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CRM
Effectiveness
Measuring
CRM effectiveness in accident reduction is difficult. Because of
attention to safety and increased equipment reliability, commercial
air carrier accidents are, fortunately, very infrequent occurrences.
However, from a statistical standpoint, it is not possible to perform
meaningful "before CRM" and "after CRM comparisons
with respect to accident data." Also, different air carriers
use different aircraft, have their own CRM programs tailored for
their specific operations, and have some differences in procedures.
This makes it difficult to draw conclusions using "before"
and "after" comparisons across all airlines.
CRM
effectiveness has been evaluated by both the U.S. Air Force Military
Airlift Command (MAC) and U.S. Naval Safety Center. The USAF data
alone represented the results of thousands of aircrew, operating
nearly 1,000 aircraft, accumulating 700,000 or more flight hours
per year. In 1985, the USAF Airlift Command initiated CRM in the
MAC. Five years of data from 1981 to 1985 was compared with data
from 1986 - 1990. A 51% decrease in accidents was attributed to
CRM training. The Beginning in 1987, the Navy provided CRM training
(termed Aircrew Coordination Training) to all Navy and Marine Corps
helicopter training units. This was followed in 1988 by CRM expansion
to the A-6/EA-6 Intruder training units. Helicopter accidents were
reduced by 28% and the A-6 Intruder rates by 81%.
CRM
Accident Rate Reduction |
Organization |
Aircraft |
Reduction |
U.S.
Navy |
Helicopters |
28% |
U.S.
Navy |
A-6
Intruders |
81% |
U.S.
Air Force |
MAC
Transports |
51% |
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