For my technical writing class I need to conduct an interview with a pilot working for an airline with at least 5 years experience. There is only 7 questions all dealing with the use of verbal and written communication in the aviation field. Can someone please help me?

1. How much time is spent writing each day? Week? How much time spent in general on communications?
2. What kinds of communications do you do most often? With whom? For what purpose?
3. Why are communications skills essential for all employees in this field? What distinguishes this field’s communications’ needs from the needs in other fields?
4. What type of comm. skills do you look for in employees? Why?
5. What happens when communications breaks down ?An example if you can.
6. What areas would you like to see improved in employees’ communications abilities?
7. How important are things like spelling and grammar in your written
documents? Do poor writing skills create a bad impression, do you think?


If it is possible please e-mail me @ [email protected]

7. I'm not an airline pilot yet, but my answer would be YES! Just like talking on the radio, you can be the best stick and rudder there is, but the only thing your fellow pilots know is how you sound (or in our case, how you write). Impressions can only be changed with time and in our day and age, you may never have the time to fix things like that. First impressions count.

I agree with you 100%. I just need someone to actually answer all those questions so I can fill out the interview form. I know a lot of pilots that are training with me, but none of them have an actual commercial job. For my class they must have at least 5 years experience on the job. Again thank you for your answer.

I am not an airline pilot either, but may I suggest that you persuade the moderators to change the title of your thread so that it's more obvious to the casual reader? There are many pilots here with way more than 5 years of experience and I am sure they'd be willing to answer your questions.

Like the King, I'll say that grammar, spelling, punctuation, and syntax are very important in any field, not just aviation. The advent of text messaging hasn't helped either with people asking u how u r as if they realy wants to no. I almost barfed typing that!

You might want to post this thread on the "regional" and/or "major" forums. You will find lots of airline pilots there.

Good idea!

LOL, sorry