Crew Resource Management
Crew Resource Management is a set of operational procedures implemented in aviation to reduce accidents and increase efficiency. Although it is associated with manned flights, UAS crews can also utilize CRM to improve on safety and efficiency in operations.
Crew Resource Management wasn't used in aviation until the 1970s. It was implemented after the Tenerife Airport disaster that happened 1977. This crash between two 747s happened in 1977 on the island of Tenerife. Many factors led to this incident happening. Both planes were diverted to the small airport of Los Rodeos as a bomb shut down the airport they were supposed to land at. On top of that, there was a dense fog at the time of takeoff and one of the 747 pilots mistook a route clearance for takeoff clearance. This pilot then began takeoff while the other involved 747 was still on the runway. What followed was the deadliest crash in aviation history, leaving only 61 survivors of the 644 people aboard both aircraft. Often times when there is a crash in aviation, it is caused by a series of bad events happening rather than one problem.
One of the most important factors in the Tenerife incident was interpersonal communication between the pilot and co-pilot. Before CRM was created, pilots were considered the king of the aircraft and co-pilots would be wise not to question them too much. The pilot of the KLM 747, Jacob Van Zanten, was one of KLM's best pilots and not someone the co-pilot felt like questioning. Crew Resource Management is supposed to better define each crew member's responsibilities during operations. This allows for full utilization of resources which makes operations safer. CRM is focused on making it easier to work as a team whether it is human-machine interactions or interpersonal interactions. There is a lot of teamwork in the aviation industry so it is important that CRM is followed.
Crew Resource Management has highlighted five hazardous attitudes that can effect pilots negatively. These attitudes are anti-authority, impulsivity, invulnerability, macho, and resignation.
Anti-authority happens when someone believes that the rules don't apply to them. This attitude can lead to pilots skipping checklists or ignoring other important rules that are in place to ensure the safety of operation. Ignoring rules and regulations can put pilots in bad situations.
Impulsivity can be defined as someone doing something before thinking it through. Making decisions without thinking in aviation is very dangerous because it can put the pilot in a worse situation than they were already in. This may happen if the pilot begins to panic and just starts reacting without thinking.
Invulnerability is one of the hazardous attitudes that can effect younger pilots. This attitude is demonstrated by someone who thinks that bad things only happen to other people. Pilots need to avoid this attitude as it can cause them to forget the risk involved in what they are doing. Invulnerability may lead someone to ignore past accidents and make the same mistakes.
Macho is when someone is trying to impress others around them. Pilots should never attempt to showboat while flying because it will put them in dangerous situations.
The final attitude is resignation. Resignation is when someone stops trying because they think it is pointless. Pilots should never show resignation because 'giving up' while flying is never going to improve the situation.
All of these attitudes are dangerous and could result in fatal accidents, if pilots aren't properly trained to deal with these attitudes. CRM may have been implemented in manned aviation first, but it is also equally important to UAS operations. UAS crews are similar to manned aviation crews in the ways they have to be able to communicate and work together. UAS pilots are also pilots and can be affected by the hazardous attitudes in the same way that manned flight pilots are affected. UAS is also relatively new and not as fleshed out as the rest of aviation yet. As UAS' role continues to grow in this world, people working with UAS should try to learn from the mistakes of aviation rather than make those same mistakes.
Crew Resource Management wasn't used in aviation until the 1970s. It was implemented after the Tenerife Airport disaster that happened 1977. This crash between two 747s happened in 1977 on the island of Tenerife. Many factors led to this incident happening. Both planes were diverted to the small airport of Los Rodeos as a bomb shut down the airport they were supposed to land at. On top of that, there was a dense fog at the time of takeoff and one of the 747 pilots mistook a route clearance for takeoff clearance. This pilot then began takeoff while the other involved 747 was still on the runway. What followed was the deadliest crash in aviation history, leaving only 61 survivors of the 644 people aboard both aircraft. Often times when there is a crash in aviation, it is caused by a series of bad events happening rather than one problem.
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| Los Rodeos Airport |
One of the most important factors in the Tenerife incident was interpersonal communication between the pilot and co-pilot. Before CRM was created, pilots were considered the king of the aircraft and co-pilots would be wise not to question them too much. The pilot of the KLM 747, Jacob Van Zanten, was one of KLM's best pilots and not someone the co-pilot felt like questioning. Crew Resource Management is supposed to better define each crew member's responsibilities during operations. This allows for full utilization of resources which makes operations safer. CRM is focused on making it easier to work as a team whether it is human-machine interactions or interpersonal interactions. There is a lot of teamwork in the aviation industry so it is important that CRM is followed.
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| This is a reconstruction of the Tenerife collision. |
Crew Resource Management has highlighted five hazardous attitudes that can effect pilots negatively. These attitudes are anti-authority, impulsivity, invulnerability, macho, and resignation.
Anti-authority happens when someone believes that the rules don't apply to them. This attitude can lead to pilots skipping checklists or ignoring other important rules that are in place to ensure the safety of operation. Ignoring rules and regulations can put pilots in bad situations.
Impulsivity can be defined as someone doing something before thinking it through. Making decisions without thinking in aviation is very dangerous because it can put the pilot in a worse situation than they were already in. This may happen if the pilot begins to panic and just starts reacting without thinking.
Invulnerability is one of the hazardous attitudes that can effect younger pilots. This attitude is demonstrated by someone who thinks that bad things only happen to other people. Pilots need to avoid this attitude as it can cause them to forget the risk involved in what they are doing. Invulnerability may lead someone to ignore past accidents and make the same mistakes.
Macho is when someone is trying to impress others around them. Pilots should never attempt to showboat while flying because it will put them in dangerous situations.
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| A UAS pilot would be acting macho if they decided to fly their vehicle near an aircraft in order to impress friends. |
The final attitude is resignation. Resignation is when someone stops trying because they think it is pointless. Pilots should never show resignation because 'giving up' while flying is never going to improve the situation.
All of these attitudes are dangerous and could result in fatal accidents, if pilots aren't properly trained to deal with these attitudes. CRM may have been implemented in manned aviation first, but it is also equally important to UAS operations. UAS crews are similar to manned aviation crews in the ways they have to be able to communicate and work together. UAS pilots are also pilots and can be affected by the hazardous attitudes in the same way that manned flight pilots are affected. UAS is also relatively new and not as fleshed out as the rest of aviation yet. As UAS' role continues to grow in this world, people working with UAS should try to learn from the mistakes of aviation rather than make those same mistakes.
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