>The JARs also require CRM/human factors training. How are those of you in
>Europe doing with your programs?
British Midland employs <400 pilots, flying B737 & Fokker 100/70 equipment
There is another British Midland Training Captain in the Group, Peter
Rolfe. I anticipate that he will probably respond to your query (He's more
involved on the HF side, although ALL Training Captains are - see later),
but here's my half pennyworth.
We have been giving new hires a 2 or 3 day Human Factors course for some
years now. These are conducted by Dr Duncan Harris, who is our consultant
psychologist. The course content is VERY generalised, not particularly
aviation oriented - but enables the company to "put a tick in a box".
The CAA, our present Authority, regulate operationally by assigning Flight
Operations Inspectors to the various fleets of the various airlines. Our
Flight Ops Inspector has been very keen that we develop and produce HF/CRM
refresher training.
(Another UK equivalent airline, Air UK, have not started yet)
As far as CRM/HF recurrent/refresher training goes, in British Midland this
is done in the form of a +/- 1 hour presentation by the Training Captain
(Check Airman) during the 6 monthly recurrent training sessions. Dr Harris
(and the JAA !) have presented us with 8 subjects, each one is valid for 6
months - namely (not in any order):
Situational Awareness
Error Chain
Personal Attributes
Management of Workload
Automation
Personnel Coordination
The CRM Loop
Human Perception/Learning Process
Dr Harris drafts an outline presentation for each subject, together with
written material, (so far w'eve only done SA), shows one or two Training
Captains how it could be presented, they then brief the rest in groups
(total about 40).
It is up to the individual Training Captain how he develops his own
presentation. I have found membership of this Group to be invaluable - and
have pased on as much material as possible.
It is well received by most of the guys, particularly when put into
"accident/incident" terms - they start out sceptical and then become
"believers". (Generally !)
Our next (6 month) subject is "Error Chains".
Cabin staff HF/CRM training has started both for new hires and recurrent -
but I have no information on content etc. We do joint Flight Deck/Cabin
Staff LOFT training in the simulator.
Be aware, CRMers that all JAR's are still "DRAFT", and hold no status. The
progress of "European" compliance with them depends on the individual
application of the requirements by the individual States at the moment, and
is by no means consistent - either within the EEC or within the individual
States.
Summary
Our Flight Crew Training Manager is VERY HF oriented, and gives us a lot of
support. Dr Harris is very good, but as a consultant his time is limited.
Our airline is too small to devote the necessary resources to employ a
professional department solely for HF/CRM. (Obviously the cost of a
department is the same, regardless of airline size - and we still have to
compete against the big boys commercially !)
We are satisfying the wording of the DRAFT JAR's, and the intent as well -
but more important I think that we are doing the job that needs to be done
in a practical, if informal, manner.
Roger Markwick
F100/70 Training Captain
British Midland - LHR