Blue Horizons: Aviators Visions

Imagine being in the throes of a turbulent storm at 35,000 feet, or worse, at 1,000 ft on an approach in IMC in unfavourable conditions and circumstances, where every decision will be the difference between a safe flight or a catastrophe. 

The key to survival in this instance lies not just in the hands of a solitary pilot, but in the combined efforts of the entire flight crew. 

Whether you are an aspiring pilot, cabin crew member, operations controller, member of management or purely interested in the fundamentals or concept of CRM in aviation or the work environment, we hope that we can provide you with some insight and understanding into this realm, and maybe even yourself as an individual. 

This realm of Crew Resource Management (CRM), is an unheralded hero of aviation safety, often overlooked, but vital in ensuring every flight's successful outcome. 

When communication and collaboration in the cockpit run like a well-oiled machine, the journey becomes smoother, even in the face of adversity. 

But what happens when this system breaks down? How do we fix it? What is our personal involvement and responsibility?

Let’s dive into this complex world, briefly unravelling its significance, identifying its potential pitfalls, and discussing the captivating interplay of human factors in flight safety.

This interplay of human factors in flight safety is as multifaceted as it is crucial. It's a dynamic, ever-evolving relationship between pilots, their fellow crew members, and the technology they operate. At its core, it's about the 'human element'.

Pilots are trained to operate sophisticated machinery with precision and efficiency, but that is only half the story. The other half involves the application of soft skills like communication, teamwork, decision-making, and leadership, these are the cornerstones of CRM. The manner in which flight crew communicates, shares information, makes collective decisions, and resolves conflicts significantly influences flight safety. These elements do not work in isolation but in tandem, creating a complex interplay that can either enhance or hinder flight operations.

CRM is the backbone of successful aviation operations, and its vital importance stems from the focus on effective communication, teamwork, and decision-making among the entire flight crew.

In a field where precision and coordination can mean the difference between a safe flight and a disaster, CRM ensures every cog in the aviation wheel works together seamlessly. It's about harmonising the human component with the technical, creating an environment where each crew member can perform their duties with proficiency, while feeling supported and valued. 

CRM transcends the individual, integrating different skills, experiences, and perspectives into a cohesive whole that's greater than the sum of its parts.

For budding aviators, grasping the importance of CRM early in their career can set the stage for long-term success. 

It's not just about mastering the controls of an aircraft, but also learning to navigate the complex human dynamics within the cockpit. 

It is crucial to cultivate these soft skills alongside technical acumen, as they play an equally critical role in ensuring safe and efficient flight operations. 

Remember, a good aviator does not fly alone; they form part of a symphony of skills that need to be in harmony for the melody of safe aviation to play out. 

As your career progresses, your ability to communicate effectively, make collaborative decisions, and resolve conflicts will be just as valued as your flying skills. 

It is difficult, if not impossible, to teach all aspects of CRM to individuals, purely through literature or education. Skills developed to have a good understanding, and ability to conduct CRM comes through experience and exposure, and personal insight and development. 

Whether it is through this article, or through your career, be prepared to embark on an incredible journey, where the development of your CRM skills will be a lifelong commitment, always evolving, and always growing. 

Further on, we will look into the components of CRM and providing insights that will help shape the aviator you aspire to be.

We’ve discussed now, and explained why CRM is such a critical aspect of aviation safety that focuses on effective communication, teamwork, and decision-making among crew members, but, when there is a breakdown in CRM that occurs in the cockpit, it can have serious consequences for flight safety. 

We’ll begin with a focus on pilots with low hours or limited experience, as these aspiring aviators may be more susceptible to CRM breakdowns purely due to a lack of exposure to diverse flight situations and crew dynamics. 

In such cases, it is even more important for these crew members, and their captains, to proactively foster a culture of effective CRM in the cockpit. 

Here are a few ideas that may assist with learning some techniques to deal with these situations that present themselves:

Mentorship: 

Inexperienced pilots should be paired with experienced captains or first officers who can provide guidance and mentorship on CRM principles. Whether this is done through the operator, or the individual seeking out mentors and opportunities to expose themselves to these positive environments., 

This helps to build strong foundations in effective communication, teamwork, and decision-making.

Active participation: 

As a low-hour pilot, actively participate in CRM discussions and decision-making processes. This not only builds your confidence but also helps to develop your CRM skills.

Constructive feedback: 

Experienced pilots and operators should provide feedback to these individuals. On your journey to becoming a successful crew member or captain, this means taking in constructive feedback to grow and develop yourself, and not take only take offence to. 

You should seek and promote regular feedback to yourself as a less experienced pilot, and base this on CRM performance, pointing out areas for improvement as well as acknowledging some successes. You should take this feedback and ensure that it is specific, timely, and actionable.

