V/R Ken Bauer
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From: Jens Rolfsen
To: 'crm-devel_at_db.erau.edu'
Subject: Error management
Date: Wednesday, April 01, 1998 3:52AM
Dear CRM'ers
Guy Standen asked the following question in a recent posting, after
attending Bob Helmreich's lecture on error management at the aviation
psychology symposium in Manly:
"Bob Helmreich presented a paper outlining his thoughts on CRM,
indicating that he feels we should be getting back to basics, and also
suggesting that we focus on error management. I couldn't agree more.
However, whilst I like the concept of error management rather than
elimination, I struggle with operationalising the concept. Where are
the error management tools?"
I listened to Helmreichs lecture as well, and struggle with the same
question. What are the error management tools? What is the difference
between error management and CRM when it comes down to the practical
level? The answer I have come up with is this:
There are no big differences between CRM skills and error management
skills. The skills we know to be good CRM skills are the same skills
that we should teach our pilots under a "error management" regime. The
learning techniques we use to develop CRM related skills are the same
techniques we should use under an umbrella of "error management". The
difference between CRM and error management is therefore not on the
practical level, but on a more philosophical level.
The credo in error management is that human error is inevitable, and
that we instead of trying to avoid them should build systems that
capture and mitigate errors. In this way, error management is way of
thinking that should influence all levels in the aviation system. But -
no matter how successful we are in getting the aviation community to
think in accordance with the philosophy of error management, we still
have to give pilots and CA's knowledge and skills. My main point is that
the skills that enables pilots to capture and mitigate an error are the
same skills that enables them to "coordinate all available resources
onboard" - as we would call it under a regime of CRM.
I was quite concerned after the symposium in Manly, and especially after
Helmreich's lecture. In Europe, we have used a lot of resources to give
credibility to the CRM concept, and to develop CRM-related skills and
knowledge in the aviation community. I feel it is vital not to undermine
this credibility by introducing a new concept of error management and
pretend that this is something new and very different.
Best regards
Jens R.
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Jens Rolfsen
Psychologist
Braathens
Training Department
PO BOX 55
1330 OSLO AIRPORT
NORWAY
Jens.rolfsen_at_Braathens.no