Pilots’ desire to become future space tourism pilots: Polynomial regression using response surface analysis

In this study, we investigated the impact of pilots’ motivation on their desire to be space tourism pilots or to remain in their current occupation (adherence). We analyzed the feedback obtained from a survey questionnaire on a sample consisting of 106 pilots with flying experience. In particular, we compared the pilots’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivations to investigate two outcomes: the desire to become future space pilots or to remain as air pilots. Applying the self-determination theory, we found that intrinsic motivation mattered more than extrinsic motivation. Furthermore, by applying response surface analysis as our statistical tool, it was revealed that motivation for the desire to be space pilots differed from that for adherence. To be more precise, motivation (intrinsic and extrinsic) correlated positively with desire to become space pilots, with higher motivation being associated with a steeper increase. In contrast, motivation correlated negatively with adherence (maintaining status quo). Moreover, pilots who experienced mid-level motivation preferred to stay at their “old” profession while highly motivated pilots were less hesitant to become space pilots. Further, we discovered that for desire a linear effect of motivation was predominant, while for adherence a quadratic effect of motivation was more pronounced. The policy and managerial implications of the results are discussed.