Communication issues.

[vivs]

Sorry if I am in the wrong forum .... I'm researching communication issues between pilots and ground staff for a magazine article. Specifically where the English speaker can't be understood because of using jargon, speaking too fast, being impatient or rude etc. I'd like to hear of any issues or stories that people can share with me? No names, no pack drill!

Thanks!

[Centaurus]

Comms between ground staff and flight crew. It is usually SOP for pilots on the 737 series to obtain a verbal clearance from the duty ground engineer before turning on the electrical hydraulic pumps (powering up the hydraulic system). This is to ensure other personnel are clear of the flaps and leading edge devices in case they are inadvertently actuated by the pilots before engine start.

In Virgin Australia airline, ground engineers who for some reason may not have intercom directly to the flight crew have a unique signalling system to tell the pilot it is OK to pressurise the hydraulics. They first rap on the side of the fuselage to get the pilot's attention. When the pilot opens a cockpit window to see what is going on, the engineer will look up at the pilot and press two fingers on his own (the engineer's) eyes and give a thumbs up.

That translates as "clear to (wait for it) Press Your Eyes....Pressurise." Neat but not gaudy like an elephants arse tied up with a bicycle chain, as the old saying goes :ok:

[glendalegoon]

in 39 years of flying I have NEVER heard that one.

pointing, but not touching, one's eyes means: I can see and, thumbs up means OK to activate.

[Judd]

What a splendid innovative idea. Trust the Aussies to think of that one. Maybe ICAO should add that to their list of hand signals between pilot and ground staff :ok:

[LMX]

To answer the original question, I see it happening frequently, between pilots and ground crew, pilots and ATC, pilots and cabin crew as well as among pilots themselves.

It almost seems like you have to have English as a second language - or at least not be monolingual in English - to understand the implications of using too much jargon, speaking too fast etc. Often it leads to the native English speaker thinking that the non-native speaker is being rude when in fact he/she probably didn't understand what was being said in the first place.

[Piltdown Man]

These things rarely become an issue when things are going according to plan. We have a standard way of doing most things and common sense is used to sort most things out. Only when the unusual occurs do we have to rely people's initiative. An example would be one of the loaders finds a hole in hole in the fuselage or fuel leak, etc. During the arrival and departing phases we have hand signals to communicate and these cover most eventualities. If they are insufficient, we stop, have a look and sort out the problem. Just so long as nobody clever starts to write a protocol or a procedure to help, we'll be fine.

PM