[LondonSurgeon]

Hi Ian
I didn’t mean that on each briefing we go through the chain of command explicitly. We introduce ourselves by name and job post. The surgeon and anaesthetist then brief the team on the major issues of the cases. I am sure a pre-flight briefing occurs too as that’s where we took our briefings from. A lot of what we do in surgery is learnt from aviation safety.

[FDOS_UK]

Ian

Good post – I agree with your comments re your team in the office, but it is worth remembering that an aircraft is a unique workplace, in that

– It is constantly moving at 500mph through an air mass that is unpredictable and potentially hazardous

– When things go wrong, they can go wrong very quickly and require the right reaction, first time

– The operating crew may have never met each other before the briefing

If we look at the body of knowledge of human behaviour in the aviation sector, we will find evidence that briefing key points before a flight does increase the likelihood of recall and acting the right way – e.g. ‘your seatbelt fastens and unfastens like this’ (believe it or not, under stress, some people cannot unlock the belt as the mechanism is different to most modern car belts and regression to prior learning, under stress, causes them to fail.

Pilots brief before takeoff and landing, to align the left and right seats. Even in my little aircraft, if someone was sitting in the passenger seat (it was a 2 seater), they would get a briefing on how the belts and doors worked – if it was another pilot, it would be about what to do in the event of engine failure (‘I will fly the aircraft, attempt to re-start the engine and if unsuccessful, make a forced landing, you will make a call to the station we are talking to, report engine failure, position/passing altitude and intentions to make a forced landing’.

I had also understood LondonSurgeon’s post to mean covering ‘chain of command’ as introductions, followed by briefings.

NB:, in many airlines, the cabin crew will also be asked a small number of safety questions and if they answer incorrectly, will be removed from the flight and replaced from the standby pool – this fits with the extraordinary nature of th ejob and would also not be tolerated in an office environment.

Hope this clarifies a bit…

[PeterCoultas]

Nice to read sense from Handbag !

Maybe she could have fun with members of this forum if next time the announcement was “I’d like to add a welcome from the rest of YOUR crew”.

Psychologists brought up on “experiments” exploring “deference to authority” might be particularly concerned about establishing just which passenger was most authoritative especially if there were stag parties aboard

[NTarrant]

PeterCoultas – if the CSD/purser, whatever, says YOUR crew does that mean then that the chain of command is passengers, then crew? !!!!!

[canucklad]

We also need to take into account the importance of ownership and delegation of command decisions.

If a captain has an overbearing manner about him, and when executing any pre-flight instructions his demeanour suggests that he or indeed she is in complete charge then when shove comes to push, any reticence by cabin crew to make an immediate decision could put lives at risk

Ashas been demonstrated on numerous occasions, probably best displayed in the Asiana incident.

[handbag]

We arrive at work. We sign in. When we do this we tick to say that we are fit to fly and that we have read all the latest safety notice. We then go to our briefing room at the allotted time. Outside the room there is a computer where the flight crew do their pre flight paper work. When in the briefing, we discuss everyones working position, noted passengers, route specifics and safety related issues etc.

The Flight Crew , then come in and introduce themselves and give us any pertinent information on the flight from their perspective. As we have already sorted out our working positions, the person who is taking over the responsibility for the Cabin whilst the CSD is on break will specifically make themselves known to the Captain. They then say “I will be in charge when the CSD is on break “or “I will be taking over when the CSD is on break”.

Never has the Captain said. YOU WILL NOT BE IN CHARGE I AM. It is very clearly understood, that what is meant is that the CSD or CSL is in charge of the smooth running of the Cabin and that they will be reporting this and safety issues to the Captain.

It would be a foolish Captain to start a flight with DYKWIA. Captains and Cabin Crew have so much training now on CRM and making each feel that there should be no barriers for discussion and talking. We all know who he is, we all know he is in charge, but equally, he relies on us to be his eyes and ears in the cabin.

The best Captains, are the ones that start their introduction, with ” there may be a door, but please do not look at this as a barrier and feel welcome to come and see us when you are free and keep us informed on anything of concern, no matter how small.

On a flight , we work as a team (I refer to this as my team on the day), with the Captain at the top of the Chain.

[SimonS1]

Interesting handbag. Not that there really seemed to be much of an issue.

Maybe for the avoidance of doubt a structure chart could be shown as part of the safety demonstration. Some people are obsessed with detail and perhaps this would avoid any concerns 😉

[EU_Flyer]

handbag – 13/06/2016 09:37 BST

Thanks for the interesting insight. Nice reminder that the primary role of cabin crew is safety and that this monitored on a flight by flight basis. It’s also nice to see there are Captains with an open door policy (well not literally – unless flying Aegean) with crew. Communication and training in any profession are key and I still take my hat off to crews that have had to evacuate a full wide-body in 90 seconds or similar often with no notice and under enormous personal stress.

BTW- I always enjoy the input of crew on this forum.

I repeat my earlier point, regardless of whether we agree with the OP’s post (which he’s arguably entitled to make and we’re entitled to respectfully engage with or ignore) – this chain of posts has given me – at least – a nice insight into how a flight operates.

Given the events of the weekend and the fact that a lunatic may be leader of the free world in 7 months time, then let’s make peace not war 😉

[FDOS_UK]

Handbag

“I refer to this as my team on the day.”

It clearly is your team, you are the team leader.

For me, the semantics of ‘team’ are clear, it is a group of two or more people working together to do something.

Substitute ‘crew’ for ‘team’ and then the semantics change, it refers to the whole complement operating the aircraft.

I don’t recall hearing anyone, before this time, make a PA talking about ‘my crew’ – they have always been careful to say ‘the cabin crew’, ‘my team’ or some other form of words that differentiate between the tech crew and the cabin crew. This includes the commander.

I’ve always interpreted this as careful and respectful recognition of the different roles on board (including the SCCM’s delegated authority to manage the space aft of the flight deck door.

[FDOS_UK]

SimonS1 – 13/06/2016 09:55 BST

Why would the passengers need to see an org chart?

Or is this another of your facetious attempts to wind people up?

[LondonSurgeon]

Would you be upset as a passenger if they announced your crew? I would smile and think of it as a nice gesture of customer service.

[FDOS_UK]

LondonSurgeon – 13/06/2016 10:49 BST

Of course not, it is normal practice.

But showing an organisation chart as part of the briefing?

Seriously?

[openfly]

In his first PA the Captain invariable introduces his “excellent” crew. How does he know….he’s probably never flown with them before, never met them or even flown with them as a passenger to judge.
I will be the judge of whether they are “an excellent crew” at the end of the flight. I don’t need to be told!

[FDOS_UK]

openfly – 13/06/2016 11:00 BST

A good point.

[EU_Flyer]

openfly – 13/06/2016 11:00 BST

Curious, as a crew member in charge of the cabin, have you ever had a Captain override a decision you’ve made about an cabin crew member?

How did it play out?

[Author]

Posts