Physical, Mathematical, Computer and Life Sciences Physical Sciences

Cockpit Resource Management Fundamentals Training

SAQA US 243333 | NQF 5 | Credits 10 | Duration 7 Days
From $1,523 per delegate

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

Day 1: Introduction to CRM and Human Factors

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

Day 2: Communication and Teamwork

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

Day 3: Situational Awareness and Decision Making

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

Day 4: Leadership, Followership, and Workload Management

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

Day 5: Automation Management and Human-Machine Interface

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

Day 6: Threat and Error Management (TEM) and Non-Technical Skills

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

Day 7: CRM Integration, Assessment, and Continuous Improvement

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

21 hours of practicals To be conducted online or on-campus or in-house
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

Certificate of Completion

Awarded to delegates who achieve an overall mark of 50% or higher on the Final Total (Practicals 30% + Daily Average 20% + Final Test 50%).

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 35% off
100 40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.

Upcoming Training Sessions
Online training — attend live sessions from anywhere via our virtual classroom.
No online sessions scheduled yet.
Let us know you're interested and we'll arrange a session that suits you.
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On-Campus training — face-to-face sessions at our training venues across Africa and beyond.
No on-campus sessions scheduled yet.
Let us know you're interested and we'll arrange a session that suits you.
Contact Us
In-House training — we bring the trainer to your organisation, tailored to your team.
No in-house sessions scheduled yet.
Let us know you're interested and we'll arrange a session that suits you.
Contact Us
Training Discounts
Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% off per 5 delegates, up to 40% for 100+

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