Date
8-9-2024
Department
School of Communication and the Arts
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Communication (PhD)
Chair
Wesley Hartley
Keywords
hangar flying, communication, general aviation, pilot, digital storytelling, vicarious learning, personal flying culture, content analysis, flight safety, YouTube, social learning
Disciplines
Communication
Recommended Citation
Frizzell, Timothy Aaron, "Exploring Hangar Flying As A Communication Practice For Vicarious Learning: A Qualitative Content Analysis Of General Aviation Storytelling On YouTube" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 5894.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5894
Abstract
More than 50% of general aviation accidents are caused by pilot error, often due to inadequate formal training or inexperience in real-life situations (Pilot Institute, 2023). Some scholars suggest that learning from other pilots’ experiences could supplement formal training and increase general aviation safety (Cohn, 1994; Harnagel, 2021; Krog, 2022). With this in mind, this study explored the communication phenomenon known as hangar flying, an aviation storytelling practice in which pilots share flying experiences. The goal was to investigate how hangar flying may enable vicarious learning, influence personal flying culture, and, as a result, increase flight safety. Employing a qualitative digital content analysis approach, 110 YouTube videos containing general aviation hangar flying stories were examined, revealing primary content themes of safety education, risk, and lifelong learning, as well as multiple vicarious learning examples within the viewer comments. Additionally, parasocial relationships were found between the viewer and storyteller, which may act as an accelerant to vicarious learning and influence the pilot’s future flying behaviors. Findings also showed strong connections between social learning, social cognitive, narrative, and cultivation theories as means for socially constructing a pilot’s unique view of flying. When pilots engage with high-quality narratives, they can vicariously learn from them and choose how to act upon that learning, ultimately determining the kind of pilot they become. This study is valuable for pilots, instructors, and general aviation leaders as it strongly indicates that hangar flying is an impactful communication-centric tool that may enable vicarious learning and enhance flight safety.
