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 Frequently asked QuestionsWhat is so special about this CRM symposium? Just what kind of symposium is this? Why is the symposium called “CRM Vectors”? What will the symposium produce? What happens after the symposium? When is the next CRM Vectors Symposium? Who should attend the symposium? Who do I contact if I have a question?
Although CRM is a commonly used acronym for several concepts within and outside of the aerospace world, the pilot community universally interprets the acronym to mean “Crew Resource Management.” CRM developed out of efforts in the 1970s by the airlines, NASA and special interest groups. The genesis of CRM was spurred, in part, by several notorious airline accidents that highlighted a worrisome imbalance between pilot technical skills and the soft skills necessary to create crew synergy. CRM entails the processes employed by pilots to efficiently use available resources while minimizing human error. Resources may include ATC, reference documents, company personnel, and crewmembers. Some fundamental concepts of CRM include effective communication of plans and intentions, problem solving methodologies, group dynamics, situational awareness, workload management, assertive inquiry, delegation of flight deck tasks, and threat and error management. Over the past 30 years, CRM has evolved through six generations of thought
and initiatives. After Threat and Error Management, what is the seventh generation
of CRM? That is what we hope you will help us determine during the symposium! Space Flight Resource Management (SFRM) was developed by the Space Flight Training Division Instructors at NASA’s Johnson Space Center as a method for managing human error. SFRM focuses on training which maximizes the performance of individuals and teams through self-evaluation and primarily involves NASA flight crews and Mission Control Center flight controllers. Embry-Riddle believes it is important to include both CRM and SFRM specialists in this symposium, due to the high degree of commonality between the applications of both subject matters and due to the copious opportunities for one field to learn from the initiatives being pursued in the other. What is so special about this CRM symposium? Embry-Riddle (ERAU) has detected what appears to be a troubling stagnation in the evolution of CRM. We believe this stagnation stems from a lack of consensus as to which direction CRM should take to continue addressing human error. ERAU has decided to take a leadership role by organizing a symposium where the top minds of the aviation and space world can interact in a lively interdisciplinary environment in order to chart a coherent plan for the future of CRM and SFRM. We expect approximately 50 participants and are encouraging the attendance of representatives from all segments of the aerospace industry. Symposium participants will work together to construct a viable vision for the future of CRM and to create methodologies for implementing the vision. This is an excellent opportunity for you to make a tangible difference in the world of flight safety. ERAU has a pioneer spirit about the event and believes that the decisions made during the symposium will have far reaching effects for flight safety deep into the 21st century.
Unlike traditional symposia where participants listen to a series of speakers, this event is a highly interactive endeavor. You will actively participate in a collaborative decision-making exercise with global implications. We will seek out your opinion through a series of small-group workshops facilitated by specially trained Embry-Riddle faculty and staff. The symposium is structured around three goals which will be addressed sequentially in a building-block process during the event: GOAL 1: Determine the current state of CRM/SFRM. This will entail investigating the current initiatives being used to foster CRM/SFRM. By sharing these initiatives we hope to cross-pollinate ideas throughout the different segments of the industry that are represented at the event. We are inviting global representatives from corporate aviation, VLJ operators, manufacturers, human space flight operators (commercial and government), military aviation, the airlines, UAVs, academia, regulatory agencies and general aviation. GOAL 2: Create consensus amongst participants as to the future of CRM/SFRM. This goal will be achieved by first dividing participants into interdisciplinary groups for facilitated workshops and then by uniting into discipline-specific groups for charting initiatives. GOAL 3: Identify the required processes for evolving CRM/SFRM in the agreed upon direction. This goal will be defined in general terms and also will be broken down into discipline-specific directions: considerations for system designs, flight training, ATC procedures, academic research, etc.
Why is the symposium called “CRM Vectors”? Since a vector is characterized by both direction and magnitude, it seems an apt metaphor for CRM development. The symposium intends to determine not only which direction CRM should take, but also to construct action plans with timelines that control the pace with which initiatives are pursued. We recognize that the future of CRM may be somewhat different for each corner of the aerospace industry, which is why we use the plural term, “Vectors.” The future of CRM for a single pilot of a VLJ may be different from CRM initiatives for A380 crewmembers. Or, perhaps the two futures are not so different after all. You tell us what the CRM vectors should be for your type of flying operation. What products will the symposium produce? Unlike other types of symposia, you will actually leave this event with an action plan in hand and a vision for the future of CRM. You will have a product to show for your attendance and for your personal effort. In essence, we see each participant as a research cartographer who is charting the future of CRM together with other representatives from their segment of the aerospace industry. The symposium hopes to engender a series of very specific plans for the next generation of CRM. As envisioned, each plan will be specific to the part of the aerospace industry that produces it. For instance, corporate aviation may have a specific action plan that differs from the military aviation plan. We expect each plan to depict goals, plus the necessary steps and deadlines for achieving the goals. Each step will also identify the action officer responsible for overseeing its accomplishment. What happens after the symposium? After the symposium, Embry-Riddle proposes to continue in a leadership role by becoming the custodians of the CRM development process. We propose to monitor and coordinate the efforts of participants after the symposium in order for each action plan to reach fruition. The next symposium will provide the opportunity to check up on progress being made and to make adjustments deemed necessary by the participants. The ERAU custodial process for the vectors will be completely visible to the general public through the CRM Vectors Web site. Each separate vector will be specifically explained and the concomitant timeline and action officers will be depicted. When is the next CRM Vectors Symposium? The date and location of the next symposium has not been set and will be based on feedback received from you during the first symposium. We assume the next CRM Vectors Symposium will take place during the 2008 calendar year. We are actively recruiting CRM experts from around the world for this event. However, we must recall how the genesis of the CRM movement greatly benefited from the input of line pilots. Therefore, although CRM scholars may form the inner core of participants at the CRM Vectors Symposium, the event cannot be successful without the presence of front-line operators and supporting personnel who work in aviation team environments on a daily basis. We therefore encourage anyone who is interested in CRM and SFRM to participate in the symposium with the full expectation of working hard to solve the issues at hand. The following professional groups are optimally suited to attend the symposium: ***This is a global symposium and we welcome participants from all countries. Who do I contact if I have a question? The symposium is organized and facilitated by the ERAU CRM Vectors Committee, under the purview of Dr. Cass Howell, the Chair of the Department of Aeronautical Science at the Daytona Beach Campus of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Please direct questions about the symposium to Professor Tim Plunkett. Issues about this Web site can be addressed by Mr. Andrew Coffman. More information below: Symposium contacts: Ted Beneigh Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
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