Joint CRM

[flapsforty]

Our mob had a test project to improve communication between pilots of incoming flights and the ground engineers. Both sides equipped with PDAs that could communicate. All codes pre-programmed in and space for additional info.
Probably fell victim to the current costs slashing.

Regarding joint CRM sessions; Carn apalling stories. If you hire fools you have an uphill struggle, but I strongly disagree with you about the impossibility of training people. Everyone is to a certain extent "educateable". But is the company willing to spend the time and money on such a thing? Or do they go with the old "divide and rule" philosophy?
And to get a bit more personal, how often do you take the time down-route to involve your cabin crew in discussions that get a bit technical? Do you try and in an accessible and pleasant way to improve their understanding of what goes on in the cockpit and what the various technical terms mean? Do you take the time to explain some basics when you have fresh new FAs? (about the AC that is! ) Someone who doesn't know what an APU is will not understand why you tell them it's not working.
Most FAs are tought exactly NOTHING about the technical part of the operation in FA school. So from where would they know?
And yes, they should take an interest themselves, and try to learn. But to do that an FA needs a very thick skin. Because many many times when you ask the pilots for an explanation on anything at all you get either laughed at, fobbed of with some silly answer or told "don't you worry your pretty little head about that dear, I'll take my coffe black with 2 lumps please".
Never meant nastily, but not the kind of attitude that inspires an FA to take an interest in tech matters.
And from reading these pages, I do get the impression that their isn't all that much mutual respect between CC and cockpit crew in many companies.
And respect is a pretty basic requirement for good cooperation IMHO.

At the same time, I do agree with you that those people who would benefit most from a good dose of CRM training are usually the ones that scoff at it.
But that's not only limited to CC Carn!