Crew Resource Management - Coursework Example

Abstract

Crew Resource Management has been considered as one of the most essential among the various emerging disciplines in flight management. It provides a set of training procedures that have helped in reducing the devastating effects resulting from human errors. The purpose of this paper is to explore the emergence of Crew Resource Management and consider how it can contribute to safe flight. This idea will be conceptualized using examples of where CRM has been good and where it has failed. The Eastern Airline Flight 401 is a good example of where CRM failed. This fatal accident occurred because someone forgot to fly the plane. Lack of proper communication between the flight engineer and the radar air traffic controller as well as distraction from the landing gear light was the major cause of the accident. On the other side, the United Airlines Flight 232 is a good example that can be used in illustrating the significance of CRM in addressing flight safety. Captain Al Haynes and his crew worked together to ensure safe landing of a crippled aircraft. This paper illustrates on the significance of CRM and makes recommendations for inclusion of CRM training in all aircraft operations.

Crew Resource Management

Introduction

This essay will discuss the emergence of Crew Resource Management (CRM) and consider how it can contribute to safe flight. In this case, therefore, the essay will focus on the components and essentials in CRM provisions from where it significance in flight management will be conceptualized. In regard to this case, the essay will focus on the emergence of CRM and its contribution to the safety of the airlines. The significance of CRM will be based on Illustrate with examples of where CRM has been good and where it has failed. This essay will be aimed at equipping the readers with the essentials of CRM in the provision of knowledge, communication skills, interpersonal skills and cognitive skills in effectively managing flights.

Emergence of CRM

According to Marcellin (2016), Crew Resource Management (CRM) refers to the management that maximally utilizes the available resources such as procedures, people, and equipment to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of flight operations. CRM originated in NASA workshop in 1979 following various cases that multiple international flights had been involved in accidents (Marshall & Huettner, 2016). Based on a previous research conducted by NASA, it was articulated that the major cause of these accidents was human errors which resulted from a lack of proper interpersonal communication, leadership and decision-making among the flight personnel (Crewresourcemanagement.net, 2016). In this accord, therefore, CRM was initiated to provide training on a large scope of issues that would help in effecting flight safety. According to Kanki, Helmreich, & Anca (2010), some concerns that have been addressed by CRM training include the provision of skills, knowledge, proper communication skills, problem-solving skills, decision-making, the need for teamwork and creating situational awareness to the flight personnel. Based on this concern, therefore, CRM training has been developed by various aviation organizations worldwide.

Therefore, it is well depicted that the major concern of CRM is not only based on creating knowledge and skills need by various individuals in operating aircraft but also the cognitive and interpersonal skills needed in operating the flights in various critical conditions (Marcellin, 2016). Cognitive skills have contributed significantly in the manner that individuals maintain situation awareness, make decisions and solve problems. In this case, therefore, it can be focused as an essential skill in the flight management training since it helps the flight operators manage the airline in various critical conditions. Interpersonal skills encompass of the behavioral and communication strategies used in various workplaces (Crewresourcemanagement.net, 2016). These are major determinants of the teamwork that prevails within a set group of individuals. Various individuals usually manage flights within and outside the aircraft. In this case, therefore, proper communication channels and strategies must be used to ensure that common understanding prevails (Marshall & Huettner, 2016). Additionally, the behavior of the crew must be well maintained to prevent obstructions that might deter effective communication. All these essential skills are not only confined to multi-crew aircraft but are also used in single pilot operators since a conducive interface between the aircraft, and the group agencies is usually needed to ensure that the aircraft land successfully (Marcellin, 2016).

The United Airline 232

According to Sez (2016), the performance of the United Airline 232 has been used on various occasions to show how CRM has worked successfully. The pilot and his crew were confronted with the loss of three hydraulic systems of the plane just seven minutes after takeoff which made it very difficult to have control over the plane. Therefore it was the task of the pilot and his crew to manipulate the thrust available from engine 1 and 3. The crew also had to ensure that the plane was well controlled along its flight path to prevent the occurrence of an accident. For various decades, the United Airline 232 had operated on the perception that pilot was the authority in the aircraft (Sez, 2016). In this case, the crew would listen to what the pilot would say and hesitantly do as required by the pilot despite that they did not understand what he meant. Based on this perception, various accidents had occurred. The crew realized that none of them had practiced taking control of the plane under various adverse failure conditions and therefore it was needed that they put their efforts together in ensuring that they landed safely (Sez, 2016).

The probable major cause of this accident was inadequate considerations into the human factors that limited the inspection of the quality of control procedures used by the United Airlines engine facility located in stage 1 fan disk. This human error resulted to failures in detecting fatigue cracks originating from metallurgical defects. The disintegration of the disk exceeded the protection that was provided by the design features of the hydraulic system thus leading to failure.