The importance of assertiveness: 

Inexperienced pilots should understand the importance of speaking up when they have concerns or notice discrepancies. You should be encouraged to express your opinions respectfully and assertively, regardless of rank or experience level.

Fostering a learning environment: 

Create and expose yourself to a cockpit culture where questions and continuous learning are encouraged. This will help you as an inexperienced pilot to understand that mistakes are an opportunity to learn and grow, rather than a reason for embarrassment or shame.

CRM training: 

CRM training programs are tailored to address the specific needs and challenges faced by less experienced pilots. These additional training courses focus on communication techniques, conflict resolution, and decision-making processes.

Gradual exposure to complex situations: 

As a less experienced pilot, you are going to be exposed to increasingly complex flight situations and crew dynamics under the guidance of experienced crew members. This gradual exposure will help you to build your CRM skills and confidence in a controlled and supportive environment.

Debrief after flights: 

Encourage fellow crew members and Captains to conduct thorough debriefs after flights, particularly those involving challenging situations or crew interactions. Discuss any CRM-related issues that arose and reflect on your actions and the lessons learned.

By implementing these strategies, operators, and Captains, can help less experienced pilots develop strong CRM skills and ensure that they become valuable contributors to the safety and efficiency of flight operations.

It is inevitable that there will ultimately be a scenario in which you are exposed to a breakdown in CRM. Hopefully, the situation will not be one that you are personally involved in. Your exposure to this scenario, may however require your involvement, or provide you with another opportunity for learning and to take something from it. 

Here are some steps that Operators, Captains, and fellow crew members can take to address a CRM breakdown:

Recognise the problem:
First, someone needs to have identified that a CRM breakdown is occurring or has occurred. This can be manifested as a lack of communication, conflicting opinions, or uncoordinated actions among crew members.

Communicate concerns: 

The crew member, typically the captain, should openly communicate their concerns about the CRM breakdown with the rest of the crew. Encouraging open and honest discussion and providing a safe space for crew members to express their thoughts and concerns.

Re-establish CRM principles: 

Remind the crew of the importance of effective communication, teamwork, and decision-making. Emphasize the need to work together to resolve the issue and ensure flight safety.

This will start to transcend the flight deck or cabin environment, and the operator or company, should be involved in the process to ensure that a re-occurrence is avoided and that there is intent to repair any breakdowns that have occurred. 

Address the root cause: 

Identify the underlying factors that contributed to the CRM breakdown. This might include fatigue, stress, complacency, or interpersonal conflicts. Address these issues and implement corrective measures to prevent further CRM issues.

Foster a positive team atmosphere: 

Encourage a supportive and collaborative work environment, where everyone's input is valued and respected. Reinforce the importance of mutual trust, respect, and support among crew members.

Re-evaluate procedures: 

Review relevant standard operating procedures (SOPs) and ensure they are being followed correctly. If needed, adapt, or modify the SOPs to improve CRM and reduce the likelihood of future breakdowns.

The involvement of other parties, departments, crew members, etc should then foster an environment within the organisation that provides for the following additional factors. 

Continuous training: 

Encourage ongoing CRM training and professional development for all crew members. Regularly review and practice CRM principles to ensure they remain an integral part of the cockpit culture.

Monitor and follow up: 

Continuously monitor the cockpit environment and crew interactions to ensure that CRM principles are being maintained. Address any emerging issues promptly and effectively.

By taking these steps, crew members, and operators can help to restore effective CRM in the cockpit and cabin and maintain a safe and efficient flight operation.

You may have heard to term “EQ”, and although it is an exceptionally important term and factor, it is a term not often discussed or even understood by most individuals, including Pilots and other flight crew.

Emotional Quotient, or EQ, is often referred to as Emotional Intelligence. 

It is about understanding, using, and managing our own emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathise with others, overcome challenges and defuse conflicts. 

In simpler terms, it's your ability to recognize and understand your emotions and those of others around you.

In the dynamic environment of a cockpit, EQ is as crucial as your technical skills. As a pilot, you aren't just managing an aircraft; you're also part of a team and, in some cases, leading it. High EQ can improve how you communicate, make decisions, and collaborate with your crew, enhancing overall CRM. 

For instance, being able to perceive a co-pilot's stress or uncertainty and addressing it proactively can prevent misunderstandings and maintain a harmonious working environment. It can also help you manage your own stress levels, ensuring that your emotional state doesn't interfere with your ability to operate the aircraft safely and efficiently. 

Simply put, EQ isn't a fancy term or a luxury skill – it's a key component of being a competent, professional pilot.

