DOT I FAA/ AM-86/6 

Office of Aviation Medicine 

Washington, D.C. 20591 

THE FLIGHT SERVICE STATION 

TRAINING PROGRAM: 1981-1985 

John J. Convey, Ph. D. 

Office of Aviation Medicine 

Federal Aviation Administration 

Washington , D.C. 20591 

June 1986 

Final Report 

This document is available to the public 

through the National Technical Information 

Service, Springfield, Virginia 22161 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

Federal Aviation Administration 
NariCE 

This docurrent is disseminated under the sponsorship of the 

U.S. Departrrent of Transportation in the interest of inforrrat ion 

exchange. The United States Goverment assumes no liability for the 

contents or use thereof. 
Ted~nical ~•port Documentation Page 

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

fXfr/FM/AM-86/6 

4 . Title and Subtitle S. Report Dote 

The Flight Service Station Training Program: 

1981 - 1985 6 . Performing Orgoni zotion Code 

t-:;;--:---:---;-;----------------------------1 8 . Performing Orgoni zotion Report No . 7 . Au tho rl s) 

John J. Convey, Ph.D. 

9. Performing Organ i zation Nome and Address 

Federal Aviation Administration 

Office of Aviation r~dicine 

10 . Work Unit No . (TRAIS) 

II . Contract or Grant No . 

t--:-:--:---------~-:-:------------------.,..---113. Type of Report and Period Covered 

12. Sponsoring Agency Nome and Address 

Office of Aviation Medicine 

Federal Aviation Administration 

800 Independence Avenue, S.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20591 

IS. Supplementary Notes 

16 . Abstract 

14. Sponsoring Agency Code 

This report describes the performance of the ATC classes in the Flight Service 

Station Training Program from 1981 to 1985 on the skills tests and laboratory 

exercises in Preflight (pilot briefing), Inflight, and Emergency Services. Over 

80% of the final grade for the program is based on these measures. The average 

scores of the classes on the skills tests, especially on Inflight, have 

increased from 1981 to 1985. The different forms of both the Preflight test and 

the Emergency Services test appear to be equivalent as intended; however, Form 

G and Form H of the Inflight test are easier than Form D and Form E. The 

average scores of the classes on the laboratory exercises in Preflight and 

Emergency Services have been fairly constant from 1981 to 1985; however, the 

averages on the Inflight laboratory exercises have declined steadily. Overall, 

these classes have performed better on the skills tests and laboratory 

exercises, except for Inflight, than did the reference classes of 1978 and 1979. 

17. Key Words 

performance 

scores 

skills tests 

in-flight 

pre-flight 

19. Security Claui f. (of thi a report) 

Unclassified 

Form DOT F 1700.7 <&-72) 

18. Distribution Statement 

Document is available to the public 

through the National Technical 

Information Service, Springfield, 

Virginia 22161 

20. Security Clauif. (of this page) 21. No. of Pages 22. Pri ce 

Unclassified 

Reproduction of completed poge 11uthorized 
THE FLIGHT SERV1CE STATION TRAINING PROGRAM: 1981 - 1985 

In 1978 a new Flight Service Station (FSS) Program began. At that time new 

measures and norms were developed to create standards of performance which 

students must meet to became eligible for acceptance into the operational 

facility work force. One type of measure was the FSS Skills Test, a 

paper-and-pencil simulation of laboratory problems. Skills tests were developed 

in three areas: Pilot Briefing (Preflight), Inflight, and Emergency Services. 

In addition to skills tests, primary laboratory exercises were developed for 

these same areas. Other measures included in the program were secondary 

laboratory exercises in the areas of flight data, weather observation, teletype 

and broadcast, as well as academic block tests in all areas. 

A final grade for each student in the training program was determined in 

the following manner. First, a composite grade for each student was formed from 

a linear combination of the skills test, primary laboratory exercises, secondary 

laboratory exercises, and academic block tests. The skills tests and primary 

laboratory exercises were assigned the highest weights in the linear 

combination, 80% of the linear combination until class 85007, 83.75% from 

classes 85007 to 85016, and 86% since class 85016. Second, a phase grade for 

each student was determined from a transformation of the composite grade. 

Pickrel (1Q79) reported on the development of the passing scores for the 

skills tests and primary laboratory exercises, and on the development of the 

transformation used to determine the phase grade from the composite grade. In 

general, the minimum passing scores for the skills tests and primary laboratory 

exercises were selected so that approximately 5% of the examinees from a 

normative group of eight FSS classes, 7801 to 9006, failed each indicator. The 

transformation used to calculate the phase grade from the composite grade was 

determined so that approximately 5% of the students would receive a failing 

grade below 70. In addition, a training failure also occurred if any student 

failed both the skills test and the laboratory exercise in one of the primary 

areas, Preflight, Inflight, or Emergency Services. 

