5.3 Team-Based Human Factors Challenges

Crew Resource Management in cockpit

                                                         

                                                     
    Human factors refer to factors that can act when humans use a system. Humans are highly intelligent animals and can use systems efficiently. However, anyone can make a mistake. This mistake can be caused by individual fatigue, stress, lack of attention, or excessive workload. but sometimes communication error, conflicts or hierarchical order can be a factor in the error when several people work on same task. Today, I am going to look into the importance of crew resource management in the cockpit. 

    The reason that two pilots are required in cockpit is to enhance flight safety. The human eye and hearing sometimes have cognitive errors. This is unavoidable by human nature. Therefore, in order to prevent possible mistakes and incorrect situational awareness, the captain and co-pilot team up to fly. In other words, it aims to achieve safe flight through cooperation while monitoring, advising, and communicating with each other. Crew Resource Management refers to the effective use of all the resources available to the crew, and in the cockpit, it is the best resource in that it reduces each other's errors. 

    On March 27, 1977, Pan Am Air 1736 taxiing on the runway on the Spanish island of Tenerife collided with KLM Flight 4805 taking off in the opposite direction. Two Boeing 747 planes collided with each other on the runway, killing 583 people, making it one of the worst aviation disasters in history. There are several factors such as thick fog and overlapped radio communication, but the most disappointing thing is that the KLM First officer questioned twice that it was not certain that the runway was cleared. Even though the first officer questioned it several times, the Captain pushed the throttle full and so the tragedy began. Various misfortunes overlapped, but if the captain wanted to confirm and correct the question of the co-pilot once again, there was possibility that the countless sacrifices of more than 500 people may not have been in history.

    Good Crew Resource Management means leveraging each other's knowledge and skills. Advanced level of safety can be guaranteed by cooperating with each other. Especially in these days when everything is automated, humans tend to depend on a machine called an airplane. However, while machines provide convenience as humans use them, they sometimes break down and make fatal mistakes. The same goes for airplanes. In the cockpit, crews need to share all their knowledge and perceptions, and through this, they can correct individual mistakes and use the airplane or system way more effectively. In addition, it is necessary to acknowledge that human beings can make mistakes, and to doubt own choices when other raise doubts. The best teamwork and Crew Resource Management is to share opinions and sometimes question ourself and find the right answer.

Ziomek, J. (2020, 09). DISASTER ON TENERIFE. Aviation History, 31, 42-49. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/magazines/disaster-on-tenerife/docview/2446294717/se-2?accountid=27203

Pilot, M. (2021, December 11). What REALLY Caused the Tenerife Airport Disaster?! The WORST Aviation Accident in History [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2d9B9RN5quA&feature=youtu.be