When I first introduced the CRM principles and tools they just about laughed me
on to my next assignment. They did not see the need for it. They have had no
problems up to then. They needed to spend their efforts on other things. They
saw me as a pilot who got a tanker out of pilot training and not a traditional
fighter pilot. They never said it until later but they felt CRM was only needed
if you couldn't handle a situation by yourself--something a pilot who got a
heavy out of pilot training might run into but surely not a 25 yr long fighter
pilot. They are now all converted and actively practice and use CRM every
mission. How did I get them to learn it?
I first had to earn their respect. You can't teach CRM to that kind of
individual unless he respects you as a pilot. At first he won't because you are
different then him. You are an instructor--you haven't seen it like it really
is or you don't know what its like now. You definitely can't tell me how good
or bad I am--you haven't seen me fly and these sims don't really sim. I don't
know how you can attack that in the large classes because that old dog is just
going to sit in the back and quietly disagree with what he thinks is an
inexperienced instructor. That might set you back some but you still have a
chance and this is how you must do it. You must prove that it works or you will
fail. They actually have to see it work for them. You target these guys early.
You put them into the sim situations that they can't get out of and unless they
use CRM and then you put them into situations where CRM makes them more
productive and aware. If you can't do that then you lose. After you show him
CRM will work he will come back with situations when it won't. They talk about
situations where they can't afford to have a conversation about why the engines
are on fire and why they need to get the plane back on the ground.
That's when you must clarify what CRM and crew coordination actually is. It is
not an avenue for a group discussion on every action within the flightdeck--that
is actually a very ineffective crew. It is realizing that every crewmember has
their own responsibilities and tasks regardless of the situation and CRM is the
idea and practice of using the crew to their utmost ability: That is crew and
mission specific. This is where the true power of the pilot in command comes
in. He can direct CRM within the crew to what his experience tells him. It is
a very powerful tool when the whole crew knows that a captain is trying to make
everybody do their job the best they can. That's when old dogs take the
challenge on and make not only their performance better (they still see their
performance as pretty much as good as it gets) but the other crewmember's
performance as well.
Once everybody agrees CRM is the right course of action the final step is to
make it law in the SOP as specific as you dare. Examples of specific CRM in the
SOP that have been around for years are: Pilot not flying making the radio
calls. Pilot not flying handling the gear and flaps. Pilot flying making a
takeoff briefing, a descent briefing, or a landing briefing. Pilot not flying
calling out 500 ft and 100 ft above MDA/DH. Pilot not flying or Flight Engineer
must state when aircraft is off assigned altitude or off briefed speed.
Numerous standard communication calls between pilots and ground personnel,
flight attendants, dispatch, ATC are all CRM specifics that have made it into
the SOP one way or another. Memory items that are accomplished by more than one
crew member is a CRM specific put into the SOP.
Then it becomes a question of if you want to play the game you have to follow
the rules. If you don't like the rules then don't whine and complain about
it--be constructive and propose an official change to better them. If you
can't, then just don't play. I realize I have a relatively small sample size of
7 pilots but most did fit the typical old dog stereotype. I only throw this out
to the group to show what worked for me. It may or may not be applicable in
your situation. The full conversion from introduction to final SOP took 2 years
and as all you know its never over--training/evaluation of program is an on
going progress.
Robert P. Predella
Chief of Safety
475 Weapon Evaluation Group, Tyndall