Air traffic controllers have screens on which they can see the planes in their sector. It is their job to see that planes are kept safely apart and guided appropriately during take-off and landing. When aeroplanes are near enough, the air traffic controllers can speak to them directly, but they cannot be expected to speak all the languages of international pilots. For this reason, to make communications as safe and clear as possible, all instructions and discussions take place in English all over the world.
Air traffic controllers use an aircraft’s registration mark when calling it by radio. As one letter can sound rather like another, words are used instead, each one standing for the letter that begins it.
Until controller-pilot data link communication (CPDLC) comes into widespread use, air traffic control (ATC) will depend upon voice communications that are affected by various factors. Aircraft operators and air traffic management (ATM) providers, like pilots and controllers, are close partners in terms of “productivity” for enhancing the airport and airspace flow capacity; operators and ATM should also be close partners in terms of “safety” or risk management.
Communication between controllers and pilots can be improved by the mutual understanding of each other’s operating environment. This briefing note provides an overview of various factors that may affect pilot-controller communication. It may be used to develop a company awareness program for enhancing pilot-controller communications.
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