The Importance of Communication and Teamwork Among the Flight and Cabin

The Importance of Communication and Teamwork Among the Flight and Cabin Crew TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT 4 INTRODUCTION 5 Background 5 Purpose/Audience 5 Sources 5 Limitaions 5 Scope 5 COLLECTED DATA 5 Importance of Communication Among the Crew 5 Main Cause of Aircraft Accidents 6 Duties of the Crew Members 7 Expectations of the Crew 7 The Crew is a Team 8 Intimidatin in the Cockpit 8 Cabin Crew is a part of the Team 9 Trusting the Crew's Judgment 9 Crew Resource Management (CRM) 9 Outline of CRM Training 10 LOFT Training 10 Organizing Resources and Priorities 11 CONCLUSION 11 Summary of Findings 11 Interpretation of Findings 11 REFERENCES 13 ABSTRACT The majority of aircraft accidents are caused by human error, and an accident or incident is linked together by a chain of errors. Most of these accidents could have been avoided by the crew if they would have been communicating to each other better. Some common errors that occur among the crew are poor task delegation, assertiveness, and distractions. Crew training in communication and teamwork will increase the crews' performance level. Programs like Crew Resource Management (CRM) have been developed to try to help the crews work together and reduce the human factor in accidents. CRM includes training in leadership/followership, assertiveness, management, communication, teamwork, decision making, and task delegation. Through programs like CRM crews learn to work together as a team, and when they are working together it is less likely there'll be an accident. INTORDUCTION Background The cause for most aircraft accidents (65%) are by crew error (FAA News, 1996). When the Crews performance level is low due to poor teamwork and communication this is when accidents happen. How can crew error be reduced? Even though human error can't be reduced completely through constant training and effort by the crew performance will increase and accidents will be reduced. Purpose/Audience This report is intended for a general audience and will show how important it is for the flight and cabin crew to work together and communicate as a team. This report will also examine the CRM program. Sources Sources have been obtained for this report from the Internet and from the Waldo Library, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Mich... ...grams like CRM are very helpful in instilling these principles and breaking the bad habits. Poor attitiudes and habits can't be changed overnight. That's why there is a need for recurrent CRM training. Communicaiton and teamwork is the key to safe and effective operations. There's no "I" in CREW but there is "WE". REFERENCES Chute, R. D. & Wiener, E. L. "Cockpit/cabin communication: I. A tale of two cultures." [http://olias.arc.nasa.gov/personnel/people/RebeccaChute/JA1.htm.]. Oct 1996. Federal Aviation Administration. (1995) Crew resource management training (AFS- 210, AC no. 120-51B). Washington, D. C. Nader, R. & Smith, W. J. (1994). Collision course: The truth about airline safety. PA: TAB Books. FAA News. "Atlantic coast airlines first to use FAA crew performance program." [http://www.dot.gov/affairs/apa15596.htm]. Sept 1996. Helmreich, R. L. "The evolution of crew resource management." [http://www.psy.utexas.edu/psy/helmreich/iata96/htm]. Oct 1996. Chute, R. D. & Wiener, E. L. (1996). Cockpit-cabin communicaiton: II. shall we tell the pilot? The International Journal of Aviaiton Phychology, 6 (3), 211- -229