CRM is extremely efficient in preparing crews for these always changing roles in aircraft, because it helps them become more flexible and fluid, too. In fact, the captain, Al Haynes, who landed United flight 232 in Sioux City Iowa on July 19, 1989, now teaches CRM to both United crews and other airline crews. His management of the emergency in the cockpit helped the crew land the crippled jet when it seemed nearly impossible. He said after the crash that the crew, even off duty United personnel flying non-rev, worked together to manage the situation and come up with creative ideas to fly a plane without hydraulics. He said to the crew, "What do you want to do, I don't know, and let's try this, and you think that'll work, beats me, and that's about the way it went, really" (Haynes). Thus, correct CRM procedures in the cockpit can save lives, and create a sense of support and teamwork that complete authority does not induce. While 112 people lost their lives in the crash, 185 survived, and Haynes and other believe that is a direct result of CRM techniques the crew had learned and knew how to utilize in an emergency.
In addition, author Eugen Tarnow proposes an "obedience optimization" technique that may be far more valuable for the cockpit crew. Tarnow acknowledges there must be an organized structure in the cockpit, but feels that obedience must be optimized for the best performance and safety. Tarnow encourages using role-playing techniques between a captain and first officer to determine just how the captain and first officer react to certain cockpit situations, and if the first officer challenges the captain when necessary. From this, an "obedience score" is recorded, and the captain and first officer can then review the score, and make changes to their behavior when necessary. Tarnow believes "the regular use of obedience optimization will serve to create...
The captain who demands ultimate authority, even when dangerous or emergency situations arise, leaves themselves open to miscommunication, poor judgment, and common mistakes. Additional input from the first officer can be important, and even life-saving, as some well-known aircraft accidents have shown. The cockpit of an aircraft is a unique work environment, but it still involves teamwork along with experience and understanding of flight manuals and procedures.
References
Bowers, Clint a. "Chapter 4 Establishing Aircrew Competencies: A Comprehensive Approach for Identifying CRM Training Needs." Aircrew Training and Assessment. Eds. O'Neil, Harold F. And Dee H. Andrews. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2000. 67-80.
Haynes, Al. "The Crash of United Flight 232." Yarchive.net. 1991. 24 March 2004. http://yarchive.net/air/airliners/dc10_sioux_city.htm
Mondout, Patrick. "Pair of 747s Collide in Worst Air Disaster of 20th Century." Super70s.com. 2004. 24 March 2005. (http://www.super70s.com/Super70s/Tech/Aviation/Disasters/77-03-27(Tenerife).asp
Tarnow, Eugen. "Self-Destructive Obedience in the Airplane Cockpit and the Concept of Obedience Optimization." Obedience to Authority: Current Perspectives on the Milgram Paradigm. Ed. Blass, Thomas. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2000. 111-121.
