CRM for Beginner Pilots: What You Need to Know

Aviation has never been a particularly safe endeavour, but thanks to advances in aircraft design, more reliable equipment, and safety-oriented operating procedures, flying has become a lot safer over the past several decades. One of the most influential safety concepts over the past century is Crew Resource Management, commonly known by the acronym CRM. 

The fact is that, regardless of the incredible performance and capabilities of our aircraft or the detailed checklists and procedures we follow, the key to the safe and efficient operation of any flight lies with the humans flying it, especially their ability to work with each other, make decisions, and manage workload. For that reason, students and beginner pilots should not view CRM as an add-on to the technical aspects of flying, but as a fundamental component of professional aviation training.

What is Crew Resource Management?

Crew Resource Management (CRM) aims to use all available resources (human, technical, and procedural) to ensure the safe and efficient operation of flight. It was first developed by NASA in the late 1970s in response to a series of high-profile accidents that were not caused by mechanical failure, but human error such as miscommunication, poor decision-making, or failure to work together as a team.

For the student pilot, this means that while you can work toward the technical proficiency required to operate the aircraft to perfection, this alone is not enough. You also need to learn how to use all available resources, such as by communicating clearly, managing tasks effectively, and working with others in the cockpit and on the ground to ensure the highest levels of safety and professionalism.

CRM Core Principles

1. Communication

Clear, concise, and assertive communication is a key element of CRM. In multi-crew cockpits, this means ensuring you do not misunderstand or take the role of the other pilots for granted, but actively delegate and manage workload and ask for or provide input as needed. This is just as important to practice, even during dual instruction, by using standardised phraseology with your instructor.

2. Situational Awareness

A common phrase among pilots is “having your head out of the cockpit”. This refers to a pilot’s ability to perceive what is going on around them, but also to maintain an accurate mental model of their current situation and to be able to anticipate and project what will happen next. As a beginner pilot, this includes developing the habit of continually scanning your instruments, monitoring for traffic, and mentally preparing for the next phase of the flight.

3. Decision-Making

Sound decision-making is at the heart of all safe aviation practices, and one of the essential skills learned through CRM is how to avoid “tunnel vision” on one aspect of flying to the exclusion of all else. Instead, CRM procedures emphasise using checklists to consider all available options and actively seeking input from other sources when necessary. As a student pilot, you can practice this by verbalising your decisions out loud during flight operations.

4. Workload Management

CRM also places a heavy emphasis on task prioritisation and management of workload. While flying, especially multi-crew operations, involves a great number of tasks from navigating to communicating with air traffic control to monitoring systems and handling flight controls, CRM reminds pilots of the “aviate, navigate, communicate” priorities.

5. Teamwork and Leadership

Effective teamwork is one of the mainstays of CRM, and even as a student pilot, you will rely on other people to help you achieve your goals. From the teamwork you have to use with ATC to working with maintenance crews, ground school instructors, or even your flight instructor, knowing how to lead and follow as appropriate also prepares you for more multi-crew operations down the line.

Why Should CRM Matter to Beginner Pilots?

It is common for new pilots to believe that CRM is only for commercial pilots flying large aircraft. While the complexities of CRM do scale with the size and capabilities of the aircraft, many of the same principles apply in a two-seat aeroplane as in a jumbo jet. From accidentally not clarifying instructions with an instructor or copilot to becoming overloaded with tasks and therefore neglecting air traffic control instructions, all the common errors identified in CRM history can also happen to students, just on a smaller scale.

What is more, many of the advanced training and career pathways a pilot may take after their private pilot certificate place an even greater emphasis on CRM from the start. For example, commercial pilot training courses, and of course, airline or corporate flight training providers evaluate students and applicants not just on their ability to safely fly the aircraft, but to do so in a professional manner.

Applications in Student Pilot Training

Here are some examples of CRM applications for beginner pilots during early training.

During Lessons

Briefing your instructor before takeoff is a good example of CRM in action. Before you take off and taxy, talk through what you plan to do, what you expect from the instructor, and how you will respond to any contingencies. It also develops good CRM from day one of training.

Simulated Emergencies

One of the most common scenarios an instructor will introduce during your training is a simulated engine failure. Skills such as workload management (aviate first), communication (declare Mayday if appropriate), and decision-making (selecting a landing site and approach path) are directly tested in these scenarios.

Flight Reviews

Performing self-assessment of your CRM, as well as post-flight briefing and debriefing also fall under CRM training. Being able to identify errors and human factors, discuss them openly with your instructor, and create steps for improvement is a core CRM practice used in professional environments as well.

Developing CRM Skills as You Progress

As a student pilot, CRM is a simple but foundational skill set. However, as your aviation journey continues, CRM principles will become more and more complex and more directly applicable to your work. Those students who progress to obtain a flight instructor rating will quickly learn how much of teaching is based on effective communication and leadership. CRM also becomes more directly applicable as pilots progress into multi-crew cooperation training for airline operations.

It is important to remember that CRM is not a fixed concept, but one that changes and improves as new research is done on human performance, psychology, and cockpit technology. Keeping up with these updates through recurrent training and soliciting feedback is part of being an adaptable and skilled pilot.

For the beginner pilot, the concept of CRM can sometimes seem like an abstract one, much less applicable than the “hard skills” of successfully landing an aircraft or navigating cross-country. However, it is often these so-called “soft skills” that separate a good pilot from one who is truly safe and professional. Integrating CRM practices of communication, situational awareness, decision-making, workload management, and teamwork into your training early on will not only help ensure safety but also open the door to future career progression.