This report describes the performance of the ATC specialists who 

participated in the FSS training program from 1981 to 1985. The report is 

limited to a discussion of the performance of the students on the skills tests, 

the primary laboratory exercises, and the phase grade. 1981 was chosen as·the 

starting point since the FSS training program was interrupted for a short time 

during that year because of the PATCO strike. Same modifications to the skills 

tests were made when the training program resumed, and other modifications have 

been made subsequently. All of the 1981 classes are included in the analysis 

for completeness, although six of the nine classes that year were completed 

prior to the strike. 

Method 

Appendix A lists for each class included in the analysis the mean scores 

for each skills test, each primary laboratory exerc1se, and the phase grade. 

The data for each class were aggregated by year and the following statistics 

were calculated. 
2. 

First, the mean and standard deviation for each skills test, primary 

laboratory exercise, and phase grade were calculated for each year. In the case 

of the skills tests, means were also computed for each form of the test as 

appropriate. 

Second, the distribution of scores was determined for the phase grade, the 

skills tests, and the laboratory exercises. Four intervals were used to display 

the data: 100-90, 89-80, 79 to the minimum passing score (usually 70), and 

failure (usually below 70). For the skills tests and laboratory exercises, each 

distribution was compared to the distribution of a reference group of FSS 

classes which consisted of the normative group 7801 to 9006 used by Pickrel 

(1979) and classes 9007 to 9012. 

Third, the correlations of each measure with the other measures were 

calculated and compared. 

Phase Grade 

Table l contains the means, standard deviations, distribution of 

proportions in each grade interval, and correlations for the phase grade. A 

slight, but steady, increase is evident in the average grades of the FSS classes 

from 1981 to 1984. During these years increasingly fewer students received 

grades between 70 and 79. The percentage of students with grades in this 

interval dropped from 32.2% in 1981 to 19.2% in 1984. During these same four 

years the failure rate as determined by the phase grade varied between 1.7% and 

2.5%, considerably lower than the approximately 5% for the normative classes. 

In 1985, the average phase grade declined noticeably with the percentage of 

students with grades from 70 to 79 (25.2%) and the percentage of failures (6.2%) 

increasing sharply. 

Even though the skills tests and the primary laboratory exercises have 

equal weight in the linear combination used to calculate the phase grade, 

laboratory scores correlate higher with the phase grade than do the skills 

tests • . The correlations of the phase grade with the laboratory scores range 

from .721 to .754 while the correlations of the phase grade with the skills 

tests range from .391 to .564. Interestingly, the phase grade correlates 

highest with the Inflight laboratory score and lowest with the Inflight Skills 

Test. 

Skills Tests 

Preflight 

Table 2 contains the summary statistics for the Preflight Skills Test. Two 

forms of this test are currently in use. Form C was introduced in 1983. 

The mean scores on Form B have increased slightly, but steadily, from 1981 

to 1985. The overall change of 1.43 is approximately l/4 of a standard 

deviation which is considered small. Overall Form C is slightly more difficult 

than Form B, but the difference between the forms is not significant. The 

largest difference, which occurs in 1985, is 1.25 points. 

Overall the performance of the FSS classes from 1981 to 1985 is better than 

the performance of the reference group, 7801 to 9012. The score distributions 

for the 1981 to 1985 classes were skewed more negatively than the distribution 
3. 

for the reference classes with the 1981-1985 classes having a higher proportior. 

of students in the top two score intervals and a lower proportion in the lowe~ 

two score intervals. The failure rates for the 1981-1985 classes ranged from 

0.7% to 2.7%, far lower than the 8.1% for the reference classes. 

The Preflight Skills Test correlates about the same with the other skills 

tests and the primary laboratory exercises. The overall correlations range from 

.200 to .268. The correlation of the Preflight Skills Test with the Preflight 

laboratory score (.254) is among the highest of the correlations, but it is not 

as high as the correlation wiith the Inflight laboratory score (.268). 

Inflight 

Table 3 contains the summary statistics for the Inflight Skills Test. Four 

forms of the test are currently used. A revised Form D was introduced late in 

1981 after the PATCO strike. Form E was introduced in 1982, and Form G and Form 

H were introduced in 1983. Most of the classes in 1985 took either Form G or 

Form H. 

