Crew Resource Management, Communications, and Checklist Efficiency (Week 7)

 The purpose of CRM is to create a flight crew that can work efficiently and safely. Development of a checklist, assigning roles, practicing often, and creating standards and expectations helps with this process. My flight crew (crew 3) is comprised of Jose Ramirez, Connor Martin, and myself. We developed a checklist to help streamline the Bramor procedures. Below are the requirements that the flight crew must follow in order to be successful and safe.

Roles and Duties: these often change and are interchangeable. However, having defined roles when it comes to operations is necessary. 

- Main roles are PIC, VO, Sensor operator, and all should be operating with the emphasis of safety. 

- For the Bramor, a three person crew of tablet and mission programming (PIC), VO, and sensor observer. 

- The overall efficiency of a pre-flight, flight, and landing operation relies on checklists and protocols. Having solid communication and pre-assigned roles helps standardized and streamline processes especially with the preflight process which should have a crew member that does tablet setup (PIC), a main assembler of the rail launching system, and a checklist reader. 

- During the operation the VO should be in constant communication with the PIC and sensor operator in order for them to remain spatially aware. 

- During the landing operation, the UAS is collected with the intent of practicing standardized directions following a thorough, tried and true checklist.  

Below is the final list of rules and duties for the flight crew to complete before, during, and after a flight.

Roles and Duties: 

I. Office Roles 

A. Parachute Folder 

1. Parachutes needed for flight labs each week will be folded by one member that rotates on a weekly basis to provide a fair workload to the crew. Substitutions may be made if a member cannot get to COMP to fold them during their assigned week, but they must notify the other flight crew members 

B. Weather, Approval, and Equipment 

1. This role is vital for the pre-mission assessment for the flight crew. Having someone (preferably the PIC) verify the weather is acceptable for flight is a large factor in operations before the pre-flight even begins. Furthermore, getting certain approval if necessary, is important because flight is prohibited otherwise. Lastly, making sure that all required equipment and verification paperwork should be collected. 

II. Pre-Flight Roles 

A. Checklist Reader 

1. This flight crew member will be in charge of reading off the checklists during the preflight assembly and preparation. They will read off each checklist item and make sure it is completed successfully via verbal confirmation from the assembler before progressing to the next item. It is crucial to focus predominantly on the checklist to ensure no items are skipped or overlooked. 

B. Aircraft/Catapult Assembler 

1. This crew member will be in charge of assembling the catapult and the aircraft. They will coordinate with the checklist reader to ensure that each step is completed successfully in the proper order. They may request an extra hand to help assemble large or awkward parts from the other crew members, permitting they can assist. 

C. Tablet Assembler 

1. This crew member will be in charge of setting up the tablet for the flight of the day. They will coordinate with the checklist reader to ensure each step is completed successfully in the proper order. They will ensure the waypoints are accurate and keep an eye on the values on the tablet. 

III. Flight Roles 

A. Pilot 

1. This crew member operates the Bramor using the tablet, monitoring altitude and flight path of the UAV. Communicates with Visual Observer to determine aircraft location and whether it is behaving as expected. 

B. Sensor Operator 

1. This crew member operates any other sensors and payload not operated by the Pilot. Communicates with PiC to capture correct data. 

C. Visual Observer 

1. This crew member observes the aircraft and communicates with the PiC to determine if the aircraft is behaving correctly and is maintaining flight path and altitude. Also makes sure the aircraft is in the correct area of flight and is not deviating its true course. 

IV. Post flight Roles 

A. Parachute Recoverer 

1. This crew member removes the deployed parachute from the aircraft and wraps it without tangling the lines before returning it to the storage container. 

B. Airframe Recoverer 1. This crew member picks up and transports the Bramor back to the catapult. Then mount the Bramor on the catapult and detach the wings, remove the batteries, and return everything to its proper location in the storage container. 

C. Catapult Breakdown 

1. This crew member disengages the locks and folds up the catapult after disarming it. Then they return the catapult to its storage container with the assistance of one other crew member.

*It must be noted that these rules and duties were made before our flight crew ever took part in flying the Bramor. If it seems confusing or has qualities of an inexperienced flight crew it can be noted that it was most definitely made by one at the time. As for the checklist, our flight crew opted to follow the one already provided for two reasons. At the time we were too inexperienced to create our own and still, the Bramor checklist, though it may contain some flaws currently, is still useful and does not have any holes.

Communication:

Our flight crew has a chat set up for the three of us on Microsoft Teams. This gives us a place to meet indirectly through instant messaging and a place to meet directly via an audio or video call. This is useful to communicate who is taking what roles for each week as well as coordinate who will be in attendance so we can make the proper steps to substitute roles. Communication is the most important factor in CRM. Focus on a sterile cockpit and standard form of communication. Large operations are done by communication through a two-way radio system, but an alternative backup of hand signals are helpful as well. 

Assessment:

I thought this activity was a good entry into the necessary communication needed within the flight crew and also within the workforce. I do think that the activity could've been moved back a week or two as creation of a checklist and defined roles was hard for some groups who did not have enough experience.