10 Aeronautical decision-making and crew resource management
Aeronautical decision-making is a structured, formal approach to dealing with problems in aviation. It is meant to find the best course of action to safely accomplish the mission. It is very acronym heavy, seemingly humorous in parts, and obvious in others.
The steps to ADM:
- Identifying hazardous attitudes
- Learning behavior modification
- Learning how to recognize and cope with stress
- Developing risk assessment skills
- Using all resources
- Evaluating the effectiveness of your ADM skills
10.1 Hazardous attitudes and antidotes
Hazardous attitude questions will be on your test. They are on every sample test the FAA gives. Study them.
The hazardous attitudes, an example and their antidotes are:
| Hazardous attitude | Example | Antidote |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-authority | “No one can tell me what to do” | Follow the rules |
| Impulsivity | “Do it now” | Slow down, assess the situation and act |
| Invulnerability | “It won’t happen to me” | It can happen to me |
| Macho | “I can do it” | I have nothing to prove to anyone |
| Resignation | “What’s the use?” | I am in control |
10.2 Risk assessment
The most basic tool for risk assessment is a matrix. On one axis is the likelihood, on the other is the severity. Things that are likely to occur and contain a high level of severity are in the upper left corner, and unlikely things that are low risk are on the other.
Risk has two parts: Identifying risks, and mitigating them. The FAA has several mnemonics to do this.
10.2.1 IMSAFE
IMSAFE is a mnemonic devices to help pilots determine whether they are physically and mentally ready to fly.
- Illness – Sickness is an obvious risk.
- Medication – Are you on any medications that would increase risk?
- Stress – Is there anything going on in your life that will distract you from the flight?
- Alcohol – Have you been drinking within the past 8 hours? Are you hung over?
- Fatigue – Are you tired? Have you slept adequately?
- Eating – Are you adequately nourished for the flight?
If any of these present a problem, the pilot should not fly.
10.2.2 PAVE
PAVE is a pre-flight hazard identification mnemonic.
- Pilot in command – See IMSAFE
- Aircraft – Can this aircraft safely execute the flight?
- enVironment – Have you checked weather, terrain, airport/airspace prior to flight and will they permit a safe flight?
- External pressures – Are there external pressures – bosses, impressing someone, client desires – that are pushing you to act in an unsafe manner?
10.3 Crew resource management and effective communication
According to the FAA, “CRM refers to the effective use of all available resources: human resources, hardware, and information.” CRM training is designed to ensure that crews are working together optimally. CRM primarily is about how matters are communicated among a team, how each person understands their role in the flight, and how each person does their job.
“The importance of clear and unambiguous communication must be stressed in all training activities involving pilots, flight attendants, and aircraft dispatchers. The greater one’s concern in flight-related matters, the greater is the need for clear communication,” the FAA wrote in Advisory Circular 120-51e.
Prior to every flight, the pilot in command must brief the crew on the flight, the goals, and inform each person what their job is while making sure they know what that is. In the briefing, emergency procedures should be discussed including actions others must take. The pilot in command is the leader and must ensure everyone has the information they need to do their job.