The original version of Form D had a maximum of 73 possible points. The 

revised version of Form D and each of the other forms have a maximum of 125 

possible points. The conversion of the scores from a 0-73 metric and a 0-125 

metric to a 0-100 scoring metric has resulted in a different transformation 

which makes the original Form D appear harder than the revised Form D and the 

other forms. The performance of students from the classes in which the original 

Form D was given and those from classes in which the revised Form D was given is 

shown separately in Table 3 due to this difference in apparent difficulty. 

As the pattern of means indicates, marked differences in the relative 

difficulty of the different forms are apparent which are not due to different 

transformation of scoring metrics. Form G and Form H are the easiest forms, 

Form E is more difficult than these, and Form D is the most difficult of the 

four forms. The differences between Form G and Form H and the other forms are 

large, the difference being almost one standard deviation relative to Form E and 

greater than one and a half standard deviations relative to Form D. 

In addition to differences in mean performance across different forms, 

differences within forms across time are evident. The mean scores on the 

revised Form D have increased steadily since 1981. A steady increase in mean 

performance of the classes on FormE has occurred from 1982 to 1984. However , these increases within forms are not as large as the differences between forms 

as noted above. 

The distributions of scores for classes from 1982 to 1985 on the Inflight 

Skills Test have deviated considerably from the distribution of scores for the 

reference classes. These deviations are due to at least three factors. First, 

the change in possible points from 73 prior to the end of 1981 to 125 has 

resulted in a score transformation advantage of about 8 points on the average to 

students beginning in class 8129. Furthermore, due to the nature of the 

transformation examinees who score lower than the average score receive more of 

an advantage, while examinees who scored higher than the average score receive 

less of an advantage. Second, the difference in the difficulty of the forms has 

resulted in a change of approximately three to six points in the mean score for 

examinees, with examinees taking Form G and Form H obtaining the higher mean 

scores. Note that in 1985 most of the classes (15 out of 19) took the easier 
4. 

forms of the test. Third, the within-form increases due either to chance, 

better instruction, better students, or compromises in the security of the test 

also contribute some to this deviation. 

Since 1981 few students have failed the Inflight Skills Test. The failure 

rate for the reference classes was 6.1% and for 1981 the failure rate was 14.3%. 

However, since 1982 the failure rate has ranged from 0 to 1.5%, a total of six 

failures in the four years. 

The overall correlations of the Inflight Skills Test with the other skills 

tests are larger than the correlations with the laboratory scores. The overall 

correlations with the Preflight Skills Test and the Emergency Services Skills 

Test are .231 and .276, respectively, while the correlations with the laboratory 

scores range from .098 to .200. Except for 1983, the correlations of the 

Inflight Skills Test with the Inflight laboratory scores were good, ranging from 

.303 to .432. 

Emergency Services 

Table 4 contains the summary statistics for the Emergency Services Skills 

Test. Three forms of this test are currently used: Form C, Form D, and Form E. 

Each of these forms was introduced in 1981 following the PATCO strike. The 

three forms generally have been alternated among the classes; however, in 1984 

and 1985 Form E was administered to just three classes. 

The mean scores on each form have increased slightly, but steadily, from 

1981 to 1985. The changes in the mean scores for Form C and Form D have been 

about 4/10 of a standard deviation overall, which is moderate. The increase in 

the mean scores for Form E has been somewhat larger than the increases for the 

other two forms; however, the means of FormE for 1984 and 1985 are based on 

just a few classes. 

In addition to the within-form differences just noted, some slight between 

form differences occur. While FormE is somewhat easier than Form D which in 

turn is somewhat easier than Form c, these between-form differences are very 

small. 

Overall the performance of the students from 1981 to 1985 on the Emergency 

Services Skills Test is better than the performance of the students in the 

reference classes. (Note that the reference classes had taken an earlier form 

of the Emergency Services Skills Test.) In the classes from 1981 to 1985 from 

51% to almost 70% of the students in some years socred at least 90 on this test, 

while only 44% of the students from the reference classes scored at least 90 on 

the version of the Emergency Services Skills Test which they took. Fewer than 

10% of the students from 1981 to 1985 scored less than 80, while 25% of the 

students from the references classes did. In addition, the failure rate of 0.5% 

(6 students) from 1981 to 1985 is l/10 of the failure rate (5%) of the reference 

classes. 

The overall correlations of the Emergency Services Skills Test with the 

other skills tests and laboratory scores ranged from .254 to .362. These 

correlations are higher than the corresponding ones for the Preflight Skills 

Test and the Inflight Skills Test. Appropriately, the Emergency Services Skills 

Test correlates higher with the Emergency Services laboratory scores (.362) than 

with any other skills test or laboratory score. 
5 . 

