Simply put, complacency occurs when a pilot becomes so experienced or familiar with flying that they start to develop an overly relaxed attitude.

My dad, a pilot and Controller, often said, “complacency breeds contempt.” I never understood the meaning behind this saying until I left the military, where transmissions are set in stone, and began working with civilian pilots. Some experienced pilots were so comfortable with the aviation environment that they routinely overlooked safety requirements.

Incorrect call sign usage was the most notable misstep, followed by not reading back essential instructions.

One prominent pilot was so comfortable that he only read back the last two letters of his call sign for every transmission. Not only was he a high-hour pilot, but he was also a CFII instructing students while using this incorrect technique. He’s been an Instructor at my airport for over 20+ years, so no one corrects his poor radio usage.

Due to the increasing complexity of the aviation environment, instructions and responses between Controllers and Pilots must be immediate, accurate, and made using the correct language. Hence, there is less chance of misunderstanding. When one correctly phrased transmission is made, there is no need for the often heard four or five transmissions necessary to obtain basic information. Aircraft accidents often involve a series of errors. Don’t let your complacency be one error that leads to an accident.