Does facilitated group work and independent study in undergraduate pilot education improve learning and foster team skills?

It has been suggested that 70% of accidents and incidents, worldwide are attributable to flight crew actions (Helmreich & Foushee, 1993). Investigations have shown that these flight crew actions, (loosely termed pilot error), are more likely the result of a breakdown in group processes such as team communication or co-ordination (Cooper, White, & Lauber, 1980; Murphy, 1980). Increasingly the aviation industry is recognising the importance of group processes to safe flight crew performance. In order to foster appropriate team skills in individual flight crew members many airlines have introduced crew resource management (CRM) courses. However, Hackman (1993) is concerned that CRM courses still tend to concentrate on the individual crew member rather than the crew as a whole. He suggests that if team skills are to be learned by the crew as a whole and positive outcomes achieved, a team-centred approach should be used. Team skills are only learned effectively in team situations.