Primary Laboratory Exercises 

Preflight 

Table 5 contains the summary statistics for the Preflight laboratory 

exercises for the classes from 1981 to 1985. The mean performance of the 

students changed very little from 1981 to 1984; however, a noticeable decline 

in performance occurred during 1985. In this year the mean score decreased 

about 4/ 10 of a standard deviation. Also during 1985, 9.3% of the students 

failed the Preflight laboratory exercises. While this percentage is about the 

same as that of the reference group, it is much higher than the 0.8% to 3.5% 

that occurred during 1981 to 1984. Overall the students from the 1981-1985 

classes have performed better on the Preflight laboratory exercises than did the 

students from the reference classes. 

The Preflight laboratory scores correlate better with the other laboratory 

scores than with the skills tests. The correlations of the Preflight laboratory 

scores with the Inflight laboratory scores and the Emergency Services laboratory 

scores are .525 and .471, respectively. The correlations with the skills tests 

range from .158 to .271, with the correlation with the Preflight Skills Test 

(.254) being slightly lower than the correlation with the Emergency Services 

Skills Test (.271). 

Inflight 

Table 6 contains the summary statistics for the Inflight laboratory 

exercises. The mean performance of the students on these exercises has declined 

steadily from 1981 to 1985. This decline has occurred while the scores on the 

Infli9ht Skills Test have increased steadily. 

In sharp contrast to each of the other laboratory exercises and skills 

tests, the performance of the students in these classes on the Inflight 

laboratory exercises has not been as good as the performance of the students 

from the reference classes. The 1981-1985 classes have a lower percentage of 

students scoring at least 90 on the Inflight laboratory exercises and a higher 

percentage of failures than did the reference classes. In fact the percentage 

of failures on the Inflight laboratory exercises has risen dramatically from 

7.9% in 1981 to 23.1% in 1985. 

In a similar fashion to the Preflight laboratory scores, the Inflight 

laboratory scores correlate better with the other laboratory scores than with 

the skills tests. The overall correlations with the Preflight laboratory scores 

and the Emergency Services laboratory scores are .525 and .523, respectively, 

while the overall correlations with the skills tests range from .200 to .287. 

Interestingly, the correlation of the Inflight laboratory score with the 

Inflight Skills Test is the lowest of these overall correlations. 

Emergency Services 

Table 7 contains the summary statistics for the Emergency Services 

laboratory exercises. In a similar fashion to the Preflight laboratory 

exercises, the mean performance of the students from 1981 to 1984 was fairly 

stable, but declined noticeably in 1985. While the students from all these 

classes have generally performed better than the students from the reference 

classes, the failure rate has increased steadily from 2.5% in 1981 to 7.6% in 
6. 

1984, and then jumped to 14.3% in 1985. 

As was the case with the Preflight and Inflight laboratory scores, the 

Emergency Services laboratory scores correlate better with the other laboratory 

scores than with the skills tests. The correlations of the Emergency Services 

laboratory scores with the Preflight laboratory scores and the Inflight 

laboratory scores are .471 and .523, respectively, while the correlations with 

the skills tests range from .098 to .362. 

Summary 

1. There is little difference in the performance of the students on the 

different forms of both the Preflight Skills Test and the Emergency Services 

Skills Test; however, there are considerable differences in performance 

among the forms of the Inflight Skills Test with Form G and Form H appearing 

to be much easier than Form D and Form E. 

2. The performance of the classes on the skills tests has increased slightly 

from year to year. On the other hand, the performance of the classes on the 

Preflight laboratory exercises and the Emergency Services laboratory 

exercises has been fairly stable, except for a noticeable decline on both· in 

1985. The performance of the classes on the Inflight laboratory exercises 

has declined steadily from year to year. 

3. The ~tudents from the 1981 to 1985 FSS classes have performed better as a 

group than did the students from the reference classes, 7801-9012, on the 

skills tests and laboratory exercises, except for the Inflight laboratory 

exercises where the students from the reference classes performed better. 

4. For the skills tests, the classes performed best on Emergency Services, 

followed by Inflight, and then by Preflight. For the laboratory exercises, 

the ordet is Emergency Services, Preflight, and Inflight. 

5. The laboratory exercises correlate better among themselves than do the 

skills tests correlate among themselves. In addition, the laboratory 

exercises correlate better with the phase grade than do the skills tests 

despite having the same weights assigned to them in the linear 

transformation used to determine the composite grade. 

Reference 

Pickrel, E. w. (1979). Performance Standards for Pass-Fail Determinations in 

the National Air Traffic Flight Service StatiOn Training Program. 