When a CRM breakdown occurs in the cockpit due to a captain's or crew member’s lack of emotional intelligence (EQ) and it leads to emotional outbursts and conflict, it is important to address the issue promptly and effectively. 

Here are some steps to be taken to correct the matter and potential disciplinary actions:

De-escalate the situation: 

The captain should try to calm down and diffuse any ongoing conflicts, and refocus the crew's attention on their primary responsibility, which is ensuring the safe operation of the aircraft.

Post-flight debrief: 

After the flight, the captain should conduct a thorough debriefing with the involved crew members to discuss the CRM breakdown and identify the factors that contributed to it. 

This should be done in a non-confrontational manner, focusing on learning from the incident and finding ways to prevent future occurrences.

Report the incident: 

The captain should report the incident to the appropriate management or authorities within the airline or operation, such as the chief pilot or the safety department. 

This is necessary to ensure that the operator is aware of the issue and can take appropriate actions to address it.

Investigation: 

The operator or airline should conduct an investigation into the incident to determine the root causes of the CRM breakdown and the extent of the crew members lack of EQ. This may involve interviews with the captain, the involved crew members or other staff, and a review of any relevant flight data or cockpit voice recordings could also be made.

Remedial actions: 

Based on the findings of the investigation, the operator should develop and implement a plan to address the identified issues. This may include additional CRM training for the crew member, focusing specifically on emotional intelligence and conflict resolution skills.

Disciplinary actions: 

Depending on the severity of the incident and the findings of the investigation, the operator may decide to take disciplinary actions against the crew member. These actions can range from a verbal or written reprimand to more severe measures such as suspension or even termination of employment.

Monitor progress: 

The operator should closely monitor the crew members progress in improving their emotional intelligence and CRM skills. Regular assessments and feedback can help ensure that the crew member is making the necessary changes and that the risk of future CRM breakdowns is minimised.

Promote a positive safety culture: 

The operator should work to promote a positive safety culture that emphasises the importance of effective CRM and emotional intelligence among all crew members. This can help to create an environment where incidents like these are less likely to occur.

By taking these steps, operators can address the CRM breakdown, ensure that the involved crew members learn from the incident, and reduce the likelihood of similar issues occurring in the future.

We’ve seen now, very briefly, that Crew Resource Management (CRM) is the harmonious interplay of technical skill and emotional intelligence (EQ), creating an environment conducive to flight safety. 

At the heart of this synergy lies EQ, a concept that might seem abstract but is crucial in cockpit dynamics. It is essentially about understanding and regulating your own emotions, being aware of your own strengths and weaknesses, and demonstrating empathy towards your crew members. High EQ fosters better decision-making, improved communication, and enhanced teamwork.

You should have been able to also identify that self-awareness, the cornerstone of EQ, will enable you to recognise your emotional triggers and respond to challenging situations more effectively. 

It provides you with the ability to self-regulate, coupled with empathetic understanding of others' emotions, allowing you to foster and environment that promotes a harmonious cockpit atmosphere. 

It involves active listening, an integral aspect of empathy, and this will further strengthen your ability to promote communication within the cockpit.

Clear, assertive communication is fundamental to CRM. Utilising your understanding and strategies, it will assist you in expressing your thoughts without aggression or passivity, giving and receiving feedback constructively, and ensuring a mutual understanding exists among fellow crew members. 

Alongside communication, teamwork and collaboration are key. The ability to value input from all team members, regardless of their rank or experience, will create a positive and efficient work environment.

With all that being said, there are also physiological factors such as fatigue, stress, or health issues that can impact a crew member’s cognitive functioning, decision-making, and overall performance. Recognising and managing these factors are essential to ensuring safety in the skies.

Emotional intelligence (EQ), being the ability to understand and manage one's own emotions and those of others, plays a key role in the cockpit. A high EQ helps pilots maintain composure in stressful situations, communicate effectively with crew members, and make balanced decisions – all vital for safe flight operations.

The realm of human factors extending beyond the individual and the crew. Involves designing systems and procedures that are intuitive and accommodating of human capabilities and limitations, fostering an environment that supports rather than impedes human performance.

In conclusion, the interplay of human factors in flight safety is a captivating dance of technical and non-technical skills, individual and team dynamics, physiological considerations, and system design. It's an intricate tapestry that, when woven together, contributes to safer, more efficient flights. Learning and harnessing these "soft-skills" will prove valuable in your career and personal development, and what you can share with and teach others.

We thank those that have come before us to teach and guide us through our careers and self-progression, sharing their skills and attributes. And to you, who may still be on your journey through your career, we wish you all the best on becoming a successful aviator.

Safe skies!

Your Captain.