I just flew in and was reading my E-mail messages from the last days and
saw your message and responses. Since combined crew training is one of my
main research interests, I would like to share the following if it may
assist you:
Here in Canada, combined CRM training has been regulated for less than a
year as part of our new regulations known as CARs (Canadian Aviation
Regulations). These new regulations were partly a response to the
recommendations made following the F-28 crash at Dryden in which
ineffective CRM was listed among the factors. Our regulations specify the
following:
714.124 (39) Crew Resource Management Training
An air operator shall provide Crew Resource Management Training (CRM) in
accordance with the following:
(a) Initial training is required for all crew members and shall cover the
subjects in both (a) and (b):
(I) attitudes and behaviours;
(ii) communication skills;
(iii) problem solving;
(iv) human factors;
(v) conflict resolution;
(vi) decision making;
(vii) team building and maintenance; and
(viii) workload management.
(b) Annual training in safety and emergency procedures. It shall include,
as applicable, joint participation of pilots and flight attendants and
cover the following items:
(I) relationship of crew members;
(ii) review of accidents/incidents of air operators;
(iii) presentation and discussion of selected coordinated emergency
procedures (practice of CRM skills); and
(iv) crew member evacuation drills, including debriefing.
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Working as an independent consultant for the last four years, I have
created an instructor's training on combined CRM training programs for two
large operators, Air Transat (757 & L-1011) and Air Club International
(A-310).
Since in both airlines only the flight crews had been introduced to CRM in
the past, I developed the course as an introduction or awareness program so
that both groups would be introduced to CRM, then apply part of it during
the coming year so that combined refreshers may be applied in the following
year. I believed that it was important not to concentrate too much on the
Flight deck but as much as possible to initiate the problems in the cabin.
The main segments of my course were as follow:
Part 1: An Introduction to the concept of CRM including the synergy and the
SHELL model. I found the use of game such as Lost in the Jungle or Lost
at sea an excellent ice breaker specially if the crews do not know each
others.
Part 2: The intervening parties where we defined in general terms (Sex,
education, age,
etc.) the Flight Crews, the Cabin Crews and the passengers.
Part 3: Attitude and Behaviours (categories and styles) including an
exercise where the
class had to identify these from a training film (Mystery of flight 163).
Part 4: Communications skills and techniques.
Part 5: Teamwork where briefing techniques and decision making was reviewed.
Part 6: Obstacles to CRM where case studies of joint CRM were reviewed such
as the Dryden accident and the Kegworth M1 crash.
Part 7: Table top exercise where group of mix crews had to make a decision
based on
multiple factors during a flight.
Finally I added selected problems to joint evacuation exercises so that
these CRM skills may be practiced. Problems such as total electrical
failures, passengers going into shock, loud fire alarms that cannot be
stopped, etc.
With the exception of the simulator drills, the course could be easily
covered in six hours. I tried to kept away from creating a repeat of what
the flight crews had been trained in the past but to make it as new and
interesting as possible to both groups. It is neither perfect nor complete
but was designed so that no one would come out of it overloaded with too
much information or worst of all, having lost face due to his or her
ignorance of the other group's procedures.
I hope that this may give you some ideas,
Good luck with your endeavor,
Many Happy landings,
Daniel J. Sylvestre
Director / Directeur R & D
165 Jean street,
Saint-Luc (QC) J2W 2C8
CANADA
Tel. / Fax : (514) 349-0722
E-mail : sylvestred_at_ariane-info.com
http://www.ariane-info.com