Because of high accident rates and the unique conditions faced in Arctic flying, a project was conducted to develop a training program for airline pilots flying over Alaska. Data were gathered, through the critical incident method in conjunction with traditional job-analysis procedures, about how experienced Alaskan pilots learned to cope with the many challenging problems faced by Alaskan aviators. During the course of the study, investigators traveled to 54 locations throughout Alaska, interviewed approximately 177 air taxi operators and pilots, visited aviation facilities, and attended several seminars and lectures. Using a questionnaire, 2-hour interviews were conducted on a 1-to-1 basis, collecting background information, data on operational conditions in the Alaskan environment, and specific techniques that have helped the respondents to cope with hazardous situations. Information collected from the interviews showed that although some training requirements and the training objectives to meet those requirements were applicable to Alaskan aviation in general, the majority were specific to different geographic areas in the state and also to different types of aircraft. It was also determined that the primary emphasis of an Alaskan training system should be the development of pilot decision-making skills rather than on manipulative flying skills. The study identified several factors that must be considered in the design of an Alaskan aviation training system, such as accessibility to the various communities and stress on decision-making skills. A proposal was developed to validate these conclusions and to develop such a training system. (KC)