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the pilOt’s peRspeCtiVe On CRM AssessMent 15

IFALPA TechnIcAL oFFIcer InTroducTIon
by gordon mArgISon
Crew Resource Management (CRM) has been a topic that has received a lot
of attention over the last few years. What exactly constitutes CRM and how it
should be trained is something that has been interpreted differently in several
different countries. Overall, we have seen an improvement in CRM training
being provided, with much of the improvement being driven by new policies
and guidance to operators from national civil aviation authorities. given the
increased interest in competency-based training with the upcoming amend-
The International Federation of Air Line
Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA) has long ment of iCAO pAns-training and the potential changes to the delivery of CRM
recognized that relying solely on a pilot’s training, we have decided to include an article by hUpeR Committee Vice
technical knowledge and skills is not sufficient Chairman of Human Factors, Capt. Dave McKenney that first appeared in the
to safely operate complex aircraft in today’s
flying environment. Crew Resource July/August 2011 edition iCAO training Magazine.
Management (CRM) was developed over 30
years ago to help address this issue. Originally
portrayed as a conflict resolution skill, CRM
has evolved to define a set of skills to support a any checking or jeopardy assessment process
pilot’s technical and decision-making flying has the potential to destroy such benefits and advocacy and feedback. Each carrier must
skills by providing the pilot with the cognitive negatively affect safety. To understand the develop a CRM program that is tailored to
and interpersonal skills needed to address issues, one needs to review what CRM training their specific culture and pilot demographics
human error by managing resources within the is and how it is implemented. of that carrier. Therefore, no single specific
organized operational system. CRM program is suitable for all operations and
CRM is normally defined as a management ThreAT And error mAnAgemenT all airlines. This has made it difficult for the
system which makes optimum use of all CRM is now in its fifth generation which industry to adopt a single universal CRM
available resources, including equipment, emphasizes Threat and Error Management program with standardized terms, definitions
procedures and people, to promote safety and (TEM). One of the underlying principles of and application methodology.
enhance the efficiency of flight operations. the fifth generation of CRM is the premise that
IFALPA believes CRM can improve the human error is inevitable and should be InTegrATIng crm InTo FLIghT
proficiency and competency of individual normalized within the system (Helmreich, crewmember TrAInIng
pilots and flight crews as a whole, especially 1997). Pilots should be taught the limitations Recognizing that safety depends on the
when it is implemented as an error of human performance and trained to develop coordination of key people in the entire system
management strategy. Flight crews need skills to detect and manage error. For this and not just on the actions of pilots, CRM
specific skills and strategies to assist them in error management approach to succeed in any training should be implemented by flight
coping with the dynamic demands of piloting organization, the organization itself must first operations personnel employed by an air
and in reducing errors. IFALPA supports recognize and communicate their formal carrier who possess pertinent knowledge of the
integrating CRM into flight crewmember understanding that errors will occur and adopt culture, policies, procedures and training of
training as a tool to minimize the a non-punitive approach to error. that particular air carrier. Evidence shows that
consequences of human error and to improve a joint CRM course for flight crews, cabin
flight crew performance. crm AS A cuLTure crews, and dispatchers can improve the level of
Industry recognizes CRM as a “best CRM is not just aircrew-centric; CRM does understanding and cooperation across the
practice” when fully integrated into initial not start and stop with the captain or crew. entire team.
licensing and recurrent training programs, Effective CRM must be embedded within the Air carriers develop CRM programs that
including Multi-Crew Pilot Licensing (MPL) safety culture of the airline while addressing promote the integration of practical flight
and Advanced Qualification Programs (i.e., airline-specific items (i.e., carrier specific management skills with traditional technical
AQP, ATQP). When first introduced, a operations and procedures), and needs to be skills. CRM awareness and error management
cornerstone in the acceptance for CRM practiced and accepted at all levels of the training is most beneficial when the training
training was the assurance that CRM training organization to positively affect operational curriculum is individualized; tailored to each
would not include evaluation. Much of the safety. To be truly effective, CRM must be airline’s unique culture and includes the added
value and strength of CRM is based on this embedded in the airline’s Safety Management realism of Line Oriented Flight Training
principle. IFALPA believes the introduction of (LOFT).
System (SMS) which should allow open

InterPilot | The Safety and Technical Journal of IFALPA ISSue 1 | 2017