Crew Coordination and Communication
What the domain covers
This domain covers communication within the crew and with external agencies: standard phraseology, readback, closed-loop communication, and the barriers to effective communication such as noise, fatigue, authority gradients and cultural differences.
Concepts to master
- Closed-loop communication: sender transmits, receiver reads back, sender confirms.
- Standard phraseology: reduces ambiguity; deviation increases risk.
- Authority gradient: steep gradients suppress challenge; flat gradients can cause confusion.
- Barriers: noise, fatigue, language, culture, distraction, expectation bias.
- Assertiveness and advocacy: inquiry, advocacy, escalation.
Question traps
Questions often test whether readback alone is sufficient; it is not - closed-loop requires confirmation by the sender. Another trap is assuming that standard phraseology is optional in non-standard situations; it remains the baseline. Also distinguish 'hearing' from 'listening'; communication failure is often a listening failure.
Worked example / rule of thumb
ATC clears a flight level; the pilot reads it back incorrectly and ATC does not correct it. This is a closed-loop failure because the sender did not confirm. Rule of thumb: if the readback was wrong and nobody caught it, the loop was never closed.