(FAA-AM-79-18). Washington: D.C.: Federal Aviation Administration. 
Yea r 

1981 

1982 

1983 

1984 

1985 

Year 

1981 

1982 

1983 

1984 

1985 

Year 

1981 

1982 

1983 

1984 

1985 

All 

Table 1 

Final Grades 

FSS Classes 1981 to 1985 

Classes Examine es Mean S.D. 

9 121 81.20 5.15 

18 279 82.42 6.00 

18 265 82.83 5.09 

19 224 83.22 5.57 

19 258 81.88 6.85 

Proportion of Examinees in Each Grade Interval 

90-100 

.025 

. 082 

.068 

. 112 

.089 

80-89 

.636 

.670 

.709 

.674 

.597 

70-79 

.322 

.222 

.204 

.192 

. 252 

Correlations with Skills Tests and 

PFTEST IFTEST ESTEST PFIAB 

--

.501 .619 .569 .652 

.416 .610 .525 .746 

.487 .373 .581 .677 

.532 .416 .524 .732 

.543 .363 .636 .774 

.492 .391 .564 .734 

Labs 

I FlAB --

.709 

.803 

.701 

.779 

.752 

.754 

Under 70 

.017 

. 025 . 

.019 

.022 . 

.062 

ESIAB 

--

.518 

.670 

.661 

.703 

.825 

. 721 

7. 
Year 

1981 

1982 

1983 

1984 

1985 

Classes Examinees 

9 122 

18 281 

18 267 

19 226 

19 259 

Table 2 

Preflight Skills test 

FSS Classes 1981 to 1985 

Mean S.D. Form B 

a 

80.38 5.54 80.38 (9) 

80.46 5.74 80.46 (18) 

80.81 5.15 80.87 (9) 

81.34 5.91 81.45 (10) 

81.13 6.48 81.81 (11) 

8. 

Form C 

80.75 (9) 

81.32 (9) 

80.56 (8) 

aThe number in parentheses is the number of classes taking this form. 

Proportion of Examinees in Each Scoring Interval 

Compared to Reference Classes 7801-9012 

Year 9,0-100 80-89 70-79 Under 70 

1981 .082 .516 .393 .008 

1982 .053 .548 .391 .007 

1983 .045 .618 .326 . 011 

1984' .066 .633 .274 .027 

1985 .089 .575 .313 .023 

7801-9012 .041 .441 .437 .081 

Correlations with Skills Tests, Final Grade, and Labs 

Year IF TEST ESTEST GRADE PFI.AB I FlAB ESI.AB -- -- --

1981 . 264 .196 . 501 . 232 .262 .264 

1982 .219 . 248 .416 .190 .196 .130 

1983 .178 .206 .487 .253 . 264 .177 

1984 .301 .268 .532 .266 .304 .156 

1985 . 252 .290 .543 .334 .335 .328 

All .231 .254 .492 .254 .268 .200 
9 . 

Table 3 

Inflight Skills Test 

FSS Classes 1981 to 1985 

Year Cla sse s Examinee s He an ~ ·For m D Form E form G Forn, H 

1981 6 86 76.23 8.42 76.23 (6) a,b 

1981 3 40 84.82 6.37 84.82 (3) 

1982 18 282 87.40 4.63 86.15 (10) 88.85 (8) 

1983 18 267 89.70 5.05 86.47 (6) 89.91 (6) 93.96 (3) 92.08 (3) 

1984 19 227 91.44 4.28 87.82 (4) 91.26 (6) 92.98 (4) 93. 4'7 (5 ) 

1985 19 260 92.60 4.15 87.96 (2) 90.43 (2) 94 . 33 (8) 93.06 (7) 

a 

Classes 8101-8106 took an earlier version of Form D. 

b The number in parentheses is the number of classes taking this form. 

Proportion of Examinees in Each Scorjng Interval 

Compared to Reference Classes 7801-9012 

Year 90-100 80-89 70-79 Under 70 --

1981 .079 .405 .373 .143 

1982 .330 .624 .043 .004 

1983 .592 .378 .015 . 015 

1984 .736 .251 .013 .000 

1985 .835 .154 .008 . 004 

7801-9012 .081 .538 .319 .061 

• Correlations with Skills Tests, Final Grade, and Labs 

! 

Year PFTEST ESTEST GRADE PFLAB IF LAB ESLAB --

1981 . 264 .390 .619 . 258 .387 .082 

1982 .219 .439 .610 .498 .432 .376 

1983 .178 .236 .373 .196 .091 .053 

1984 .301 .205 .416 .141 .303 .176 

1985 . 252 .176 .363 .126 .321 .193 

All .231 .276 .391 . 158 .200 .098 
10. 

