 

mean of 245.9 based on scores available for 469 of 

the 725 male trainees of lower educational level. 

Similarly, the scores provided for 14 of the 16 

females with college degrees averaged 262.4, significantly higher than the 246.5 based on data for 

45 of the 67 remaining females but not significantly above the 255.7 obtained for the male 

graduates. 

PHASE III 

The analyses accomplished in Phase III of the 

study involved comparison of the females and 

males in terms of performance on various aptitude tests which CAMI administered on an experimental basis as the subjects entered Academy 

ATCS training. For reasons described earlier, it 

was possible to examine each incoming class with 

only five to seven .instruments. However, successive changes in the groups of tests selected for 

administration ultimately resulted in the collection of performance data, on samples of varying 

size, for 36 different tests or subtests. 

A. Tests Administered to Exceptionally Small 

Groups of Women. Because many of the instruTABLE 6. Means and standard deviation for tests administered experimentally to relatively small numbers of female and male ATCS Trainees. 

Female Trainees Male Trainees 

Test, Suotest, or Scale N Mean S.D.* N Mean S.D. 

Calif. Test of Mental Maturity ------------------------------------------------- CTMM-7, Figure Analogies ------- 5 8.8 221 7.4 1.8 

CTMM-8, Inference -------------- 5 13.8 221 12.3 1.7 

CTMM-10, Coins ----------------- 5 10.2 221 8.9 3.3 

CTMM-11, Arithmetic ------------ 4 7.3 179 9.4 2.7 

Differential Aptitude Test ----------------------------------------------------- DAT Space Relations ------------ 5 73.0 222 69.9 16.5 

DAT Abstract Reasoning --------- 5 41.2 222 38.6 6.0 

DAT Numerical Ability ---------- 5 24.4 222 26.0 8.1 

Dailey Technical & Schol. Test ------------------------------------------------- TST Vocabulary ----------------- 7 23.0 3.5 73 22.1 4.1 

T.ST Algebra -------------------- 7 7.7 3.4 73 8.1 3.7 

TST Arithmetic ----------------- 7 ~3.3 4.2 73 25.0 3.5 

TST Electricity ---------------- 7 5.1 1.2 73 9.7 2.9 

TST Science -------------------- 7 7.0 1.6 73 9.5 3.0 

TST Mechanics ------------------ 7 13.3 2.4 73 23.4 4.4 

TST Electronics--------·------- 7 3.7 1.4 73 6.7 3.4 

Dailey Spatial Visualization ----- 9 26.2 4.3 166 24.4 4.3 

Vocational Educational Test ---------------------------------------------------- VETB Arithmetic Reasoning ------ 3 13.3 66 13.1 2.8 

VETP Abstract Reasoning -------- 3 7.3 66 11.3 2.2 

VETb Mechanical Reasoning ------ 3 11.0 66 16.2 2.9 

VETB Two Dimensional Visual. --- 3 8.0 66 13.8 4.4 

VETB Three Dimensional Visual. - 3 12.0 66 11.8 2.7 

VETB Reading Comprehension ----- 3 44.7 66 40.8 5.7 

*Although of questioned reliability, standard deviations were computed for samples consi~ting of seven to nine cases, but were omitted for smaller samples. 

18 
ments were administered to only two or three of 

the 39 Academy classes, the female cases for 21 of 

the test measures numbered less than ten. The 

means and standard deviations (S.D.'s) of scores 

on each of these 21 tests appear in Table 6 for all 

available female cases and for all male trainees 

of GS-7 level who were assessed with the instruments. For each of the 21 variables. the number 

of female cases is admittedly too small to permit 

a reliable assessment of sex differences. Moreover, 

the samples within each sex group are not mutually exclusive; they overlap considerably. 

Nevertheless, it is of interest to note that the 

means of the women are higher than those of the 

men on 10 of the 21 variables-a number which 

would be expected on a "chance" basis. 

Relative to the standard deviation (S.D.) of 

scores obtained for the male trainees, the greatest 

mean performance difference in favor of the females pertains to CTMM Inference. Next in 

order are those pertaining to CTMM Analogies, 

followed by VETB Reading Comprehension, 

DAT Abstract Reasoning, and the Dailey Spatial 

Visualization Test. The women also scored higher 

than the men on five other tests or subtests but in 

each instance the mean difference is so small, relative to the S.D. of the males, as to be inconsequential. 

