In May 2011, a European regional airline captain, in what he thought was jovial banter, called his first officer (FO) a derogatory name during preflight preparations. Later, he ignored the FO’s advice to avoid dark storm clouds. The FO, still seething from the preflight put-down and now furious about the heavy turbulence they were encountering, called the captain a “control freak,” and a heated argument ensued. They flew the return trip in virtual silence, and both pilots subsequently were fired for their unprofessional and unsafe conduct.1
While the situation falls at the extreme of pilot anger and miscommunication, it highlights the complexities of cockpit communication. Pilots often fly with crewmembers they barely know — or have never met — and with whom they may well have innate personality conflicts. If they are former military, they may have firm notions about rank and hierarchy that are not shared by their flying partne…
