Aviation Communication Enunciation

JeffKanarish

JeffKanarish

Aircraft radio calls are about what you say, and how you say it.

That title is mouthful, isn’t it? That’s my point. Aviation communication takes the same conscious effort as flying an aircraft. When speaking on the aircraft radio, you must be heard and understood. There are many ways to be misunderstood on the aircraft radio. Here’s a partial list:

  1. Talking too fast. This is a very common problem among pilots and air traffic controllers.
  2. Starting your radio message before the microphone key is fully depressed.
  3. Mumbling, i.e. not moving your jaw when speaking.
  4. And my favorite, (not,) trying to sound like a WWII fighter pilot speaking into a throat mic, a.k.a. trying to speak without expelling breath.

I’ll have more on each of these problems in upcoming articles. For now, get in the habit of speaking up, speaking clearly, and speaking at a moderate rate. Your pilot’s license, and possibly your life, may depend on your effort to be heard and understood.

Share:

Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on pinterest
Pinterest
Share on linkedin
LinkedIn

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

On Key

Related Posts

New Day, New Jet

"New day, new jet." That is an Air Force Instructor Pilot's standard statement that means the current training scenario is over, and a new one has begun. It is a line of demarcation that reminds student pilots it is time to move on to the next challenging scenario. It's a new day here at ATCcommunication.com,

Flying into Class B for the First Time

If you are anticipating flying into Class B airspace for the first time, not to worry. The procedures ATC uses inside of Class B are nearly identical to those used in other classes of airspace. The subtle variations in procedure will most likely be unnoticeable to you. What may jump out at you is the

Pilot’s Discretion Descents

As you approach your destination, ATC will clear you to begin a descent from your enroute altitude to some lower altitude. Often descent clearances will come in a series of lower altitudes. This series of step-down clearances is issued to allow you to descend without conflicting with other traffic at lower altitudes. Occasionally, and in

I Hate Holding

No one likes to have their forward progress stopped. You know what I mean. When you are stuck in a traffic jam on the road, it’s very aggravating. Waiting at a long red stoplight when you need to be somewhere can raise your blood pressure. Similarly, when ATC says, “Expect holding at [a navigation fix],”

Coping with Busy Airspace

The time between ATC’s radio transmissions differs depending on the amount of traffic in a controller’s airspace. The more traffic in a section of airspace, the less time between ATC transmissions. Take comfort in the fact that no matter how busy the radio seems, the words and phrases ATC uses remain exactly the same words

Scroll to Top