On TST Mechanics, the mean score of 13.3 for 

the females was 2.3 S.D. units below that of the 

males. Similarly, their mean scores on both 

VETB Abstract Reasoning and VETB Mechanical Reasoning are about 1.8 S.D. units lower than 

those of the men. Females also experienced considerably more difficulty than the men on VETB 

Two-Dimensional Visualization and TST Electricity. Succinctly, their mean differences on all 

the latter five were much greater, in terms of the 

S.D.'s based on the male samples, than for the 

tests on which they performed better than the 

males. Differences pertaining to the remaining 

six tests listed in Table 6 also favored the males 

but each difference was comparatively small. 

B. OSO ATO Aptitude Screening Battery 

Scores. As pointed out earlier, the Regions forwarded Composite Scores on the operationally administered CSC Screening Battery for 59 of the 

83 females and for 512 of the 798 GS-7 level 

males who entered Academy ATCS training 

during 8 May 1969 through 31 July 1969. Part 

scores (i.e., measures on the five different esc 

19 

Test Booklets) were also forwarded for 46 of the 

59 women and 355 of the 512 men for whom 

Composite Scores were available. Moreover, the 

design of the larger research project, of which 

this study is but a part, specified that several incoming Academy groups be experimentally administered one to three parts of the CSC Battery 

and that a few classes also be experimentally 

assessed with the entire CSC Battery. Fourteen 

of the 83 females involved in the present study 

were experimentally administered all five esc 

instruments. The complete CSC Battery was also 

administered, on an experimental basis, to 599 

GS-7 level male trainees of various classes, ineluding some, but not all, of the classes used in 

establishing our basic sample of 798 males. 

Figure 7 presents data reflecting the mean performance of the females relative to the males on 

both the operationally and experimentally administered esc instruments. It should be emphasized that although the data presented in Figure 7 pertain to overlapping samples, many of 

the experimentally examined males were i~ Academy classes other than those which yielded the 

sample of 798. (In other words, the findings depicted in Figure 7 are not based on "test-retest" 

data only.) The cases comprising the male samples, like those of the female samples, are also 

quite variable in number. In most instances, 

however, both the female and male samples are 

of sufficient size to permit a reliable comparison 

of their performance on the different parts of the 

CSC Battery. 

An examination of Figure 7 will reveal that 

the women performed almost as well or better 

than the men on every element (i.e., test booklet) 

of the CSC Battery. Composite Scores forwarded for 59 females on the operationally administered battery averaged '250.3 whereas those 

provided for 512 males averaged 246.7; the difference was not statistically significant. Only 

14 females and 599 males were experimentally 

administered the complete CSC Battery, but the 

mean difference of 7.7 points between the Composite Scores again favored the women. Differences between the mean scores of the females and 

males were quite small on both the operationally 

and experimentally administered tests referred to 

as CSC-51 Spatial Relations, CSC-135 Following Oral Directions, and CSC-540 Air Traffic 

Problems. 
Percentage 

Ratio 

115 0 

110 

105 \ X 

0 --Operational Administration 

x --Experimental Administration 

I 

)( 

0- X 

\ X 

0 0 (Mean score 

of females 

to mean 

score of 

males) 

10(! ~ 0- ;_--x-~- -/-

0 " 

95 

90 

CSC-ATC Oper. Exp. Oper. Exp. Oper. Exp. Oper. Exp. Oper. Exp. Oper. Exp. 

Battery CSC-24 CSC-51 CSC-135 CSC-157 CSC-540 esc Total 

Number Facil. Spatial Rel. Fol. Oral Dir. Abst.R. & L.S, Air Traf. Prbs, Composite 

Female 

Trainees N: 46 30 46 22 46 47 46 25 46 63 59 14 

Mean: 49.1 42.5 30.9 30.0 28.5 28.5 36.8 34.5 40.1 36.5 250.3 239.8 

S.D.: 6.6 7.5 4.0 4.4 5.1 4.6 5.5 6.3 8.9 10.4 20.8 31.5 

Male 

Trainees N: 355 340 355 273 355 318 355 255 355 423 512 599 

Mean: 42.6 41.6 31.5 30.1 29.5 28.0 33.6 31.5 39.5 37.6 246.7 232.1 

S.D.: 7.8 7.6 3.5 3.4 4.6 4.7 6.3 6.9 9.8 11.3 23.1 29.6 

Mean Diff.: 6,5* 0.9 0.6 0.1 1.0 3.2* 3.0* 0.6 1.1 4.4 7.7 

FIGURE 7. Relative perormance of female and male ATCS Trainees on the five tests of the CSC-ATC Aptitude Battery when administered operationally for screening purposes and when administered experimentally. 

