Exhaustion in the Skies: Burnout Risks and Protective Factors Among Aviation Pilots

Abstract

Burnout among aviation pilots represents a critical occupational health and safety concern with significant implications for flight safety, pilot well-being, and organizational performance. Despite the high-stakes nature of pilot burnout, substantial gaps remain in understanding its manifestation patterns and measuring pilots’ psychological preparedness for aviation-specific stressors. This thesis addresses these knowledge gaps through two integrated studies exploring burnout risk and protective factors among aviation pilots. The first study employed cluster analysis with a sample of pilots (N = 164) to identify three distinct burnout profiles: committed (39.6%) characterized by high self-realization and low exhaustion/ cynicism; burnout (31.1%) showing high exhaustion/cynicism and low self-realization; and ineffective (29.3%) with low scores across all dimensions. The analysis revealed a curvilinear relationship with age, where middle-aged pilots (36-45 years) experienced higher burnout than younger and older counterparts. Female pilots demonstrated significantly higher burnout levels than male pilots, highlighting gender-specific challenges in the industry. The second study created and validated a scale called the Pilots’ Self-Efficacy in Aviation for Facing Events (Pilots’ SAFE), which aims to measure pilots’ perceived ability to cope with aviation-relevant stressors. Using a two-phase validation process (N = 102 and N = 163), the research- validated a three-factor structure addressing self-efficacy to overcome fatigue, in-flight risks, and organizational pressure. There just were good psychometric properties of the scale (α > .93) and significant relationships with related constructs such as resilience (positive), burnout (negative), and accidents (negative). Results highlight the importance of targeted interventions according to burnout profiles and career stages. The validated Pilots’ SAFE scale offers a promising way to assess and track pilots’ psychological preparedness to cope with aviation-related stressors. These have practical consequences for aviation safety, pilot wellness, and organizational policy.