The industrial psychology department at Aberdeen University in Scotland and CHC Helicopter have been awarded $71,389 (£54,000) to fund doctoral research projects in crew resource management (CRM) and human factors training. The money, to be used beginning in September, will fund researcher Amy Irwin and her team’s study to develop the latest helicopter operations training methods and scientific evaluation techniques, working with CHC’s flight training department in Aberdeen.
The award was made by the Scottish Graduate School of Social Science and the Economic and Social Research Council. “I am delighted that my team can collaborate with Dr. Irwin on this cutting-edge research, which will raise standards within CRM, ensuring practical application of a science which has already improved aviation safety,” said Mark Abbey, CHC's regional director for Europe, Middle East, and Asia.
CRM training and behaviors are an important element of helicopter flight safety, and the research project will allow key aspects of training, and factors influencing training and CRM effectiveness, to be evaluated, Irwin said. CHC anticipates that, through this research, many principles of applied psychology will be integrated with the practical knowledge CHC has gained through decades of North Sea helicopter operations. “The results should enable future training programs to become even more effective,” she added.