*Difference is significant at less than the .05 level. 

The most notable difference, which was statistically significant (p < .01), pertained to the operationally administered CSC-24 Number Facility Booklet; the mean score of the women was 

49.1, while that of the men was 42.6. 

In order to plot the performance of the females 

on each of the instruments relative to that of the 

males, a percentage ratio was obtained. For example, the mean score of 49.1 for the females on 

CSC-24 Number Facility was divided by the 42.6 

obtained from the male sample, resulting in a quotient of 115 after omission of the decimal point. 

Inasmuch as 100 represented the average score of 

the males, the 115 denoted that the females scored 

15 per cent higher than the males on the operationally administered CSC-24 Booklet. Surprisingly, there was little difference between the 

mean scores of the females and males who were 

experimentally administered the CSC-24 Booklet 

at the time of entry into Academy training. 

The women also tended to score appreciably 

higher than the men on the CSC-157 Booklet20 

a two-part test involving non-verbal abstract reasoning. The mean difference with respect to the 

operationally derived scores was 3.2 score points 

and 3.0 score points with respect to performance 

in the experimental situation; these differences 

were statistically significant at the .01 and the 

.05 levels, respectively. In each instance, the 

mean score of the females was almost 10 per cent 

higher than that of the males. 

C. Other Ewperimentally Administered Tests. 

Figures 8 and 9 follow the same format as Figure 

7 but present data relating to a number of other 

tests which were administered on an experimental 

basis to portions of the female group and to sizable samples of male GS-7 trainees. All but 

three of the tests for which results are presented 

are commercially published and copyrighted instruments ; the Directional Headings Test and the 

Symbol-to-Digit decoding test represent CAMI 

development efforts; "Locating Data" represents 

a CAMI revision of a test previously developed 
Percentage 

Ratio 

X 

110 

105 X- X X 

-X 

X 

100 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

(Mean score 

of females 

to mean 

score of 

males) 

95 \ X --- X 

X 

90 ~~----~~-----r------~----~~-----r------~----~~-----r--~ Tests 

Experimentally 

Administered 

Press 

Test 

Pt. I 

Press 

Test 

Pt. II 

Press Direct. 

Test Heading 

Pt. III Pt, I 

Direct. 

Heading 

Pt. II 

Direct. 

Heading 

Pt. III 

CAMI 

Symbol 

-Digit 

WAIS 

DigitSymbol 

A. I. R. 

Locating 

Data 

Female 

Trainees N: 12 12 12 26 26 16 32 25 54 

Mean: 84.2 82.8 65.5 32.6 32.1 36.8 41.2 64.7 29.7 

S,D,: 8.0 10.4 9.0 11.7 14.6 12.9 5.6 10.6 6.1 

Male 

Trainees N: 251 251 231 344 366 326 385 302 359 

Mean: 79.7 78,6 64.9 34,9 34,3 40.5 37.0 61.1 28.3 

S,D,: 14.6 13,0 12.1 8.8 11.3 11.2 6.6 9.6 5,2 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MeanDiff.: 4.5 4.2. 0.6 2,3 2.2 3.7 4.z''' 3.6 1.4 

FIGURE 8. Relative performance of female and male ATCS Trainees on the experimenrally administered Press, 

CAMI Directional Headings, CAMI Symbol-to-Digit, WAIS Digit-to-Symbol, and Locating Data tests. 

*Difference is significant at less than the .05 level. 

for the FAA by the American Institute of Research. 

Looking first at Figure 8, it should be noted 

that the performance mea~:" of the females were 

below those of the males for only three of the 

nine variables. The three pertain to the CAMI 

Directional Headings Test (or DHT) ; on Part I 

and Part II, the women scored about 7 per cent 

lower than the men and, on Part III, about 10 

per cent lower than the men. Although none of 

the mean differences proved statistically significant, the entire study revealed no other test, subtest, or part of a test with which the women experienced as much difficulty, relative to the men, 

as on the DHT. 

