COMMUNICATION

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept
 OBJECTIVES
n UNDERSTAND THE
COMMUNICATION PROCESS

n IDENTIFY COMMUNICATION
BARRIERS

n IMPROVE COMMUNICATION SKILLS.

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept

 WHAT IS COMMUNICATION?

COMMUNICATION
The ability to clearly and accurately
send and acknowledge timely
information, instructions or
commands and provide useful
feedback

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept

 COMMUNICATION
üExchange of information, thoughts
and feelings

üReadily and clearly understood

üCommon system of sounds, symbols,

signals

üRequire recipient to receive, understand

and act accordingly.
Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept
 Why is communication
important?
n Conduct effective missions

n Avoid mishaps

n Pass information from one person to

another

n Maintain group situational awareness.

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept
 In 1980, another Spanish air traffic controller at Tenerife
gave a holding pattern clearance to a Dan Air flight by
saying "turn to the left" when he should have said "turns to
the left" - resulting in the aircraft making a single left turn
rather than making circles using left turns. The jet hit a
mountain killing 146 people.

In 1990, Colombian Avianca pilots in a holding pattern over

Kennedy Airport told controllers that their 707 was low on
fuel. The crew should have stated they had a "fuel
emergency," which would have given them immediate
clearance to land. Instead, the crew declared a "minimum
fuel" condition and the plane ran out of fuel, crashing and
killing 72 people.

In 1993, Chinese pilots flying a U.S.-made MD-80 were

attempting to land in northwest China. The pilots were
baffled by an audio alarm from the plane's ground proximity
warning system. A cockpit recorder picked up the pilot's
last words: "What does 'pull up' mean?"

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept

 COMMUNICATION PROCESS

BARRIERS

NEED OPERATIONAL
GOAL

FEEDBACK

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept

 Process of Communication
Interpersonal communication
n The process of sending and receiving
information or communication with
another person.
n This process happens in an
environment, using different kinds of
communication media.
n This communication could be verbal
(Vocal) or nonverbal.

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept

 Process of Communication
n Sender’s responsibilities
- communicating information
clearly, accurately, concisely and
in a timely manner
- requesting verification or feedback
- verbalizing plans
n Receiver’s responsibilities
- acknowledge communication
- repeat information
- paraphrase information
- clarify and provide feedback.
Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept
 Process Elements
STIMULU
S REALI
PERCEPTION
TY PERCEPTION

DECODING
TRANSMISSION
INTERPRETATIO THROUGH A
CHANNEL
N
INTERPRETATIO
N

ENCODING ENCODING
FEEDBAC
K
NOISE/BARRIER (AND MISCOMMUNICATION) CAN OCCUR ANYWHERE IN THE
CYCLE
Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept
Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept
 NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION
n Communication without the use of
spoken language.

n Nonverbal communication includes

gestures, facial expressions and body
positions (known collectively as “body
language”)

n Unspoken understandings and

presuppositions and cultural and
environmental conditions that may
Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept
 Nonverbal communication
(NVC)
n Understood as the process of sending and
receiving wordless messages.

n Such messages can be communicated through

gesture; body language or posture;
facial expression and eye contact;

n Object communication such as clothing, hairstyles

or even architecture; symbols and infographics;
prosodic (rhythm)

n Features of speech such as intonation and stress

and other paralinguistic features of speech such

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept

 Nonverbal communication
(NVC)
n APPEARANCE.

n BODY LANGUAGE.

n SOUNDS.

#
Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept
Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept
 EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept

 THINK
o Solicit and give feedback
o Listen Carefully

o Focus on behavior not people

o Maintain focus on the goal

o Verify operation outcome is

achieved.

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept

 ADVOCACY
To increase others’ S/A

o State Position
o Suggest Solutions

o Be Persistent and Focus

o Listen Carefully.

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept

 INQUIRY
To increase your own S/A

o Decide What, Whom, How to ask

o Ask Clear, Concise Questions

o Draw Conclusions from Valid

Information
o Keep an Open Mind.

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept

ASSERTIVENESS in COMMUNICATION

n Providing relevant information without

being asked
n Making suggestions
n Asking questions as necessary
n Confronting ambiguities
n Maintain position when challenged
n Stating opinions on decisions
n Refusing an unreasonable request.

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept

Promote and control assertive
behavior
The rulesWHEN
: TO SPEAK UP
Unsure of events (e.g., lost situational
awareness)
Clearly believe you have the answer to a
problem or situation
Believe that you or the crew is in danger
HOW TO SPEAK UP
Clearly
Precisely conveyed
Well timed.

