The problematics of gender for aviation emergency communications: Pilot/Air Traffic Control interactions during an inflight emergency

In this paper I conduct an analysis of Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower communications with an aircraft during and immediately after a critical inflight emergency. This incident was unusual because it involved a female pilot. This analysis investigates ways in which gender may be made relevant either explicitly or implicitly in the interactions during the emergency. The analysis shows that the pilot’s gender may have caused brief confusion as to the pilot’s role, some ATC personnel may have shifted interactional style when interacting with the pilot, and the pilot may have used atypically indirect formulations when making requests about critical issues. These findings will be discussed in terms of potential implications for how gender differences can impact ATC/plane communications.