The mean performance of the women was 

higher than that of the men on the three parts of 

the Press Test and on the Locating Data ,W AIS 

21 

Digit-to-Symbol, and CAMI Symbol-to-Digit 

tests. In only one case, however, was their average score significantly above that of the males; on 

the CAMI Symbol-to-Digit Test, the mean sex 

difference of 4.2 score points was statistically 

significant at the .01 level. 

The data presented in Figure 9 pertain to the 

five parts, or subtests, of the Brown-Carlsen 

Listening Comprehension Test (BC-LCT). The 

test is similar in many respects to CSC-135 

Following Oral Directions (for which results 

were shown in Figure 7) and, like the latter, revealed no statistically significant differences between the sex groups although the performance 

means of the females were below those of the 

males on four of the five BC-LCT subtests. 

A summary analysis of the data presented in 

Figures 7, 8, and 9 was accomplished by ranking 
----- 110 

Percentage 

Ratio 105 

)( 

(Mean score 

of females 

to mean 100 

score of 

.. 1es) 

95 

X ----- 90 

Brown- ' Carlsen I11111ediate Following Recognizing Recognizing Lecture 

Listening Recall Oral Sentence Word Comprehension 

Comprehension Directions Transitions Meanings 

Female 

Trainees N: 29 29 29 29 29 

Mean: ll.4 14.8 5.1 7.8 12.6 

S.D.: 2.5 2.3 1.6 1.6 2.9 

Male 

Trainees N: 274 273 274 274 274 

Mean: 12.1 15.3 5.4 7.5 12.7 

S.D.: 2.? 2.7 1.3 1.5 2.8 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mean diff.: 0.7 0.5 0.3 0.3 0.1 

FIGURE 9. Relative performance of female and male ATCS Trainees on the five subtests of the experimentally administered Brown-Carlsen Listening Comprehension test. 

the test performance variables in terms o:£ the 

percentage ratios, as indicated in Section B o:£ 

this Phase III discussion. Although the resulting array is not presented in this report, the percentage ratios :£or the 19 experimentally administered tests or sub tests, ranging :£rom 90.9 (:£or 

Part III o:£ Directional Headings) to 111.4 (:£or 

CSC-157 Abstract Reasoning and Letter Sequence), averaged 100.6, and 10 o:£ the 19 were 

larger than 100.0. When the operationally derived data :£or the five CSC Booklets were included, a similar array revealed that 13 o:£ the 24 

percentage ratios exceeded 100.0. The average 

:£or the ratio values :£or the entire 24 was 101.3, 

indicating that the average performance o:£ the 

females slightly exceeded that o:£ the males. 

In the latter array, the operationally administered CSC-24 Number Facility Test, with a 

percentage ratio o:£ 115.3, ranked first. The next 

22 

highest value was 111.4, :£or the CAMI Symbolto-Digit Test, followed by identical values o:£ 

109.5 :£or the operationally and experimentally 

administered CSC-157 Abstract Reasoning and 

Letter Sequence Booklet. The WAIS Digit-toSymbol subtest ranked fifth with 105.9 while 

slightly lower values resulted in Parts I and II 

o:£ the Press Test being ranked sixth and seventh, 

respectively. Other percentage ratios above 100.0 

pertained to the BC-LCT Recognizing Word 

Meanings, the experimentally administered CSC24 Number Facility and CSC-135 Following Oral 

Directions tests, the operationally administered 

CSC-540 Air Traffic Problems Booklet and Part 

III o:£ the Press Test. Percentage ratios which 

ranged :£rom 99.2 down to 96.6 pertained to the 

operationally and experimentally administered 

CSC-51 Spatial Relations Booklet, Lecture Comprehension o:£ the BC-LCT, the experimentally 
administered CSC-540 Air Traffic Problems Test, 

the BC-LCT Following Oral Directions, and the 

operationally administered CSC-135 Following 

Oral Directions Booklet. Percentage ratios of 

94.4 and 94.2, for the Brown-Carlsen subtests of 

Recognizing Sentence Transitions and Immediate 

Recall, ranked 20th and 21st. The women generally experienced increasingly greater difficulty 

