Communication and Cooperation — Page 267, Lesson 436

I want to walk you through a topic that might seem simple at first but is absolutely critical to safe flight: communication and cooperation in the cockpit. Let's start with why verbal communication has become so important. Since aircrew typically sit side-by-side and face forward, body language is severely curtailed. You can't see each other's full posture or gestures the way you could if you were face-to-face. So in the cockpit, improved verbal communication techniques must make up for that deficiency. That means we have to be deliberate about how we speak. Let me give you the specific techniques. Greater care must be taken over the choice of words — you don't just say the first thing that comes to mind. Sentences should be shortened. Phrases should be simple and unambiguous. Information should be "parcelled" into one subject at a time — don't mix multiple topics into one statement. Words should be clearly annunciated — no mumbling. Speech should be slightly slower than normal. And crucially, a response must be expected and given to confirm that the information has been received correctly. That last point is the closed loop — you say something, the other person acknowledges it, and you know it landed. Now let me show you some classic examples of cockpit miscommunication. These are real pitfalls. If someone says "Back - on the power" with a pause after "back," the listener might interpret it as "Back on - the power" — meaning restore power, not reduce it. "Take-Off Power" could be heard as "Take off power" — a command to remove power instead of setting takeoff power. "Feather Four" — if you say that, does it mean feather engine number four, or feather all four engines? "Feather One" — which one? There's ambiguity. And a classic one: "Cheer up" can sound like "Gear up" — a completely different and potentially dangerous instruction if misunderstood. That brings us to professional languages. Professionals in any field use technical languages that are much less subject to ambiguity and are more economical when communicating amongst themselves. Without a professional language, there would be chaos — medicine uses Latin names for body parts worldwide for exactly this reason. Let's look at vocabulary. An analysis of messages transmitted by air traffic controllers shows that the total vocabulary used is less than 500 words. That's a very small set. The meanings of words used can be unusual in general language or not even part of normal vocabulary. The context in which the words are used makes them unambiguous. For example, the word 'pressure' could have very different meanings to a psychiatrist, a family doctor, a meteorologist, or an engineer. But the context leaves little room for doubt. If a surgeon asks the anaesthetist for the pressure, he will be given the systolic and diastolic blood pressure in mm Hg, not the atmospheric pressure in hectopascals. Context defines meaning. Grammar in professional languages is simplified and reduced to a small core of rules which will not necessarily comply with the language's normal grammar. You strip it down to what's needed for clarity. Now, metacommunications — this term covers all the varieties of expression, body language, facial gestures, tone and pitch of voice, etc., which enable effective communication. It has been shown that over 80% of all communication is achieved by factors other than the actual words spoken. That's huge. In the cockpit, where body language is limited, you lose a lot of that 80% — which is exactly why your verbal technique has to be so precise. Non-verbal communications — it would be possible for two people to communicate without using a single word. Simple signs could convey that one individual is hungry and would like to share the other's food, or by simulating shivering, show that he or she requires shelter or warmth. But again, in the cockpit, you don't have that luxury. Finally, briefings. Briefings can be a powerful means of transferring information. If properly given, they can be extremely effective. If badly given, they may be of little use and may even hamper the transfer of information. To be effective, a good briefing should be — and this is the key word — SHORT. That's the entire criterion given here: short. Keep it concise, keep it focused, and you'll transfer the information effectively.