Cockpit Resource Management. A New Approach to Aircrew Coordination Training

In fiscal year 1992, the Air Force plans to shift to a program of specialized undergraduate pilot training. Under this program student pilots, in the latter part of their flying training, will learn to fly the class of aircraft they will pilot on active duty. Because of this shift, the Air Training Command (ATC) will have to make significant changes in the curriculum of its flying training programs. ATC will become responsible for training student pilots to fly multiseat aircraft and to function as members of an aircrew. Author examines the effects of this change on ATC's undergraduate pilot training program. He discusses at length the advantages of training pilots as members of aircrews and how such training helps reduce the number of aircraft accidents. He identifies the critical elements of aircrew coordination training and provides insightful recommendations on how ATC should incorporate these elements in the new specialized undergraduate pilot training curriculum. Keywords: Pilots, Students, Air Force training, Safety, Cockpits, Aircraft.