Results

This chapter adds a caveat to the recommendation that controllers limit their messages to three commands in communications with pilots of very high or native-like proficiency. It is important, however, to balance accuracy and efficiency in the radio-telephonic communication system and, therefore, a maximum of the commands is probably still a reasonable compromise between the accuracy and efficiency constraints. There are several important factors to be considered in the recommendations based on a laboratory study can be applied to real-life situations. However, socio-cognitive contextual factors inherent in the communicative environment are not necessarily considered in the development of language assessment instruments for controllers and pilots, and their impact on performance is consequently not accounted for in the proficiency level assigned. Language proficiency is often considered a separate, individual skill that controllers and pilots should acquire and bring to the operational environment.