Despite these prior human errors, the interaction between the pilots and the check airman during the emergency was a clear indicative of the CRM training; the check airman did not leave the pilots to make the decision on how to land the plane safely, but they all collaborated in ensuring that the plane landed successfully. CRM training helps the flight personnel in solving various problems outside the scope of professionalism (Marcellin, 2016). Based on this situation, it was expected by the safety board that despite the qualified pilots in the crew, the plane which all its hydraulic flight controls had been damaged could not be successfully landed on the runway. Therefore, the efforts of the successful landing of this plane were not only based on the qualifications of the personnel but also the collaborative efforts of the crew that was highly commendable and exceeded the reasonable experience. This case, therefore, illustrates the need of CRM in flight management. CRM ensures that primary guidance such as the government regulations and aircraft manuals are followed rather than personal technique (Kanki, Helmreich, & Anca, 2010). This issue, therefore, deters the perception that the pilots are always right and therefore they will always rely on their sources of information which might be out of date in giving the directive.

Additionally, the case of United Airline 232 illustrates the significance of CRM in providing interpersonal skills and cognitive skills. Situational awareness that is gained from CRM training is usually different from academic qualification in various fields (Marshall & Huettner, 2016). It was through CRM that the pilot and his crew incorporated situational awareness in ensuring that the plane successfully landed despite the failure of the hydraulic control system of the plane. Besides, interpersonal skills which constitute of the major discipline of CRM training played a key role in the case of United Airline 232. Interpersonal skills ensured that teamwork and proper communication co-existed between the check airmen in ensuring that the plane was effectively landed.

Eastern Airline Flight 401

According to Marshall & Huettner (2016), the case of Eastern Airline Flight 401illustrates how distractions, lack of coordination, lack of leadership and proper communication strategies led to the fatal crash of the aircraft. The incidence occurred three hours after the aircraft took off from New York heading to Miami in Florida. According to Fresh Gas Flow (2016), poor utilization and management of the resources within the plane was the major contributor to the accident. Despite the fact that the pilots were highly experienced, their response to a faulty light bulb led to the crashing of the aircraft which led to the loss of lives of 103 people.

Lack of proper CRM management was the major cause of this accident. In this case, there was a lack of proper coordination between the captain, the crew, and the radar air traffic controllers. Marshall & Huettner (2016), state that when the captain accidentally leaned against a yolk, the autopilot was accidentally switched from altitude mode to the control column thus initiating a gradual descent. Therefore, the plane was allowed to descend from its set position of 2000 feet (Fresh Gas Flow, 2016). Despite the fact that there are various instruments such as vertical speed indicators, altimeters that would have helped the captain and his crew in realizing that the plane was descending, the preoccupation of the indicator lights which deterred them from completely seeing the instruments. In this case, therefore, the crew and ground controller lacked the proper leadership and managements strategies that could be used in counteracting this situation. Additionally, ineffective leadership style was also realized from the flight engineer who was not in his seat when the incidence happened. Proper professional ethics and managements skills gained from CRM would have helped the flight engineer to take control of this situation and alert the captain before the situation worsened.

Interlinked human errors such as lack of proper system check up, alert system and feedback mechanisms resulting from inappropriate use of resources were also responsible for the occurrence of this fatal accident. CRM would provide various suitable strategies that could be used in curbing this occurrence. In this case, CRM would provide proper communication channels between the captain and the radar air traffic controller who would warn them that the plane was descending and therefore enabling them to take the most appropriate measures (Marshall & Huettner, 2016). Additionally, effective CRM would have provided the most effective leadership and management strategies that would have ensured that backup system of checking the wheels was in place.

Despite the fact that the Tristar L 1011 which caused the fatal accident was a modern aircraft with high automation, the crew did not have proper CRM training since they ended up trusting the system completely, stopped monitoring its functions and thus default in the automation led to the accident (Fresh Gas Flow, 2016). CRM would have provided the perfect situational awareness skills besides the automation thus ensuring that the functioning of all components of the plane were intact (Marcellin, 2016).

The case of Eastern Airline Flight 401 illustrates the need of crew resource management. Despite the fact that the crew was highly experienced, they lacked proper cognitive skilled and coordination that would have saved their lives.

Discussion/ Conclusion

From the various cases illustrated in the essay, it is well depicted that CRM is crucial in ensuring flight safety. In this case, CRM tries to incorporate various aspects that create cohesion among the flight management crew. CRM has helped in providing efficient communication channels among the operators of the flights. It ensures that information is well disseminated to the right personnel and the right feedback is also provided on the same. CRM has also ensured proper leadership, behavioral activities and cognitive skills among the flight operators. The cognitive skills help the operators in enhancing situational awareness which is crucial in dealing with abrupt occurrences. For instance, proper leadership in the United Airlines 232 was the major factor that ensured that the crippled aircraft was brought to the ground safely. The crew abolished the initial perceptions that the pilot was the authority on the aircraft, and thus they all gathered their effects in ensuring that the landing was successful.

Based on the various accidents that have resulted from the small single pilot aircraft, CRM could evolve in future by ensuring that it is not only taught to the multi-craft aircraft but also in the case of single pilot operations. In this case, therefore, CRM training should be developed and introduced in various aviation organizations including the military aviation, small airlines and major airlines on the global scale. The requirements of CRM should also be mandated for commercial pilots working under various regulatory bodies.