Airtime : CASA’s Crew Resource Managament Training Toolkit

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The Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority released a Crew Resource Management training package mid-2010 designed to provide training material to general aviation and Low Capacity RPT (LCRPT) operators. Titled “Safety Behaviours: Human Factors for Pilots”, the toolkit includes a DVD and a number of work booklets that can be used to supplement existing classroom-based group training. It was produced in response to the 2008 Civil Aviation Advisory Publication (CAAP) titled “Teaching and Assessing Single-Pilot Human Factors and Threat and Error Management”.

Anybody involved in CRM based training would be more than familiar with the same videos that tend to make repeat appearances during recurrent training. Who hasn’t seen ‘the’ Tenerife video 100 times? My own airline made an attempt last year to include incidents outside the realm of aviation to illicit a little more interest from participating crew. Star Trek, The Titanic and mainstream movies all made an appearance so certain (unfamiliar) incidents could be analysed.

General aviation, in particular, always seems to be neglected in the way of tailor made CRM programs. If it isn’t the misunderstood cost-benefit, it may have been the fault of mainstream aviation putting too much attention into the heavy jet (and very public) side of flying. This CASA initiative changes that.

The March 2008 edition of the Australian VFR Syllabus (issue 4 for aeroplanes and 3 for helicopters) became effective making Human Factors training and assessment compulsory for virtually every category of student or pilot (meaning that low time GA flight instructors also required resources). This package is an ideal introduction to the subject for those that are new to the concepts. CASA should be congratulated (I think it’s the first time I’ve ever written that) on building a basic framework that any general aviation operator or flying school can easily tailor to their own unique operational requirements.

Although the work booklets make reference to specific incidents and accidents, the video itself is rather generic – and it’s fictitious in nature. The ATSB and NTSB accident database provides more than enough material for inclusion in classroom based discussions and debate.

Criticism?

I can’t help but feel the CAAP itself is full of lacklustre rhetoric in that it makes a lifeless attempt in turning the subject into a quantifiable, assessable subject (rather than a genuine skill). However, it does provide more than enough information to encourage further subject-related research and participation.

Airtime

We’ve uploaded the video series to YouTube (with permission) in the hope that the program will prove useful to both local and international pilots. You may download the work booklets below.

The first video (in two parts) is reproduced below. Links will take you to the additional 11 videos.

Airtime (feature)

Part 1b of 12 – Analysis

Additional Videos

Part 1a of 12 – Airtime
Part 1b of 12 – Analysis
Part 2 of 12 – Fatigue
Part 3 of 12 – Stress
Part 4 of 12 – Alcohol & Substances
Part 5 of 12 – Communication
Part 6 of 12 – Teamwork
Part 7 of 12 – Leadership
Part 8 of 12 – Situational Awareness
Part 9 of 12 – Decision Making
Part 10 of 12 – Threat & Error Management
Part 11 of 12 – Airmanship
Part 12 of 12 – Safety Reporting

Download the Work Booklets

CAAP 5.59-1(0) – Download
EXTRACT FROM CAAP 5.59-1(0) – Download
Resource Guide for Pilots – Download
Safety Behaviours (Facilitators) Guide – Download
Safety Behaviours Workbook for Pilot – Download

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