Communication just like in the cockpit

Technical terminology in radio communications 

“Alitalia 546, behind the next landing: Air Berlin Airbus 321 crossing Runway 25 behind.” 

Does that sound like gibberish to you? It is, because it’s a typical example of the type of communication used in aviation—structured, precise, and therefore efficient. It’s essential for ensuring aviation safety. 

The Importance of Radio Discipline 

This is particularly important, for example, when issuing taxiing instructions at busy major airports. The risk of an aircraft taxiing onto a runway that is actively in use due to a communication error must be avoided. 

In aviation, therefore, the so-called 2-way communication ruleapplies: Instructions are always “read back” word for word to confirm to the sender that the message has been received correctly. 

Key words in bold 

Key terms are repeated and highlighted: 

“Alitalia 546, behind the next landing: Air Berlin Airbus 321 crossing Runway 25 behind.” 

When the Alitalia crew acknowledges the air traffic controller’s instruction, the controller expects them to repeat the keyword “BEHIND” twice as well: 

“Alitalia 546, BEHIND the next landing: Air Berlin Airbus 321; we’ll cross Runway 25 BEHIND.” 

When there is no response 

If the key word “BEHIND” is not included in the readback, the air traffic controller will ask again. This is because without a verbatim readback, the instruction is considered not to have been transmitted:
👉 A call not acknowledged is a call not made! 

Lessons for Businesses 

This is the philosophy behind our seminar “Communication: Structured, Precise, Efficient”. 

We give our participants an insight into how pilots communicate via air-to-air radio to avoid misunderstandings and exchange information efficiently. We’ll show you how to handle communication challenges using real-world feedback and ensure that you’ve understood everything correctly. 

In our seminar, you’ll see how clear messages and standardized procedures—just like in aviation radio—can make or break your business.