The FAA Gets Serious About CRM

The Helicopter Association International has looked over a recently issued, proposed, rule from the FAA that would require all certificate holders conducting operations under part 135 to include in their flight training programs crew resource management for crewmembers, including pilots and flight attendants, and is providing some counsel on the matter.

HAI notes that this proposal is needed to ensure that crewmembers in part 135 operations receive training and practice in the use of crew resource management principles, as appropriate for their operation. This proposed rule would respond to NTSB recommendations, address a recommendation from the Part 125/135 Aviation Rulemaking Committee, and would codify current FAA guidance. The intended effect of this proposal is to reduce the frequency and severity of errors that are crew based, which will reduce the frequency of accidents and incidents within the scope of part 135 operations. The proposed rule would affect operators of airplanes and helicopters and crewmembers who fly under part 135.

Crew Resource Management (CRM) training is the incorporation of team management concepts in flight operations. This training focuses on communication and interactions among pilots, flight attendants, operations personnel, maintenance personnel, air traffic controllers, flight service stations, and others. CRM also focuses on single pilot communications, decision making, and situational awareness.

CRM activities include team building, transfer of information, problem solving, decision making, maintaining situational awareness, and using automated systems. Training in these areas helps to prevent errors and crewmembers’ loss of situation awareness. This proposed rule would require certificate holders conducting operations under part 135 to implement CRM training for crewmembers conducting both dual and single-pilot operations. The FAA has determined that there are no ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices that correspond to these proposed regulations.

This proposal does not establish required program hours. In evaluating and approving part 135 CRM training programs, the FAA would consider instructional techniques, the number of students in a class, the use of performance-based scenarios, new training technology, the use of student feedback, the measurement of training outcomes, as well as the number of hours of training time. For initial CRM training, the FAA is proposing a compliance date 2 years after the effective date of the final rule. After the compliance date, a certificate holder conducting part 135 operations would be prohibited from using a crewmember unless that person has completed approved initial CRM training. The FAA may credit some CRM training received by crewmembers before the compliance date.

Comments are due on or before July 30, 2009. Comments should be identified by Docket Number FAA-2009-0023 and can be submitted by using the Federal eRulemaking Portal, mail, or fax. To submit them electronically, please go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the online instructions for sending your comments electronically. To mail them, send comments to the Docket Operations, M-30; U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Room W12-140, West Building Ground Floor, Washington, DC 20590-001. Fax comments to the Docket Operations at 202-493-2251.

FMI: http://www3.verticalgateway.com/portals/12/rotornews/May%2009/74%20FR%2020263.pdf