Written by SOURCE: Halldale Group
This piece from Halldale.com explains new research from TNO, Delft, and Cranfield Universities looking at the impact of startle and surprise in cabin crew.
A survey of 348 cabin crew across several European airlines reveals a significant gap in safety training. While some pilots receive structured startle and surprise (S&S) management protocols following high-profile accidents like Air France 447, cabin crew face similar acute stress events without equivalent preparation.
The research was carried out by Daan Vlaskamp, an experienced airline pilot and instructor/examiner, and Alex Pollitt ,an experienced helicopter pilot and CRM trainer.
It examined both prevalence and impact of Startle &Surprise among cabin crew, finding that perceived control during events strongly predicted both immediate performance and long-term wellbeing outcomes. Crew who felt able to influence situations reported markedly better performance and fewer lasting effects than those feeling powerless.
An example of applied human factors research with potential impact on real operational safety and CRM in practice, this research forms part of a two part project that could see the introduction of a startle management method for cabin crew similar to that in use by pilots in leading airlines.