The human element in airline training - Royal Aeronautical Society

A student and his instructor.
candidate would also be introduced, to the understanding of
behaviour or why other human beings react as they do in certain
circumstances. What very little time is now available on the ‘core
course’ is devoted to moulding the candidate as a TRI/TRE to
satisfy JAR-FCL guidance. It follows that both ‘How to instruct’
training and any introduction to ‘Human factors’ rate, of
necessity, low in priority because the assessment of flying
performances takes precedence.
2.1.2 Check-to-chop competency tests or recurrent training?
24. Words of caution need to be spoken regarding the tendency
for JAR-FCL proficiency tests to become a recurrent pass or fail
hurdle for professional pilots to jump at regular intervals, because
of the way the Regulations are written and then understood by
some examiners.
25. Operators (and Regulatory Authorities) must remember that it
is important to use periods allocated to recurrent testing also for
refresher training. It should not be considered wrong for the
record to show that a test was successful after repeated practice
if necessary, to achieve once again the required standard. When
the required level of proficiency is reached and competence
regained in dealing with a rarely experienced flight emergency
between refresher training sessions, it should be accepted that
the spirit of the test has been satisfied and a better-prepared pilot
produced by this exposure to repeating the exercise. The checkto-chop
approach, meaning to test a pilot with every intention of
failing him so as to remove him from the scene, should be firmly
discouraged; but it must be recognised that on the rare occasion
when an inability to perform adequately is noted or where a
severe degradation in demonstrated performance has occurred
and cannot be explained, more training may not produce
enhanced competence and withdrawal from the operation might
need to be seriously considered.
26. Constructive instruction is of the essence and the tools are
there to achieve this economically. In lieu of training on an
aircraft with its safety-dictated limitations and comparatively
high running costs, it is fortunate that the present generation of
HUMAN FEELINGS
flight simulators allow errors that could otherwise be fatal to be
made in total safety on the ground, from which lessons are learnt.
In addition, the simulator’s ability for frequent resets permits the
repeat of an exercise with the least amount of wasted time, to
reinforce a message or procedural point. Simulators are also used
in real time to familiarise crews with normal, abnormal and
emergency procedures during Line Oriented Flight Training
(LOFT) sessions and practice circuit work, making them such
versatile and useful training tools. The most important word is
Training within a regular recurrent crew-testing programme, to
legally satisfy Regulations while achieving practically, the
essential best possible and operationally-safe result.
2.2 Where does one learn of human factors and related issues?
27. Like most of the author’s colleagues and contemporaries, his
little knowledge of human beings was gleaned at a person-toperson
level and by day-to-day contact with working associates in
aviation. Much was learned over the years by observing and
talking to other more experienced instructors, both good and
bad. Regretfully, learning also came by making mistakes.
28. During my early days as a flying instructor and examiner, the
correct decisions may have been reached by erring on the hard
side. Was ‘failing’ a pilot on those occasions due to not
recognising his needs or a silent cry for help? Would a wiser or
older instructor, indeed one who had been taught by more
enlightened mentors, have acted differently in the circumstances?
It is clear that a happier teacher and assessor of performance
would have resulted earlier if good tutors in human factors
awareness had been available. Where does one then learn about
Human Factors?
29. The dearth of human factors information and guidance has
prompted much work since 1985, to fill a glaring gap on the
subject. May the thoughts offered herein add to now available
guidance, for both new and mature pilot instructors to consider
as a possible (maybe even probable) reaction of one human being
towards another in aviation, if nowhere else.
2.3 Airline pilot instruction
30. There is a need for simply written material specifically aimed
at bringing into focus human emotions and the reaction of the
human ‘animal’ to situations in general. This should be made
freely available to all, but in particular instructors, who should
receive it at a very early stage in their life as teachers. Others who
have to deal with people, such as managers, staff supervisors and
pilots of course, must not be overlooked since such guidance is
just as important for them.
31. It is rare indeed to find teachers addressing this subject in
open class anywhere, when secondary education ignores it as a
subject to be taught. These days, flying training organisations do
try harder to promote human factors awareness in instructors,
beyond the content of student pilot Multi Crew Co-operation
(MCC) or Crew Resource Management (CRM) courses.
Notwithstanding, instructors, be they civilians or military, usually
need to find out and learn ‘the hard way’ about human feelings
and reactions, provided that they are sensitive enough to clearly
‘see’ what is going on in the mind of those they have to deal with.
Those with better honed levels of self-awareness soon find out
that emotions affect their students’ behaviour or decision-making
and how, then act accordingly to reduce stress and avoid
confrontational situations.
32. In the flying profession, there are some who have progressed
to civil flying straight from school or university on the way to
becoming instructors, while others come from the Armed Forces
April 2003
9