Physical, Mathematical, Computer and Life Sciences › Physical Sciences
Cockpit Resource Management Fundamentals Training
Description
This course equips aviation professionals with the principles and practices of Cockpit Resource Management (CRM) to enhance flight safety, decision-making, and teamwork. Participants will develop skills to manage resources effectively, communicate clearly, and mitigate human error in the cockpit environment.
Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate understanding of CRM principles and their application in aviation operations.
- Apply effective communication and decision-making strategies in simulated cockpit scenarios.
- Analyze human factors and their impact on crew performance and safety.
- Evaluate teamwork and leadership dynamics to optimize resource management.
- Implement error management techniques to reduce risk in flight operations.
Target Audience
Pilots, flight engineers, cabin crew, and aviation management personnel seeking to improve crew coordination and operational safety.
Prerequisites
None — open enrollment.
Course Outline
Objectives:
• Define Cockpit Resource Management and its historical context
• Understand the role of human factors in aviation safety
• Identify key CRM components and their interrelationships
• Recognise the importance of communication and teamwork in the cockpit
Topics:
• What is CRM? Evolution and importance
• Human factors in aviation: SHELL model
• The 'Dirty Dozen' – common human error categories
• CRM core elements: communication, leadership, decision-making, situational awareness
• Overview of aviation accidents linked to CRM failures
• Introduction to crew roles and responsibilities
Objectives:
• Apply effective communication techniques in a multi-crew environment
• Understand barriers to communication and how to overcome them
• Demonstrate assertiveness and advocacy skills
• Practise standard phraseology and non-verbal communication
Topics:
• Elements of effective communication: sender, receiver, feedback
• Barriers: noise, stress, hierarchy, cultural differences
• Assertiveness vs. aggression: the 'CUS' and 'PACE' models
• Standard operating communication: checklist discipline, read-back/hear-back
• Briefing techniques: pre-flight, in-flight, debrief
• Conflict resolution in the cockpit
Objectives:
• Describe the concept of situational awareness and its components
• Identify factors that degrade situational awareness
• Apply the DECIDE and FOR-DEC models to decision-making
• Practise recognising and recovering from loss of situational awareness
Topics:
• Three levels of situational awareness: perception, comprehension, projection
• Factors affecting SA: workload, stress, fatigue, automation
• Decision-making models: DECIDE, FOR-DEC, NDM
• Risk assessment and management in flight
• Case studies: accidents involving poor SA
• Techniques to enhance SA: scanning, cross-checking, questioning
Objectives:
• Distinguish between leadership and authority in the cockpit
• Demonstrate effective followership skills
• Apply workload management strategies including task prioritisation
• Understand the impact of fatigue and stress on performance
Topics:
• Leadership styles: authoritative, participative, laissez-faire
• Followership: supporting the leader, speaking up, monitoring
• Workload management: prioritisation, delegation, use of automation
• Fatigue: causes, effects, countermeasures (FRMS)
• Stress: acute vs. chronic, coping strategies
• Team resource management: distributing tasks effectively
Objectives:
• Understand the principles of automation and its impact on crew performance
• Identify automation-related errors and complacency
• Apply strategies for effective automation monitoring and intervention
• Evaluate human-machine interface design in modern cockpits
Topics:
• Levels of automation: from manual to fully automatic
• Automation complacency and over-reliance
• Mode awareness and automation surprises
• Monitoring strategies: cross-check, challenge and verify
• Human-machine interface: displays, controls, alerts
• Case studies: accidents involving automation mismanagement
Objectives:
• Define threats, errors, and undesired aircraft states in the TEM framework
• Apply TEM strategies to manage threats and errors
• Integrate non-technical skills into standard operating procedures
• Analyse real-world scenarios using TEM
Topics:
• TEM model: threats (external, internal), errors, undesired states
• Error types: intentional vs. unintentional, slips, lapses, mistakes
• Countermeasures: planning, vigilance, teamwork, briefings
• Non-technical skills (NOTECHS): cooperation, leadership, SA, decision-making
• TEM in practice: line operations safety audit (LOSA)
• Scenario-based exercises
Objectives:
• Synthesise all CRM principles into a cohesive operational approach
• Conduct a CRM self-assessment and peer feedback session
• Develop a personal CRM improvement plan
• Understand CRM training recurrent requirements and organisational culture
Topics:
• Integrating CRM into daily operations: briefing, debriefing, checklists
• CRM assessment tools: behavioural markers, LOFT debriefing
• Feedback and error management culture
• Organisational factors: just culture, reporting systems
• Recurrent CRM training and continuous improvement
• Final scenario: full-mission CRM exercise (simulated)
Practicals
Overview
Practicals provide hands-on experience in applying CRM concepts through simulated flight scenarios, role-playing, and debriefing exercises. Learners practise communication, decision-making, teamwork, and threat management in a controlled environment, receiving feedback to improve non-technical skills.
Practical Activities
- Practical 1: Communication and Briefing Drills — Learners role-play as flight crew conducting pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight briefings using standard phraseology and assertiveness techniques. (4h)
- Practical 2: Situational Awareness and Decision-Making Scenarios — In a simulated cockpit environment, learners handle evolving scenarios (e.g., weather deviation, system failure) requiring SA maintenance and decision-making using DECIDE/FOR-DEC. (5h)
- Practical 3: Crew Coordination and Workload Management Simulation — Multi-crew simulator sessions where learners manage high-workload phases (e.g., approach, emergency) by prioritising tasks, delegating, and monitoring automation. (5h)
- Practical 4: Threat and Error Management (TEM) Full-Mission Exercise — A full-mission simulated flight with multiple threats and errors (e.g., ATC changes, technical fault, weather) requiring integrated CRM and TEM strategies. Followed by structured debrief. (7h)
Summatives
Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course via daily exercises, scored practical assignments, and a final summative test at the end.
Practical Assignments — 30%
Practical assignments are observed and scored against a rubric during the practical sessions. Each delegate's practical mark is averaged into a single 100% score and contributes 30% to the final total.
Daily Exercises — 20%
Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 20% to the final total.
Final Test — 50%
On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 50% to the overall mark.
Final Total
| Component | Out of | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Practical Assignments (rubric-scored) | 100% | 30% |
| Daily Average (multiple choice) | 100% | 20% |
| Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice) | 100% | 50% |
| Final Total | — | 100% |
All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.
Certificate
How it works
- Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
- Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
- You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
- If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.
Where to find it
Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.
Training Discounts
Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.
| Delegates | Discount |
|---|---|
| 5 | 3% off |
| 10 | 6% off |
| 15 | 9% off |
| 20 | 12% off |
| 25 | 15% off |
| 30 | 18% off |
| 50 | 30% off |
| 75 | 40% off |
| 100 | 40% off |
3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.
Let us know you're interested and we'll arrange a session that suits you.
Let us know you're interested and we'll arrange a session that suits you.
Let us know you're interested and we'll arrange a session that suits you.
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