Date

9-25-2025

Department

School of Aeronautics

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Aviation (PhD)

Chair

Jonathan M. Hewitt

Keywords

asmith75@liberty.edu

Disciplines

Aviation

Abstract

Annually, general aviation (GA) continues to experience an elevated number of fatal weather-related accidents. The highest fatality rate occurs during transitions from visual flight rules (VFR) with clear skies to instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) and restricted visibility. The purpose of this study was to examine differences in flight occupancy (with family, with another pilot, and solo) and flight motivation (extrinsic, intrinsic, and neither) in the willingness of GA pilots to transition from VFR-to-IMC. The framework for this study includes the prospect theory, which is based on behavioral economics, explaining that choices often result in decisions to avoid losses rather than pursue gains. When facing a potential gain, individuals tend to be risk averse, whereas a potential loss drives the acceptance of risk to avoid negative emotions. A quantitative method was employed using a descriptive research design, collecting data through an online aviation survey using Qualtrics Core-XM©, with 871 qualified participants—exceeding the minimum sample size of 159. The measurement for the study employed the Willingness to Pilot Scale (WTPS), which has been previously validated for its validity and reliability. Statistical analysis in IBM SPSS© involved Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) with pairwise comparisons. The results showed significance for one flight occupancy condition (with family) but not for any flight motivation level. Literature gaps persist due to a continued focus on weather-related training and limited exploration in other areas. Therefore, this study aimed to contribute to the body of aviation knowledge and assist future researchers in exploring the phenomenon of VFR-to-IMC.

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