Re: Boomerang data
CRMDEEN_at_aol.com
Sat, 28 Jun 1997 07:42:11 -0400 (EDT)
Hello CRMrs,
While I don't have any "scientific data" to quanitfy a "boomerang
effect", I do hear it a lot. The consistent source of complaints or concerns
is among our pilots that are going through intructor upgrade training. These
pilots have been aircraft commanders for about a year or so, and have
accumulated about 1500 flying hours in type.
They are often saying that CRM has "eroded" or "usurped" their command
authority. Many have developed the opinion that they no longer have the
authority to make a decision without counsulting every crewmember. About the
only thing they like about CRM is that non-pilot crewmembers are more
assertive, although some of these pilots see assertiveness as "constantly
second-guessing the PIC's decision".
Many, many years ago when I was trying to figure out what crew
coordination really was, and what I could do to improve it, I asked a group
of pilots "what is the most common problem with flight engineers?" (our
flight engineers are usually maintence-background, non-pilots, and enlisted
rank)
The most common answer the pilots gave is "they won't talk to us"
I then asked a group of flight engineers "what is the most common problem
with pilots, crew coordination-wise?"
The most common answer was "they don't want us to talk to them".
And, of course, I could find no policy, training, or obvious source to this
perception. So after our initial Aircrew Coordination Training courses
started to spread, the flight engineers and loadmasters, each of enlisted
ranks, began to tell me they liked the training because they now felt
"empowered" to speak up. It was as if a "veil" had been lifted.
I submit that while assertiveness may have improved over the years,
there is a strong perception among the PICs that this new "empowerment" has
eroded their authority, and control.
We Americans have an old cliche: "The boss ain't always right, but he's
always the boss." I tell our crews that CRM is trying to change that:
"The boss ain't always right, he is always the boss, and we cannot let him
be wrong, so let's make him right, and remember he is the boss."
Greg Deen
HTI, C-130 ATS