Professionalism

Have you ever yelled at a controller on frequency? Or, have you been yelled at by ATC? Do you think it was warranted? How did you handle it after that?

Elim Hawkins

Friday, May 31, 2024 at 10:33 PM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Professionalism is crucial in aviation to navigate natural disagreements between pilots and air traffic controllers, which often arise from differing responsibilities and perspectives.
Conflicts can escalate due to a lack of official knowledge or unprofessional conduct, as exemplified by an ATC controller relying on a "Google search" instead of FAA regulations for a "short approach" definition.
Effective communication, clear articulation of capabilities ("Unable"), and prioritizing safety over ego battles are essential for resolving on-frequency disputes.
Minor disagreements should be handled calmly or addressed off-frequency, while serious breaches of professionalism may warrant supervisor intervention to ensure safe and efficient operations.

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Aviation, perhaps more than most other human endeavors, draws Type-A personalities. Add that most of those folks actively involved in commission of aviation acts have ultimate responsibility over their particular domain, and, well, sometimes we see things differently, to put it gently. One big aspect of professionalism is how we handle those different views.

It’s Natural

We humans naturally have disagreements with those around us, especially in aviation. Should I run rich-of-peak or lean-of-peak? Where do I turn my base? How does that match the recommended procedure? Tower said they Googled a short approach. Are they right? (More on this later.) At what point do you stop on frequency?