Simon Ashley Bennett

My research focus is risk management in commercial and military aviation. I use participant observation and action research (ethnography) to investigate teamwork, communication and task performance on the flight deck and airport ramp (I have a PhD in the Sociology of Scientific Knowledge (SSK)).

I am an expert in the team-building methodology Crew Resource Management (CRM). CRM has helped improve commercial and military aviation safety. I have worked on aircraft flight decks for over twelve years. I am familiar with the architectures of the Boeing 737/757 and Airbus A300/319/320/321. I have also investigated teamwork on aircraft ramps. I have consulted to easyJet plc on the matter of efficiency drivers. I have worked as a Safety Auditor for Go Fly, easyJet and DHL Air. In the military field I have supervised a PhD titled: ‘Minimising friendly fire incidents in NATO offensive air operations’. In the civilian field I am supervising a PhD that compares and contrasts teamworking in the NHS with that in the airline industry.