126 intimidated into silence. While crew members don’t necessarily have to like each other, they must be able to adapt to one another’s characteristics and personalities. The result is a team that works together in a complementary manner. A fine example of team performance was displayed by the crew of United Airlines Flight 232 on July 19, 1989. The DC-10 was at cruise altitude when it experienced a catastrophic failure of the number two (tail-mounted) engine. The explosion that accompanied the engine failure knocked out the aircraft’s hydraulic systems, leaving the flight controls inoperative. The flight crew determined that the only way to control the aircraft was to adjust the thrust of wing-mounted engines one and three. A flight attendant informed the captain that a company DC-10 training check airman was in the passenger compartment. The captain invited him to assist the flight crew. After inspecting the wings and finding no damage, the check airman was instructed by the captain to manipulate the thrust levers in order to maintain level flight. This allowed the captain and first officer to concentrate on regaining use of the flight controls. The flight crew never regained use of the flight controls and was forced to make an emergency landing at Sioux Gateway Airport, Sioux City, Iowa. Using only thrust-lever movement to control the aircraft’s attitude, the DC-10 was difficult to control. It landed wing-low, cartwheeling into an inverted position. While a number of people were killed, many others survived. It is clear that the teamwork of cockpit crew, cabin crew, and the off duty check airman prevented what could have been a much larger catastrophe. The captain clearly delegated tasks and maintained situational awareness throughout the entire approach. He also listened to the inputs of his first officer, flight engineer, and flight attendants in order to develop a plan of action and get the aircraft safely on the ground. This represents crew resource management at its best.
Crew Resource Management Training Crew resource management (CRM) techniques are normally taught in classroom and group workshop settings. Many airlines also include CRM training in
THE TURBINE PILOT’S FLIGHT MANUAL
their initial and recurrent simulator exercises. This line orientated flight training (LOFT) is designed to instill a team attitude on the flight deck. Crew members learn to mesh their joint technical skills and knowledge, thereby improving overall proficiency and efficiency. Professional pilots are expected to possess high levels of basic stick and rudder flying skills. They also must demonstrate thorough knowledge of aircraft systems and procedures. While CRM cannot replace these skills, it encourages more effective individual and group responses to specific situations. Crew resource management improves the odds that, when a problem occurs, the proper course of action is taken and mistakes that might compromise safety are avoided.
Checklists and Callouts Checklist Procedures The primary function of checklists is to ensure that the flight crew safely and properly configures the aircraft before and during each flight. Three interrelated methods of conducting checklists are commonly used in turbine aircraft: flow checks, challenge-response, and do lists.
Flow Checks Flow check is a checklist method where each pilot memorizes a sequential pattern for doing specific cockpit tasks. Each pilot starts at a specific panel location and works through every switch and indicator to confirm settings for various phases of flight. Typically, the captain will call for “after start flows,” for example, and both pilots perform their sequences (Figure 8.2). Some flow checks are then backed up with one of the following checklist methods to ensure the completion of critical items.
Challenge-Response In civilian aviation, challenge-response checklists are often used to follow up flow checks (see Figure 8.3). After the pilots have configured their aircraft for a particular phase of flight, the flying pilot calls for the checklist to verify that all items have been completed. The nonf lying pilot “challenges” the FP by reading the items off the checklist to ensure completion; the FP then verifies that each item was
