Ongoing professional development for pilots

[tripletach]

I work for a large company which seemed to enthusiastically take on CRM training about 10 years ago but now days just seems to be half heartedly going through the motions and re-generating the same stuff. (I got handed a folder and told to flick through it because I had already be signed off for my CRM refresher).

The company operates multi engine, multi crew helicopters, so is not an airline but not really GA either. I beleive the company needs to take the next step from CRM to an ongoing professional development program for all pilots for their whole career, much like doctors and other professionals have as a matter of course.

I'm assuming that some airlines and the military have such a thing. It just seems like the logical next step.

I was hoping that some pilots or any other professionals on the forum could help me with their experience in this area or point me in the right direction to finding out more.

Thanks

tripletach
:ok:

[alf5071h]

Tripletach, If your CRM philosophy has not been updated in the intervening years then I suggest a reading The Evolution of CRM and then consider implementing (teaching) the 5th generation CRM error management concepts.

You could also reconsider airmanship. It sounds a bit old fashioned, but good things still hold true. In particular, look at personal attitude, (e.g. discipline) this and other factors vary with social / cultural beliefs, and quickly change in the modern world. Also, look at decision-making, and the preparation of SOPs.

The Australian and particularly New Zealand CAAs have published good articles on airmanship. (Aust: Flight safety magazine, “Flight Safety Australia”, NZ: Safety information, publications, “Vector”)

For something new in situation awareness try ESSAI, the papers are a bit hefty, but there is some good info buried amongst them.

ALF

[flyhardmo]

I recently did a CRM course in south africa nd it totally changed my life. I really think that it ts the next evolution in CRM as it makes you focus on yourselves the inner being. With this emphasis you can change your ways to adapt to everyone and work as a crew to overcome difficulties or just to work efficiently. It also places a big emphasis on your limitations and how your sensory perception affects your decision making skills. Its very phycological but very interesting and motivating for anyone. Very highly recommended. It changed my life.
Contact Henly air training at Rand airport in South Africa.
The instructor is Joel Hughes

[tripletach]

Thanks for the reply's. Very helpful. I agree totally with you Alf about 'Airmanship' and have read books like 'Flight Discipline' by Tony Kern that did give me a whole new outlook and some clarity on the importance of discipline. But it also made me realise how much more could be done to enhance pilot performance on top of the usual base checks and tests and the odd CRM course.

Having said that, the CRM course that FLYHARDMO describes sounds like part of what I am after. I'll chase that up.

I guess I'm still not sure what I'm after exactly, but it's something like rather than saying to pilots "you must maintain this standard", I'd like to see systems in place that say "we want you to improve as pilots, we have stratergies in place to help you do that, and we can give you the tools to help yourself do it too." Basically ongoing professional development.

This definately doesn't exist in our company, so I'm hoping I will find examples of other company's stratergies that I can introduce them to.

Cheers

Tripletach

[paco]

I do s single pilot heli course that actually covers a lot of the psychological stuff, rather than the usual "this is how your ears work" (it's in the handout for the curious). I find it goes down really well, stuff like anger, bullying customers & management, commercial pressure, etc. Another thing that goes down well is operational stuff.

I haven't yet introduced meditation, but it might be on the cards if I get into two days!

Phil

[Firestorm]

The CRM training at our company is a complete turn up and satisfy the regulators that someone held a class entitled CRM exersize. Maybe I've missed a point in them, but I don't feel that I have learnt much about CRM at this company, and I think that the company has alot of CRM problems.

[Firestorm]

Thanks Uncle Dickie. I'll have a look for that.

[alf5071h]

Firestorm you could also look at / use the Briefing Note under the Human Performance section in the Airbus Safety Library : http://www.airbus.com/about/safetylibrary.asp titled “CRM Aspects in Incidents / Accidents”