Re: Joint wet CRM
KERRY DOUGLAS (kerry_at_cairns.net.au)
Sat, 16 Aug 1997 09:57:30 +1000
Graham Braithwaite wrote:
>
> Just to add to Brent's wise words....
>
> He mentioned the raft exercise that Australian Airlines and Qantas did
> which is based in a real pool with a role play based on an in-flight
> emergency and ditching. A number of crew members are given characters to
> play while others simply play passengers. The results were pretty
> impressive in terms of opening up the communication channels between the
> two groups. The crucial part was that once everyone had got in the raft,
> the rain started - COLD WET RAIN! and only the Flight Attendants knew how
> to get the roof up. You have never seen the tech crew (flight crew)
> communicate so well as pilots don't like getting cold and wet. It subtly
> made the very important point that there are some key areas of knowledge
> that each group holds and in different situations, one will be more
> applicable than the other.
>
> The other thing that would be of interest to any organisational
> psychologists was that the exerice worked far better in the round rafts
> where someone could establish a central command point, than the B747 slide
> rafts where two groups formed with slightly different ideas.
>
> It was a really valuable exercise - you only needed to look at the
> difference in communication before and after.
>
> Hope this helps too!
>
> Graham
>
> PS If there is anyone out there wondering whether its worth doing a PhD -
> spare a thought for me swimming round pools with a dozen gorgeous flight
> attendants. Mmm! The things we do for science eh?
>
> Graham R. Braithwaite
> Research Associate
> Department of Aviation
> University of New South Wales
> Sydney 2052
> Australia
>
> Tel. + 61 (0) 2 9385 2806 (work)
> Tel. + 61 (0) 2 9314 5061 (home)
> Fax. + 61 (0) 2 9385 1072 (work)
I find your last paragraph a worry not very professional, sexist and
demeaning to flight attendants. Flight attendants are professionals.
Kerry Douglas
Psychologist
--
MZ