than the men on Parts II, I, and III of the Directional Headings Test; DHT Part III, which involved aural. distraction, yielded a percentage 

ratio of 90.9-lower than for any other aptitude 

test variable. As pointed out earlier, however, 

there was no test or subtest on which their performance mean was significantly lower than that 

of the males while there were four instances 

where their mean scores were significantly higher 

than obtained for the males. As may be recalled, the latter pertained to the operationally 

administered CSC-24 Number Facility Booklet, 

the experimentally administered CAMI Symbolto-Digit (Decoding) Test, and both the 

operationally and experimentally administered 

CSC-157 Booklet (which contained the nonverbal Abstract Reasoning and Letter Sequence 

Tests). 

D. Aptitude Differences Relative to Those of 

General Population Samples. The findings regarding the relative aptitude levels of the female 

and male ATCS trainees are similar in some respects to those cited by Anastasi/ Droege, 7 and 

Maccoby9 in their summaries of research on the 

aptitudes and cognitive abilities of men and 

women representative of a general population. 

They indicate that women generally perform 

significantly better than men on tests involving: 

rapid perception of details and frequent shifts of 

attention, coding or decoding abilities, reading 

comprehension, and grammar, vocabulary, and 

other verbal functions. In the present study, the 

scores of the females averaged higher (though 

not significantly higher) than the males on the 

two tests which most notably involved rapid perception of details: the Locating Data Test and 

the Press Test. The female ATCS trainees also 

tended to perform better than the males on the 

W AIS Digit-to-Symbol Coding subtest and on 

CAMI's Symbol-to-Digit (Decoding) Test. Findings with regard to verbal functioning were inconsistent; the performance of the women was 

slightly above that of the men on BC-LCT Recognizing Word Meanings and slightly below that 

23 

of the males on BC-LCT Recognizing Sentence 

·Transitions. 

Anastasi/ like Droege/ indicates that women 

are also apt to perform: slightly better than men 

on tests pertaining to numerical ability, verbal 

abstract reasoning, and word memory; slightly 

less well than men on tests involving verbal analogies, non-verbal abstract reasoning, and mathematical or quantitative reasoning; and that they 

are apt to experience considerably greater difficulty than men on tests relating to spatial orientation, mechanics, science, physics, and the like. 

In the current study, the groups of female examinees scored significantly higher, rather than 

slightly higher, than the males on CSC-24 Number Facility and slightly lower than males, instead of slightly higher, on BC-LCT Immediate 

Recall (which pertains to word memory). Unlike 

women in the general population who tend to 

perform less well on tests of non-verbal abstract 

reasoning, the females examined in this study 

scored significantly higher than the males on esc 

Booklet 157. 

Moreover, the females performed at a comparable level with the males on CSC Booklet 51 

Spatial Relations and the mean score of the nine 

women assessed with the Dailey Spatial Visualization Test was actually a few points higher than 

that of the men (see Table 6). Very few of the 

females were examined with 'other types of tests 

on which men traditionally exhibit relatively 

superior performance. In every instance, however, the results followed the expected trend; as 

shown in Table 6, the mean scores of the female 

trainees were substantially below those of the 

males on TST Mechanics, VETB Mechanical 

Reasoning, TST Electricity, and TST Electronics. 

ADDENDUM 

Attritions Between April and December 1971. 

Subsequent to the completion of this report, 

records updated as of December 1971 revealed 

that an additional 10 of. the 66 female Academy 

graduates terminated their service during the intervening seven months (i.e., after April 1971) 

whereas only 21 additional males were attrited 

during the same period. In other words, as of 

December 1971, the attrition rate for the 66 females who had survived Academy training was 

48.5 per cent while that of the 613 male graduates 

was only 22.5 per cent. 
IV. Summary and Concluions. 

