Effective communication is the backbone of aviation safety. This session will emphasize the importance of clear, crisp, and concise communications, not just on the flight deck, but also throughout the entire aviation operation. From dispatch to maintenance, ground crews to leadership, every interaction influences safety, efficiency, and operational success.
We’ll also briefly explore leadership styles and how fostering a leader-leader environment, rather than a traditional leader-follower model, empowers teams to take ownership, enhances decision-making, and strengthens safety culture.
In this presentation, we will also take a look at the curious absence of appropriate communications among crewmembers. Despite decades of CRM evolution, deficiencies in CRM, interpersonal relations, and leadership skills continue to contribute to accidents and interpersonal conflicts. We repeatedly observe two phenomena related to communication: first, that crews do not communicate assertively about flight safety issues; and second, that they are reluctant to ask for or provide feedback on CRM skills. Both behaviors stem from a desire to preserve harmony within the crew. Anonymous peer feedback offers a promising alternative. By leveraging peer observations, organizations could better identify CRM deficiencies, tailor training programs, and evaluate CRM training efficacy. On an individual level, peer feedback provides actionable insights, enabling flight crews to refine their CRM and non-technical skills.
Speakers:
- Patrick Browne, Founder and President, Flightdeck Safety Initiatives
- Capt. Nicolaus Dmoch, Founder, Pilot2Pilot Communications