Table 4 

Emergency Services Skills Test 

FSS Classes 1981 to 1985 

Year Classes Examinees Mean S.D. Form C Form D FormE 

9a b 

1981 121 88.82 8.52 88.50 (1) 88.79 (1) 90.97 (1) 

1982 18 279 90.44 6.84 89.54 (6) 90.39 (7) 90.93 (5) 

1983 18 265 91.22 6.63 90.35 (6) 91.65 (6) 91.77 (6) 

1984 19 224 91.57 5.70 90.72 (8) 92.19 (9) 93.22 (2) 

1985 19 258 91.33 6.25 91.17 (10) 91.14 (8) 94.74 (1) 

as. 1X classes (8101-8106) took an earlier form of Emergency Services. 

bThe numbe r in parentheses is the num1:ler of classes taking this form. 

Proportion of Examinees in Each Scoring Interval 

Compared to Reference Classes 7801-9012 

Year 90-100 80-89 70-79 Under 70 

1981 .512 .388 .083 .017 

1982 .581 .355 .057 .007 

1983 .675 .242 .072 .011 

1984 . 69.6 .250 .054 .000 

1985 .651 .275 .074 .000 

7801-9012 .440 .310 .200 .050 

Correlations with Skills Tests, Final Grade, and Labs 

Year PFTEST IFTEST GRADE PFLAB I FLAB ESLAB -- --

1981 .196 .390 .569 . 213 .262 .190 

1982 . 248 .439 . 525 . 277 .299 .382 

1983 .206 .236 .581 .238 .205 .322 

1984 .268 .205 .524 .229 .287 .274 

1985 .290 .176 .636 .368 .394 .501 

All .254 . 276 .564 . 271 .287 .362 
ll. 

Table 5 

Preflight Laboratory Exercises 

FSS Classes 1981 to 1985 

Year Classes Examinees Mean S.D. 

1981 9 122 86.11 6.20 

1982 18 281 86.01 7.98 

1983 18 267 86.98 6.20 

1984 19 226 85.61 7.69 

1985 19 259 82.47 9.78 

Proportion of Examinees in Each Scoring Internal 

Compared to Reference Classes 7801-9012 

Year 90-100 80-89 70-79 Under 70 --

1981 .320 .516 .156 .008 

1982 .327 .502 .142 .028 

1983 .337 .528 .127 .007 

1984 .319 .496 .150 .035 

1985 .239 .421 . 247 .093 

7801-9012 .040 .495 .374 .091 

Correlations with Skills Tests, Final Grade, and Labs 

Year PFTEST IFTEST ESTEST GRADE I FLAB ESLAB 

--

1981 .232 .258 .213 .652 .559 .291 

1982 .190 .498 . 277 .746 .635 .418 

1983 .253 .196 .238 . 677 .399 .312 

1984 .266 .141 .229 .732 .494 .453 

1985 .334 .126 .368 .774 . 507 .539 

All .254 .158 .271 .734 .525 .471 
12. 

Table 6 

Inflight Laboratory Exercises 

FSS Classes 1981 to 1985 

Year Classes Examinees Mean S.D. 

1981 9 126 82.46 7.67 

1982 18 282 82.06 9.18 

1983 18 268 80.35 8.07 

1984 19 227 79.59 9.44 

1985 19 258 78.21 11.50 •J 

Proportion of Examinees in Each Scoring Interval 

Compared to Reference Classes 7801-9012 

Year 90-100 80-89 72-79 Under 72 

1981 .159 .516 . 246 .079 

1982 .149 .546 .209 .096 ~ ; 

1983 .101 .478 .280 .142 

1984 .119 .436 .264 .181 

1985 .092 .419 . 258 .231 

7801-9012 .193 .553 .203 .051 

Correlations with Skills Tests, Final Grade, and Labs 

Year PFTEST IFTEST ESTEST GRADE PFLAB ESLAB 

--

1981 .262 . 387 .262 .709 .559 .341 

1982 .195 .432 .299 .803 .635 . 493 

1983 .264 .091 .205 .701 .399 .414 

1984 .304 .303 .287 .779 .494 .482 

1985 .335 .321 . 394 . 752 .507 .593 

All .268 .200 .287 .754 . 525 .523 
13. 

Table 7 

Emergency Services Laboratory Exercises 

FSS Classes 1981 to 1985 

Year Classes Examinees Mean S.D. 

