Occupational Lexis - Pilot

Occupational Lexis - Pilot

Source - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaF42uFa0cw

Transcript Example

ATIS - Opa Locka tower information romeo. Time one three

five three zulu weather. Wind calm (.) visibility one half (.) fog. Vertical visibility two hundred (.) temperature one seven (.) dew point one seven (.) altimeter two niner niner five. Advise on initial contact (.) you have information romeo.

Pilot - Good morning Opa Locka ground (.) november eight five one tango bravo over at Landmark with quebec (.) looking to pick up our IFR

ATC - November eight five one tango bravo Opa Locka ground (.) cleared to papa delta kilo airport via the Miami five departure (.) headily transition as filed. Maintain two thousand (.) expect flight level three zero zero (.) one zero minutes after departure (1) departure frequency one one niner point four five (.) squak one three (.) six seven

Pilot - Cleared up to Peachtree DeKalb err (.) Miami five headily transition as filed maintain two thousand three zero zero ten minutes after that nineteen forty five on the departure frequency and one three six seven in the box for eight five one tango bravo

ATC - Eight five one tango bravo (.) read back is correct

Pilot - Ground november eight five one tango bravo we’re gonna be approaching spot three with romeo right taxi

ATC - One tango bravo runway niner left taxi via november six november

Pilot - November six november to nine left (.) eight five one tango bravo

ATC - One tango bravo remain on this frequency for coordination and you said you had romeo

Pilot - We have romeo and we’ll remain with you (.) eight five one tango bravo

ATC - One tango bravo (.) the tops are reported at two hundred

Pilot - Roger (.) thank you

From this transcript it is clear to see that there are many different examples of jargon used in a pilot’s discourse.

The main interaction that occurs is obviously between the pilot and the air traffic controller. However, before the aircraft can begin taxiing, the pilot must first listen to the ATIS (Automatic Terminal Information System). This is an automated report of all of the important information that the pilot might need before takeoff regarding the particular airport.

There are no written forms of communication involved in this occupation; only spoken discourse. Due to the fact that it is more common for there to be miscommunication through spoken discourse, and that it would obviously be dangerous if there were any miscommunication between the pilot and air traffic controller; both utilise the ‘NATO phonetic alphabet’ (see image to the right). This adds more syllables to the letters in order to reduce the likelihood of miscommunication.

It is customary for all air traffic controllers to address each pilot by their particular ‘call sign’ (a unique series of numbers and/or letters specifically linked to their aircraft). The pilot is also required to end their reply with the call sign, so as to confirm they have received the transmission.

There are examples of jargon throughout the transcript; examples include ‘coordination’, ‘the tops’, ‘altimeter’ etc. There is also a number of examples where there is clearly a shared knowledge between the pilot and the air traffic controller. For example, ATC says “cleared to papa delta kilo airport”. The pilot is supposed to interpret these from the NATO phonetic alphabet to mean ‘PDK’ airport. He is also supposed to know that this is the airport code for ‘Peachtree-DeKalb Airport’. More commonly known airport codes include ‘LAX - Los Angeles International’ and ‘LHR - London Heathrow’. He also goes on to say “via the Miami five departure”. Again he is expected to know that he is referring to a pre planned departure route.