Crew resource management: principles and applications

Crew resource management can basically be described as a series of training processes that are used in environments that are prone to human error that contribute to devastating effects. These procedures have become critical in the aviation industry since they are used to enhance air safety through addressing interpersonal communication, decision making, and leadership in the cockpit. Since its inception, crew resource management has actually contributed to statistically a safer aeronautical environment. This has been achieved through incorporation of digitally enabled technology, mathematics proficiency, and analysis techniques. These techniques are used to interpret data in order to draw valid conclusions and solved associated problems.

Analysis of Crew Resource Management:

The understanding of how crew resource management has enhanced air safety or improved the aeronautical environment can be achieved through the use of quantitative reasoning in analysis. Quantitative reasoning can be defined as the use and application of quantitative concepts and methods in solving real world problems. While these concepts include statistics, math, geometry and algebra, the associated methods or techniques include charting, spreadsheets, technology, and graphing to construct the concepts.

Before the development of crew resource management, the aviation industry was characterized with numerous concerns regarding safety because of the prevailing human error that was causing aviation disasters ("Crew Resource Management," 2003). The various stakeholders in this sector embarked on a lengthy, tough, and sometimes hostile journey to transform behaviors and traditions in order to lessen the probability of repeat tragedies. These efforts resulted in the development and adoption of crew resource management as a mantra more than three decades ago.

Following its inception, crew resource management highlighted the aviation sector to the human interactions that are crucial parts of any team performance. Through the use of crew resource management techniques and tools, airplane crews can avoid, control, and lessen human errors ("Making Air Travel Safer," 2014). In addition, these techniques and processes enhance the morale of crew members and improve the efficiency of operations. Generally, crew resource management provides work groups with a structure to process all information and develop action plans. While the leader reserves the ultimate authority, the processes inputs from the crew members provide more accurate and efficient decisions.

CRM and a Safer Aeronautical Environment:

As previously mentioned, crew resource management has actually led to statistically a safer aeronautical environment. Even though it is difficult to evaluate how many lives have been saved or crashes that have been averted due to CRM training, the Line Operations Safety Audit (LOSA) statistics show that 98% of all flights face one or more safety threats with an average of four threats per flight. LOSA data also indicates that 82% of all flights have errors with an average of 2.8 errors per flight. Based on the outstanding safety record of commercial aviation, a huge percentage of these errors are inconsequential and well-managed largely through effective crew resource management practices by crews. According to the findings of recent studies, it is evident that crews that use CRM techniques and programs lessen communication barriers and increase efficiency of problem solving resulting in enhanced safety.

There are two examples that show how the introduction of CRM concepts contributed to improved aeronautical safety in the early stages of its inception. The first incident occurred in 1972 i.e. Lockheed L-1011 accident in the Florida Everglades that claimed the lives of all passengers and crew members. The incident contributed to the loss of everyone on board because the flight crew was distracted while replacing a burned-out indicator light and allowed the airplane to descend into the swamp. In contrast, the 1989 McDonnell Douglas DC-10 accident at Sioux City, Iowa witnessed the survival of two thirds of the 296 passengers and crew because the flight crew successfully applied the principles of CRM. CRM concepts and principles were applied to manage an otherwise non-survival incident because of total loss of flight controls (Weiner, Kanki & Helmreich, 2010). In the 34 minutes leading to the crash landing, the flight crew developed a strategy for enhancing control of the plane, evaluating damage, choosing a landing site, and preparing everyone for the crash.

A thorough analysis of cockpit conversation demonstrated intense interaction with more than thirty communications per minute. During this period, the crew members recruited a fourth pilot on board as a passenger, organized their work, and updated each other of unfolding decisions and scenarios. Whereas the junior members provided suggestions and alternatives, the captain responded with suitable and effective commands. The numerous social conversations between the crew members provided emotional support and enabled them to deal with the extreme stress, and eventually contributed to saving the lives of two-thirds of everyone on board.