1981 9 121 90.78 6.59 

1982 18 279 91.16 8.87 

1983 18 265 89.33 8.53 

1984 19 224 89.58 8.33 

1985 19 258 85.42 12.65 

Proportion of Examinees in Each Scoring Interval 

Compared to Reference Classes 7801-9012 

Year 90-100 80-89 76-79 Under 76 --

1981 .636 .273 .066 .025 

1982 .703 . 215 .043 .039 

1983 .592 .283 .053 .072 

1984 .576 .317 .031 .076 

1985 ;426 .337 .093 .143 

7801-9012 .315 .470 .070 .145 

Correlations with Skills Tests, Final Grade, and Labs 

Year PFTEST IFTEST ESTEST GRADE PFLAB I FLAB --

1981 . 264 .082 .190 .518 .291 .341 

1982 .130 .376 .382 .670 .418 .493 

1983 .177 .053 .322 .661 .312 .414 

1984 .156 .176 .274 .703 .453 .482 

1985 .328 .193 .501 . 825 .539 .593 

All .200 .098 .362 .721 .471 .523 
14. 

Appendix A 

Skills Tests, Laboratory Scores, and Phase Grades 

for FSS Classes from 1981 to 1985 

CLASS PFTEST IFTEST ESTEST PFLAB I FLAB ESLAB GRADE 

8101 77 .2 3 B 74.07 1 87 . n 2 82.23 8l. Al 92 . 31 79.75 

8102 79.08 B 74.14 81.21 82.48 78.25 91.42 76.85 

8103 80.88 B 73 . 25 89.71 88.70 84.88 91.25 81.06 

8104 79.38 B 75.24 88.38 83.34 78.40 90.47 79 .94 

8105 83.38 B 83.15 92.98 90.98 86.23 91.33 84 .92 

8106 78.46 B 78.85 90.55 88.75 82.92 89.62 81.38 

8129 82.86 B 85.29 D 88.50 c 84.71 84.64 89.93 82.29 

8131 82 .14 B 84 . 21 D 88.79 D 84.96 83.21 90.29 81.86 

8132 80.94 B 85.11 D 90.97 E 87.76 83.63 90.28 82.88 

8201 78.88 B 85.19 D 89.16 c 86.27 82.41 91.03 81.88 

8202 80.33 B 88.56 E 88.33 D 86.89 83.63 90.81 81.65 

8203 78.80 B 90.13 E 94.55 E 87.00 83.92 92.15 84.4 7 

8204 79.50 B 82.67 D 85.79 E 85.23 82.77 85.06 81 .73 

8205 81.89 B 86.56 D 90.02 D 79.97 80.64 91.13 80.61 

8206 79.35 B 85.71 D 87.55 c 86.76 83.06 89.59 81.65 

8207 82.47 B 86.76 D 88.53 D 81.66 79.00 92.28 81.24 

8208 78.93 B 86.80 E 90.26 E 81.75 72.78 89.70 78.73 

8209 82.78 B 85.11 D 90.30 c 84.85 83.92 92.89 82 .28 

8210 79.07 B 87.31 E 87.73 D 86.28 79.55 91.82 81.67 

8213 82.14 B 90.14 E 94.17 D 89.98 84.93 96.16 86.21 

8214 78.86 B 88.21 D 88.65 c 87.96 83.30 89.91 82.43 

8215 79.45 B 85.73 D 90.89 c 85.09 76.86 89.43 80.73 

8216 81. 69 B 89.23 E 90.68 c 87.07 86.65 93.08 84.54 

8219 80.56 B 88.17 D 93.12 E 86.75 84.96 95.06 84.56 

8220 81.63 B 88.50 E 93.34 E 87.83 80.75 88.91 82.25 

8223 80.25 B 87.44 D 90.83 D 90.53 84.23 88.92 83.38 

8224 80.56 B 90.11 E 93.08 D 87.29 82.67 91.01 83.61 

8301 81. 29 B 88.35 E 90.73 D 91.40 86.12 92.41 85 .47 

8302 81.44 c 86.56 D 91.54 E 85.68 80.92 90.64 82. 50 

8303 79.33 B 85. 17 D 90.46 E 85.04 78.63 87.71 80. 89 

8304 78.89 c 89.61 E 90.63 c 86.38 78.74 86.10 81.06 

8305 80.56 c 88.72 D 91.96 E 85.60 83.71 87.85 83.00 

8306 81.20 B 91.87 E 91.05 c 86.90 83.60 90.20 84. 74 

8307 82.55 B 84.36 D 91.81 E 83.80 81.52 91.59 82 .09 

8308 82.13 c 89.40 E 94.25 D 88.15 80.87 94.67 85. 08 

8309 80.62 c 93.85 G 90.61 c 85.69 79.02 86.65 81. 77 

8310 83.43 B 92.71 H 87.60 D 88.09 81.70 90.02 83.14 

8311 81.00 c 90.33 E 90.89 c 87.71 78.81 90.5 2 83. 25 

8312 79.60 B 92.10 H 92.68 E 89.80 84.35 90.03 84 .90 

8313 82.25 c 86.56 D 92.09 D 88.94 82.44 92.14 84.8 2 

8314 80.93 B 93.40 G 92.20 E 82.75 77.34 86.12 81.07 

8315 80.71 B 91.43 H 89.08 c 85.27 74.59 88.45 80. 29 

8316 80.88 c 94.63 G 92.86 D 88.19 77.55 88.50 83. 94 

8317 78.83 B 87.41 D 92.35 D 89.25 77.27 87.46 82. 00 

8318 79.20 c 89.87 E 89.83 c 87.67 78.78 88.45 81. 67 
15. 