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept

ASSERTIVE STATEMENT ELEMENTS
---Get attention
---State concern
---State situation
---Offer suggestions
---Get agreement

STANDARD ASSERTIVE
STATEMENT
---Adopted standard phrases used
as Warning or “heads up” call
(“go around”, “abort”, “breakaway”).
Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept
 TAKE A BREAK

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept

 COMMUNICATION BARRIERS
EXTERNAL- External influences that affect communication medium

E.g., Noise, Policies, Procedures, Physical location of resources,

Light, Temperature, Crew Workload, Time pressures

INTERNAL - Introduced by participants, message becomes seriously

degraded

qBias
qAttitude qUnwillingness to communicate
qBackground qIntimidation
qEducation qEgo
qChoice of words qMindset
qRelationships qBody language
qPerception qVoice tone
qAssumptions qFatigue
qPrejudice qComplacency
qFear q Unorganized thoughts
qPreoccupation
Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept
 CRITICAL INTERNAL BARRIERS

SOURCE CREDIBILITY

§ Sender’s credibility level (trust, confidence, faith) affects

receiver’s views and reaction to the words, ideas and
action of the sender
§ Communicator’s credibility level affects receiver’s
perception

FILTERING

§ Common in upwards communication / Asian culture

§ Manipulation of information so that it is perceived as
positive by the receiver
§ Temptation to filter greater at entry level of organization.

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept

 SEMANTIC PROBLEMS

oSame word different meaning to others

oSender speak same language but receiver does

not transmit correct understanding

oUse of in-group language can result in severe

semantic problems and communication breakdown
when outsiders are involved.

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept

MISINTERPRETATION

§ Message sent based on sender’s situation

§ Decoded based on receiver’s situation
§ Feedback to sender seem to be positive
§ Both parties believe they are on common ground
§ Actual fact: divergent interpretation of message

Classic examples:

“Back, on the power” “Back On, the power”

“Take-off power” “Take Off power”
“Back off one” “Which one?”
“Cheer up!” “Gear up”
“What is the weight” “Two aircraft ahead of us sir”
“Cleared descend two-four-zero-zero” “Roger, descending
to 400” FT 2/89

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept
 The radio conversations between pilots and air traffic
controllers can create quite a bit of laughing, confusion
and misunderstanding.

Say again....

Questions via the radio should not always be answered exactly.

n Tower: Aircraft in holding pattern, say fuel state?

n Aircraft: Fuel state

n Tower: Say again?

n Aircraft: Again....

n After this the tower controller switches off his radio and climbs
down the stairs to drink coffee the rest of the afternoon. 
Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept
RANK BARRIERS

Ø Vertical workplace (e.g. cockpit) hierarchy develops barriers

Ø Flight & ground personnel authority gradient
Ø Rank may obstruct effective communication
Ø Realization of potential danger often passed on vaguely or
hesitantly
Ø Many accident reports indicate crew members or ground
personnel (ATC, support, etc) noticed problems but failed to
effectively alert pilot

RANK POWER
GRADIENT

TOO FLAT JUST RIGHT TOO STEEP

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept

 COMMUNICATION BARRIERS

Ø POOR LISTERNING SKILL

Ø FILTERING

Ø TIME PRESSURE

Ø COMMUNICATION OVERLOAD

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept

 Overcoming Barriers

n Use active listening techniques

n Require feedback

n Use appropriate mode of

communication and decibel level

n Use standard terminology.

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept

 Synopsis

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept
Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept
Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept
#

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept

Status:
Date: 19 FEB 1989
Time: 06:36
Type: Boeing 747-249F
Operator: Flying Tiger Line
Registration: N807FT
C/n / msn: 21828/408
First flight: 1979-11-01
Total airframe hrs: 34000
Cycles: 9000
Engines: 4 Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7Q
Crew: Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4
Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Total: Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4
Airplane damage: Written off
Location: 12 km (7.5 mls) from Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) show on map
Phase: Approach
Nature: Cargo
Departure airport: Singapore
Destination airport: Kuala Lumpur Subang International Airport (KUL/WMKK), Malaysia
Flightnumber: 66
Narrative:
The Boeing, named "Thomas Haywood", was less than half loaded with textiles, computer software and mail when it
departed Singapore. Approaching Kuala Lumpur, the crew were cleared to route direct to the Kayell (KL) beacon
for a runway 33 approach. While on the NDB approach, the crew were cleared to "...descend two four zero
zero..." which was interpreted by the crew as "...to 400...". The aircraft descended below minimum altitude and
crashed into a hillside at 600 feet/180m msl just before reaching the Kayell NDB, where minimum descent
height was 2400 feet. The Boeing hit treetops and started to break up until bursting into flames.

PROBABLE CAUSE: Non-standard phraseology was used by Kuala Lumpur ATC, causing the crew to misinterpret the
instructions.

Events:

Flightcrew - Language/communication problems (also ATC)

Result - CFIT - Hill, mountain
Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept
 Focus Questions

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept

 EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

o TWO CHALLENGE RULE

o STERILE COCKPIT

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept

 EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

REMEMBER
o Question enhance communication flow

o Don’t give in to the temptation to ask

question when Advocacy is required.

o Use of Advocacy or Inquiry should raise

a “RED FLAG”

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept

 Thank you!
Congratulations, here is what you’ve just accomplished;

CRM Skill -
Communication
To know more about new exciting subject ,
refer to the training programme given out to you.

Haz08 MHS Kerteh Trg Dept