This study compares age, education, pre-FAA 

experience, aptitudes, training-course performance measures, and post-Academy attrition rates 

of the 83 women who entered basic air traffic control (ATC) training at the FAA Academy during November 1968 through March 1970 with 

those of various samples of the 3,760 males who 

entered training during the same period. The 

study revealed no significant differences between 

the means of the female and male trainees with 

respect to age and educational level. When samples of the 83 females were compared with groups 

of male trainees in terms of performance on 36 

different aptitude tests, only four mean differences, all of which favored the females, proved 

statistically significant. Only 45.8 per cent of 

the 83 women had pre-FAA ATC-related experience, while such p.xperience was possessed by 

63.9 per cent of a sampie of 798 males; the difference was significant at the .01 le\ el. The 

means of the training course grade a v~~rages of 

the two groups Jiffered by only three-~nths of 

one point and there was no significant difference 

between the Academy attrition rate of 20.5 per 

cent for the females and 23.2 per cent for the 798 

males. However, the groups differed markedly 

with respect to post-Academy attrition rates. It 

was determined that 33.3 per cent of the 66 females who completed Academy basic training 

were no longer in the air traffic management system as of April 1971 whereas only 19.1 per cent 

of the 613 males (within the sample of 798) who 

graduated from the Academy were subseq•1ently 

attrited. 

This study, like others of recent years, has also 

demonstrated that the FAA selects the vast majority of its ATCS trainees from among candidates who are far superior to the general population in terms of intellectual or cognitive abilities. 

REFERENCES 

1. Anastasi, A.: Differential Psychology, New York, 

Macmillan Company, 1958. 

2. Brokaw, L.D.: School and Job Validation of Selection Measures for Air Traffic Control Training. 

W ADC-TN-59-39, Personnel Laboratory, W ADD, 

USAF, Lackland AFB, Texas, 1959. 

3. Cobb, B. B. : Problems in Air Traffic Management : 

II. Prediction of Success in Air Traffic Controller 

School. FAA Civil Aeromedical Research Institute 

Report No. 62-2, 1962. 

4. Cobb, B. B.: Problems in Air Traffic Management: V. 

Identification and Potential of Aptitude Test Measures for Selection of Tower Air Traffic Controller 

Trainees. FAA Office of Aviation Medicine Report 

No. AM-65-19, 1965. 

5. Cobb, B. B., C. D. Lay, and N. M. Bourdet : The Relationship Between Chronological Age and Aptitude 

Test Measures of Advanced-Level Air Traffic Control Trainees. FAA Office of Aviation Medicine 

Report No. AM-71-36, 1971. 

6. Cobb, B. B., and J. J. Mathews: A Proposed New 

Test for Aptitude Screening of Air Traffic Controller 

Applicants FAA Office of Aviation Medicine Report 

No. AM-72-18, 1972. 

7. Droege, R. C. : Differences in Aptitude Maturation 

During High School, JOURNAL OF COUNSELING 

PSYCHOLOGY, 14 :407-411, 1967. 

24 

8. Guilford, J. P.: Fundamental Statistics in Psychology 

and Education, York, Pennsylvania, Maple Press 

Company, 1956. 

9. Maccoby, E. E. : The Development of Sex Differences, 

Stanford, Stanford University Press, 1966. 

10. Trites, D. K. : Problems in Air Traffic Management: 

I. Longitudinal Prediction of Effectiveness of Air 

Traffic Controllers. FAA Civil Aeromedical Research 

Institute Report No. 61-1, 1961. 

11. Trites, D. K., and B. B. Cobb : Problems in Air Traffic Management : III. Implications of Age for Training and Job Performance of Air Traffic Controllers. 

FAA Civil Aeromedical Research Institute Report 

No. 62-3, 1962. 

12. Trites, D. K., and B. B. Cobb : Problems in Air Traffic 

Management: IV. Comparisons of Pre-Employment, 

Job-Related Experience With Aptitude Tests as 

Predictors of Training and Job Performance of Air 

Traffic Control Specialists. FAA Civil Aeromedical 

Research Institute Report No. 63-31, 1963. 

13. Trites, D. K., and B. B. Cobb : CARl Research on 

Air Traffic Control Specialists: Age, Aptitude, and 

Experience as Predictors of Performance. Civil 

Aeromedical Research Institute, Unnumbered Report, 

FAA, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 1964. 

14. Trites, D. K., M. C. Miller, and B. B. Cobb : Problems 

in Air Traffic Management: VII. Job and Training 

Performance of Air Traffic Control SpecialistsMeasurement, Structure, and Prediction. FAA Office 

of Aviation Medicine Repo.rt No. AM-65-22, 1965. 

23815