What is cockpit resource management (CRM) and how should it be applied during glider instruction?

What is cockpit resource management (CRM) and how should it be applied during glider instruction?

• A. It is primarily focused on post-flight paperwork.
• B. CRM is about effective teamwork, communication, and workload management; use clear calls, task sharing, and checklists
• C. It emphasizes hierarchical control with no crew input
• D. It eliminates the need for safety checks

Answer: (B)

Cockpit resource management is about how the people in the cockpit work together and manage the workload, information, and tasks to stay safe and effective. In glider instruction this means the instructor and student function as a team with a shared plan: the student handles the flying work while the instructor monitors, communicates clearly, and steps in when needed. Clear, standard calls for attitude, airspeed, altitude, thermals, and potential hazards help everyone know what’s happening and what’s coming next. Sharing the workload so one person doesn’t bear all the cognitive load, using briefings and checklists, and confirming actions keeps actions coordinated and reduces the chance of missed steps. A good CRM approach during flight is to agree roles before the flight, use concise and deliberate communication, and verify critical items through cross-checks and confirmations. This approach fits because it emphasizes teamwork and situational awareness rather than rigid hierarchy or eliminating safety checks. It’s not about paperwork after the flight, nor about a command-and-control style with no input from the other person, and it certainly doesn’t remove safety verifications.

Cockpit resource management is about how the people in the cockpit work together and manage the workload, information, and tasks to stay safe and effective. In glider instruction this means the instructor and student function as a team with a shared plan: the student handles the flying work while the instructor monitors, communicates clearly, and steps in when needed. Clear, standard calls for attitude, airspeed, altitude, thermals, and potential hazards help everyone know what’s happening and what’s coming next. Sharing the workload so one person doesn’t bear all the cognitive load, using briefings and checklists, and confirming actions keeps actions coordinated and reduces the chance of missed steps. A good CRM approach during flight is to agree roles before the flight, use concise and deliberate communication, and verify critical items through cross-checks and confirmations.

This approach fits because it emphasizes teamwork and situational awareness rather than rigid hierarchy or eliminating safety checks. It’s not about paperwork after the flight, nor about a command-and-control style with no input from the other person, and it certainly doesn’t remove safety verifications.