The captain must establish an effective crew atmosphere that encourages teamwork, requiring excellent communication and resource management skills
The first officer, as the second-in-command, assists the captain and has full control and authority over the operation of the aircraft as well as over all other crew without limitation
The senior cabin crew member is responsible for leading the cabin crew, ensuring safety and excellent customer service, and making sure that company policy is followed during the flight
Cabin crew members must be prepared to take on any duties required, as responsibilities may vary on different flights
Cabin crew responsibilities can be divided into three main stages: pre-flight activities, in-flight tasks, and post-flight responsibilities
Examples of conditions or situations cabin crew must report include a strong odor of smoke, malfunctioning electrical components, passenger disturbances, and seriously ill passengers
The chain of command on board an aircraft:
Captain is in charge, followed by the first officer and then the senior cabin crew member
Cabin crew members are responsible for the safety and comfort of passengers
The captain has responsibility for everything that happens on an aircraft before, during, or at the end of a flight
The senior cabin crew member reports directly to the captain and is responsible for assigning working positions to other cabin crew, pre-flightbriefing, and management of all cabin crew duties
A cabin crew member's knowledge of the responsibilities of every working position in the cabin enables them to respond quickly in an emergency
The roles and responsibilities of the flight crew and cabin crew are crucial for the safety and comfort of passengers
Cabin crew responsibilities can be divided into three main stages: pre-flight activities, in-flight tasks, and post-flight responsibilities
In an emergency situation, cabin crew must be confident enough to speak directly to the captain to save time
Cabin crew must bring any condition or situation that may affect safety on board to the attention of other crew members, particularly the captain
Each cabin crew member is responsible for being prepared to take on any duties required, as responsibilities may vary on different flights
The captain is legally responsible for everything on board the aircraft while operating a flight
The safety of the flight and the effectiveness of the crew in emergencies depend on the ability of each crew member to anticipate the actions of other team members
Communication and collaboration on board the aircraft are key factors in preventing and managing incidents
Crew Resource Management (CRM) is crucial for crew performance and involves effective communication, teamwork, and handling of information and resources
CRM training should address unexpected, unusual, and stressful situations, cultural differences, and threat and error management
CRM principles focus on the effective use of all available resources to achieve safe and efficient flight operations
CRM promotes safe operations and overall crew performance through the optimum use of available resources including people, procedures, and equipment
CRM helps avoid human error by seeking assistance or input from others whenever a problem arises
CRM helps stop errors and their consequences before they occur by effectively handling challenges and resolving problems quickly, efficiently, and safely
CRM improves morale among crew members, leading to better efficiency and performance
Leadership styles in aviation can be authoritarian, democratic, or laissez-faire, and can vary depending on the situation
Communication in aviation involves clear and accurate sending and receiving of information, instructions, and feedback, including active listening and understanding non-verbal cues
Situational awareness in aviation involves identifying important elements of the environment to avoid mistakes and communicate effectively
Assertiveness and participation are crucial in aviation for sharing ideas and knowledge, performing with teamgoals in mind, and ensuring that one's input is heard and understood
Decision-making in aviation requires using sound judgment and all available information to make the best decision for the situation
Elements of training that airlines should include in their conversion training programs:
Resilience development includes mentalflexibility and performanceadaptation
Mental flexibility involves recognizing criticalchanges, reflecting on judgment, avoiding fixed prejudices, and remaining open to changing assumptions
Performance adaptation involves mitigatingfrozenbehaviors, overreactions, and inappropriatehesitation, and adjusting actions to current conditions
CRM training for cabin crew should address unexpected, unusual, and stressful situations, cultural differences, and threat and error management
Threat and Error Management (TEM) in aviation aims to identify, avoid, capture, and manage operational threats and human errors
Different chime signals used between the cockpit and cabin crew communicate messages for normal, abnormal, and emergency situations
Communication among cabin crew is crucial for safety and effective operation during flights
Decision-making in aviation involves using sound judgment, verifying available information, anticipating consequences, and informing others of decisions and reasons behind them
Stress management in aviation includes recognizing and coping with stress, both in oneself and others, to ensure overall fitness to fly
Surprise and startle effect training prepares cabin crew for unexpected, unusual, and stressful situations, including interruptions and distractions
Cultural differences training for cabin crew involves recognizing communication specifics, understanding different approaches to situations, and solving problems in a multicultural environment
Threat and Error Management (TEM) aims to maximize flightsafety by minimizing incidents and accidents caused by human factors