I.

History and Evolution of CRM

Principles of CRM: Definition and concept of CRM
Designed to reduce the mistakes and increase the effectiveness of air crews, CRM can be
defined as the optimal use, by an air crew, of all available resources (information, material
equipment and human resources) for the achievement of safe and efficient flight operations. It
encompasses a set of behaviors and strategies that the flight crew possesses and must follow,
for the sake of safety.
CRM is defined as the effective utilization of all available resources--equipment and people--to
achieve safe, efficient flight operations. Some examples of resources include autopilots and
other avionics systems, operating manuals, and people, including crew members, air traffic
controllers, and others in the flight system.

Effective performance depends on both technical proficiency and interpersonal skills.

Therefore, the concept of effective CRM combines individual technical proficiency with the
broader goal of crew coordination, resources-hardware, thus integrating all available resources
to achieve safe flight.

The overall goal of CRM is the blending of technical skills and human skills so as to support safe
and efficient operation of aircraft.

II. Crew Performance Skills

1. Technical Skills

1.1 Technical Competence

 Manual and Automatic Flying Skills
 Knowledge of systems, regulations, weather, etc. (Aeronautical
Knowledge)

2.1 Procedural Competence

 Normal Procedures
 Abnormal Procedures
2. CRM skills

2.1 Communication - In general, effective communication is supported by the following

behaviors:
 Convey information clearly, concisely, and in a timely manner.
 Use standard terminology.
 Advocate concerns and suggestions clearly and assertively.
 Acknowledge communications.
 Provide information as required.
 Repeat information.
 Ask for clarification when needed.
 Resolve conflicts constructively.

2.2 Assertiveness - Assertiveness involves the ability to request information from others, make
decisions, and carry out a course of action in a consistent and persistent manner. Assertive
behavior includes:
 Inquiry: inquiring about actions taken by others and asking for
clarification when required.
 Advocacy: the willingness to state what is believed to be a correct
position and to advocate a course of action consistently and
forcefully.
 Assertion: stating and maintaining a course of action until convinced
otherwise by further information.

2.3 Decision Making - Some decisions, especially those that must be made under extreme time
pressure, must be seat-of-the-pants decisions. In these cases, there is very little time to
gather all available information or to evaluate alternative solutions. These situations call
for intuitive decision making, which is based on gut reactions, or more specifically, is based
on past experience and training. However, these emergency situations are relatively rare.

Most situations allow sufficient time to make a more deliberate or analytical decision. This
decision more closely follows the steps outlined below.

Analytical decision making uses the resources available to the decision maker and results in
more informed decisions. The decision making process may be broken down into the
following five steps:

i. Reoognizing or identifying the problem. Does a problem exist that requires

action?

ii. Gathering information to assess the situation. This step requires

determining what information is needed, who has the needed information,
 and whether the information is verified by other crewmembers and
resources.

iii. Identifying and evaluating alternative solutions. This step includes

evaluating the advantages as well as the risks associated with each
alternative identified, and selecting the optimum alternative.

iv. Implementing the decision. This step includes executing the decision and
providing feedback on actions taken to crewmembers.

v. Reviewing consequences of the decision. This step involves evaluating the

consequences of the decision and revising the decision if consequences are
not as anticipated.

Other Decision making models are

 FORDEC - Facts, Options, Risks & Benefits, Decision, Execution , Check
 DECIDE – Detect, Estimate, Choose, Identify, Do, Evaluate

2.4 Leadership and Teamwork

The term "leadership" implies that this skill is relevant only to the captain. There are two
reasons why this is not true. First, a flightcrew is a team with a clearly designated leader: the
captain. The captain as designated leader retains the authority and responsibility for flight
operations. However, there are times when other crewmembers must play functional
leadership roles. A functional leader may carry out leadership duties for a specialized task on a
temporary basis, such as a takeoff or landing. In this case, the crewmember must direct task
activities and serve as a functional leader to carry out that task. Second, leadership would more
properly be called leadership/followership. Leadership is a reciprocal process, and there are
behaviors that both a leader and a follower must apply to ensure effective performance. For
example, one leader behavior might be to provide direction for carrying out a task;
correspondingly, one follower behavior might be to provide feedback on performance of the
task. In other words, leader behaviors are less effective without complementary follower
behaviors. Leadership is not just "captain's" material. All crewmembers must perform
leadership duties in some situations. Furthermore, leadership is not a one-way process, but
requires both leader actions and effective crewmember responses. Understanding the
leadership role requires an understanding of what it is that leaders do. Efufnfecctitoivnes :
leaders perform four primary

i. Regulating Information Flow. The leader must regulate, manage, and direct the
flow of information, ideas, and suggestions within the cockpit crew and between
the cockpit crew and outside sources. This function includes the following
behaviors:
 Communicating flight information
 Asking for opinions, suggestions
  Giving opinions, suggestions
 Clarifying communication
 Providing feedback
 Regulating participation

ii. Directing and Coordinating Crew Activities. The leader must function as crew
manager to provide orientation, coordination and direction for group performance.
This function includes:
 Directing and coordinating crew activities
 Monitoring and assessing crew performance
 Providing planning and orientation
 setting priorities
 Delegating tasks

iii. Motivating Crewmembers. The leader must maintain a positive climate to

encourage good crewmember relations and to invite full participation in crew
activities. This function includes:
 Creating proper climate
 Maintaining an "open" cockpit atmosphere
 Resolving/preventing conflict
 Maintaining positive relations
 Providing non-punitive critique and feedback

iv. Decision-making. The leader is ultimately responsible for decisions. This function
includes:
 Assuming responsibility for decision making
 Gathering and evaluating information
 Formulating decisions
 Implementing decisions
 Providing feedback on actions

2.5 Workload Management: It includes the following with examples

i. Preparation - "Commit SOP' (Standard Operation Procedures), limitations and

emergency procedures to memory, to free up mental capacity to deal with
unforeseen events."
ii. Planning - "Before each flight, reviewing the route and airport information."
iii. Vigilance - "Be especially vigilant when everything is going well." and "Never
assume anything, but verify and cross-check all critical Information."
iv. Complacency - "Avoid complacency. The minute you think something won't hurt
you, it will."
 v. Distractions - "Maintain a terrain awareness and a general knowledge of the
topography over which you are flying." Distractions can also come from outside
the cockpit in the form of traffic, weather, unexpected rerouting, etc. The keys to
dealing with distractions in order to avoid catastrophic consequences lie in the
crew's ability to focus on aircraft control andhazard avoidance.

2.6 Situational Awareness

2.7 Threat and Error Management

III. Training and Implementation of CRM

Concept of CRM Training

CRM training programs come in many forms. Specific organizations develop CRM programs to
meet their own needs and corporate culture. Therefore, someone reviewing CRM trainings and
documents is likely to come across variety of programs and organizations of literature.
This diversity reflects the difference in size, type of aircraft, mission, training facilities,
equipment, and financial resources of operators. Accordingly, no single training program is
likely to meet the requirements of all operators. All CRM training programs are built on the
principles outlined above.

CRM training is based on an awareness that a high degree of technical proficiency is essential
for safe and efficient operations. Demonstrated mastery of CRM concepts cannot overcome a
lack of proficiency. Similarly, high technical proficiency cannot guarantee safe operations in the
absence of effective crew coordination.