Barriers to in-flight communication effectiveness: a qualitative inquiry with pilots in Türkiye

Effective communication is crucial for pilots, ensuring flight safety, teamwork, and informed decision-making. Piloting presents significant challenges due to high stress, rapid decision-making, and extensive training. Clear communication in flight operations reduces errors, enhances crew performance, and improves responses to critical situations. This study explores factors that hinder effective cockpit communication through semi-structured interviews with 14 pilots. Findings reveal key barriers: personal factors (stress, fatigue, emotional regulation), environmental challenges (cockpit noise, adverse weather), language barriers among non-native English speakers, and hierarchical differences limiting open communication. Additionally, perceptual differences in attitudes, values, and non-verbal cues further complicate interactions, affecting situational awareness and flight safety. Addressing these barriers is essential to improving crew resource management (CRM) and operational efficiency. The study emphasises the need for enhanced training and policies to ensure effective pilot communication, contributing to aviation safety.