Lack Of Assertiveness

Any pilot whos flown in the system much knows air traffic controllers can be intimidating. The very use of the term controller implies a level of authority over pilots, which often translates into the mindset that pilots always must comply with a controllers instructions, or else. Thats true to an extent, but the pilot is always the final authority as to the operation of the aircraft. It says so, right there in FAR 91.3

Joseph E. (Jeb) Burnside

Thursday, May 24, 2018 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Pilots are the ultimate authority for aircraft operation and must assertively decline or question ATC instructions that create unsafe workload or situations, despite potential intimidation.
Air traffic controllers can inadvertently imperil flights by issuing overly complex, numerous, or contradictory instructions, particularly during critical phases, contributing to pilot workload and confusion.
A fatal Cirrus SR20 accident at Hobby Airport exemplified this risk, where the pilot's lack of assertiveness in the face of excessive, complex ATC maneuvering instructions contributed to an improper go-around and subsequent aerodynamic stall.

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Any pilot who’s flown “in the system” much knows air traffic controllers can be intimidating. The very use of the term “controller” implies a level of authority over pilots, which often translates into the mindset that pilots always must comply with a controller’s instructions, or else. That’s true to an extent, but the pilot is always the final authority as to the operation of the aircraft. It says so, right there in FAR 91.3

A lot of the intimidation stems from being told to do something we don’t want to do: change altitude, fly a heading, accept a new routing. Doing so often is inconvenient or requires effort we don’t want to make. (It can be an unnecessary burden to reach up and twist the heading bug 30 degrees.) And the party-line environment of ATC communications means that not only is there a tape running, but other pilots on the frequency will hear you if you get yelled at. That can be embarrassing.