Team Based Human Factors

 Team-Based Human Factors

Everyone gets so scared to fly when we hear that an airplane accident has happened. This collective panic is caused by the lack of basic understanding society has over aviation. Thinking that flying in an airplane is almost a ride to death makes people more nervous than they should actually be. Nowadays, airplanes are a really safe way of transportation, and most accidents occur due to human error, not a failure in the aircraft itself. According to a study completed by the FAA, between 60-80% of aviation accidents are caused by human error. Lack of communication, pilots not being correctly prepared, not enough rest, or even pilots impaired by alcohol or drugs can lead to catastrophic accidents where there are many deaths.

Crew Resource Management (CRM) is the effective use of all available resources for flight crew personnel to assure a safe and efficient operation, reducing error, avoiding stress, and increasing efficiency. Any pilot who is sharing a cockpit with another crewmember should adhere to CRM practices. This way both pilots know what is their specific role during the flight, making the operation more efficient and, therefore, safer.

The way to keep CRM as effective as possible includes:

1. Adhering to the company's SOP'S: Any deviation from these must be avoided (unless an emergency).
2. Always communicate with the crew to take important decisions during flight.
3. Assess risk together to take a final decision (using different models such as PAVE, DECIDE, 5 P's, etc.).
4. ASK IF NEEDED. Never fly with doubt about the plan.

By doing these actions the flight can be completed safely and a good work environment will be promoted.

References

Shappell, S. (2006, July). Human error and commercial aviation accidents: A comprehensive, fine-grained analysis using HFACS. Retrieved September 7, 2022, from https://www.faa.gov/data_research/research/med_humanfacs/oamtechreports/2000s/media/200618.pdf

SKYbrary. (n.d.). Crew Resource Management (CRM). SKYbrary Aviation Safety. Retrieved September 6, 2022, from https://skybrary.aero/articles/crew-resource-management-crm

U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Flight Standards Service. (2022). Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge.