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The key [to effective technical communication]is STANDARDIZATION of
terminology, not good grammer. I used to be a air traffic controller (tower
and radar approach control). Grammer wise, many controller-to-pilot
communications (both oral and written) are poor. [Yet] Clear and concise air
traffic controller-to-pilot (technical) communication does consistently
occur. Believe me, if it did not, you would soon here about it on the news!
The key is standardization. Controller-to-pilot communications are very
highly standardized.
Sandra Charker responds:
Usability guru Bruce Tognazzini has another take on the conventions of
flying.
Bruce believes that standard pilot-to-controller comunications are some some
sort of "secret mens-only club lingo" that is hard to understand and,
therefore, restricts many (especially women) from becoming pilots.
Bruce is wrong. It's not that hard. I received my FAA air traffic control
certification when I was nineteen years old (in the U.S. Air Force). The
year before, I graduated high school with a 2.0 GPA.
I was a pretty good controller. I worked many-a-day with very heavy air
traffic (for example, departing planes having to wait 30 minutes or more on
the taxiway for take-off clearance).
Sandra Charker said:
Tony's post is an extreme example of the difficulty of changing established
usage, however inappropriate or unnecessary it's become.
Tony Markatos responds:
Again, pilot-to-controller communications are NOT that criptic; there is no
"male-only" conspiracy going on. These communications are very effective.
When was the last time you hard about a mid-air collision within the U.S.
These oral and written communications clearly demonstrate that the key to
effective technical communications is standardization -- not proper grammer.
Tony Markatos
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