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:

Aviation naturally leads to disagreements between pilots and air traffic controllers due to differing roles and strong personalities, making professionalism essential for managing these conflicts.
Unprofessional interactions often stem from misunderstandings, lack of accurate procedural knowledge (as exemplified by the "Tower Googled it" incident), or ego rather than solely safety concerns.
Maintaining professionalism on frequency requires clear communication, knowing when to state "Unable" to instructions, and prioritizing safety over ego battles, with minor disagreements best resolved off-frequency.

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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?