When I teach our Facilitator Training Class, I am often asked similar
questions, which I reflect back to the candidates themselves. One of the
more important things I think the training system should provide is a
consistent and standardized approach to the the CRM program. The CRM
language an aviator is introduced to ab-initio should be the same stuff he
will be asked to evaluated when he matures to the "check airman"
responsibility. It really confused many in the Air Force when the ACT and
CRM programs took off on slightly different directions back in the mid '80s.
The lack of a central standard was a problem, and in the CRM business it was
understandable because at that time there was so little understood about this
dynamic. Today is different.
The plethora of research and experience allows training shops to
develope, present, evaluate, and reinforce CRM performance with a
standardization from beginning to end of one's flying career. The aviators
who become managers will also learn to support the program. Much as been
said about getting management buy-in. I submit that management will be there
in the next few years, if for no other reason than attrition. Students today
tell me that PICs seem better than those we talk about in class. The
military has such a fast turnover of aviation personnel, we are training our
young better, and it's showing improvement in the aircraft.
A common set of terms, values, standards and behavioral markers would be
the training shop's best gift to the aviators.
Evaluation is next; does every instuctor and evaluator judge CRM
dynamics the same? Lots of good research is underway for "rater
reliability". Keep this up.
Jeaprody training? The original training of CRM took on the premise
that we wanted to "sell" the training, not force it. The last facilitator
class I had debated and proposed a need to do "forceful" training, in the
sense that most aviator behavior is accomplished by "must do" attitudes.
You MUST put the landing gear down before landing, and if you don't do
that in the simulator training session, you will FAIL the lesson. If CRM
behaviors were taught as a MUST do event, and graded with pass/fail
attitudes, would the CRM behavior improve? If you do not tell the PIC that
he has forgotten to complete a checklist, you will fail the lesson; and then
repeat it.
Now, before I get on a real roll---is there any company out there doing
pass/fail CRM training? Does it work?
Greg Deen
HTI