CLASS PFTEST IFTEST ESTEST PFLAB I FLAB ESLAB GRADE 

8401 82.60 c 94.10 G 93.76 c 88.68 82.43 84.20 84.60 

8402 80.91 B 88.64 D 93 . 63 D 91.14 84.59 92.20 85.64 

8403 82.50 B 89.92 E 92.57 c 89.81 80.71 88.16 84 . 09 

8404 84.73 c 92.45 H 93.26 D 87.64 81.66 92.30 86.00 

8405 80.89 c 91.11 D 95.10 c 88.06 86.81 93.72 87.11 

8406 76.10 B 91. 80 E 90.7 9 D 85. 68 78 . 85 90 . 50 81.50 

8407 80.89 c 91.70 G 93.47 E 89.56 83.98 89.75 85.67 

8408 83.25 B 93.63 H 87.16 c 87.00 82.31 89 . 84 84.13 

8409 77.53 c 86.93 D 89.88 D 84.82 74.67 89.03 80.40 

8410 80.38 B 90.75 E 89.37 c 84.23 81.77 90.19 82.56 

8411 81.83 B 93.33 G 91.70 D 85.67 80.67 88.50 83.08 

8413 82.80 B 90.10 E 87.85 c 84.20 76.20 91.60 82.60 

8414 81.33 c 94.25 H 91.76 D 84.27 81.92 91.04 83.67 

8415 84.55 B 94.18 E 94.65 D 90.77 85.11 93.18 88. 27 

8416 81.45 c 92.91 H 90.54 c 83.50 67.50 81.64 79.09 

8417 79.67 c 84.58 D 92.98 E 80.25 74.19 85.19 79.00 

8418 80.67 B 90.83 E 91.86 D 84.19 75.06 89.58 82 .08 

8419 82.78 c 92.78 G 89.43 c 80.94 79 . 40 87.93 81.67 

8420 81.53 B 94.12 H 92.18 D 83.35 78.69 93.55 83.88 

8501 79.06 c 88.25 D 94.74 E 89.31 79.17 87.14 83.50 

8502 84.75 B 92.56 E 92.45 c 85.91 79.14 87.70 84.00 

8503 79.86 B 94.64 G 89.60 D 82.07 82.29 84 . 05 80 . 29 

8504 80.07 c 93.86 H 92.71 c 83.41 80.88 89.92 84.69 

8505 77.33 B 88.31 E 89.49 c 82.37 65.91 78.87 76.20 

8506 82.67 c 87.67 D 91.37 D 84.05 76.47 89.62 81 . 60 

8507 82.14 c 92.14 G 90.15 D 85 . 89 82.07 87.66 83.86 

8508 80.23 B 93.15 H 90.14 c 81.04 79.79 82.94 81.69 

8509 79.43 c 92.50 H 90.44 D 85.52 81.64 89.27 83.43 

8510 82.89 B 95.33 G 92.24 c 87.78 84 . 39 92.44 86.33 

8511 75.00 c 93.56 G 90.66 D 75.75 70.91 76.30 77 . 19 

8512 78.67 B 92.42 H 84.18 'C 77.88 65.31 79.67 76.08 

8514 81.83 B 95.33 G 92.83 c 79.40 79.79 87.81 82.58 

8515 84.55 B 95.82 G 93.27 D 77.77 82.59 88.52 84.09 

8516 85.50 B 93.50 H 96 . 20 c 86.83 82.31 93.75 86.83 

8517 83.86 B 93.57 G 88.94 D 74.96 75.45 79.29 78.50 

8518 84.50 c 92.25 H 90 . 63 c 82.69 78.19 83.60 81.92 

8519 80.43 B 94.29 G 94.66 D 84.89 83.98 84.54 84.00 

8520 81.63 c 93.75 H 90.77 c 79.48 80.38 84.64 81.81 

1An earlier version of Form D was given to classes 8101 to 8106. 

2 An earlier version of the Emergency Services Skills Test was given to 

classes 8101 to 8106.