Abstract:   Aeronautical decision making is a systematic approach, that pilots use to perceive and process all information regarding a flying situation and to select alternatives based on desired outcomes to determine the best course of action. Situation assessment and risk assessment are important components in aeronautical decision making models. The influential factors to an aeronautical decision include cognitive factors, fatigue, motivational factors, and the lack of expertise. Besides these factors, organization pressure and social factors influence aeronautical decision in an indirect way. In the future, researchers need to establish a more reasonable model, which could be applied more widely. Expertise and knowledge play an important role in decision making. Therefore, it needs to discuss from a more dialectical perspective. In the end, researchers should pay more attention on motivational and environmental factors with investigative and experimental methods.

Key words:  aeronautical decision making, aeronautical decision making model, aviation safety