Proposed Topic
Proposed Topic for Literature Review
Communication Issues between the Crew and Cockpit
and
how they affect Safety-of-Flight in Civil Aviation
“Sometimes it seems like the door between the cabin and the cockpit is 12 feet thick” (unknown, n.d.). This statement, which I am recalling from memory, reflects the lack of communication which is pervasive between the crew and the cockpit and that has become legend in the fields of both commercial and general aviation. Lack of communication or misinterpretation thereof is one of many human factors categories that is considered by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) when investigating the cause of an airplane accident or incident.
This writer develops and teaches courses for the Office of Professional Education at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. One particular course that I teach is Customer Service Programs which is normally attended by flight attendants and employees in various crew positions. An overriding concern that has been voiced by many of my students has been the inability to effectively communicate with those in the cockpit. According to the students, this ‘inability’ emanates from various sources, but arrogance of the pilot and co-pilot and an ‘I am god’ attitude have been the predominant complaints I have heard. This is where Crew Resource Management (CRM) training enters the domain of pilot/crew interaction.
“One of the primary goals of CRM training is to shape—and in some cases reshape—attitudes” (Kern, 2001). Again, according to Kern (2001), attitudes, hazardous attitudes, among other human factors, have been shown to be the cause of dozens, if not hundreds of accidents. “Attitudes, unlike personality characteristics, can be modified. The challenge can be conquered with awareness and assertive action by individual aviators” (Kern, 2001). An examination of these attitudes, along with other intervening human factors, is the purpose of my inquiry.
Reference:
Kern, T. (2001). Controlling pilot error: Culture, environment, & CRM. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill