Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors
The Controller's performance was unprofessional and unsafe. I had just started my airplane and requested taxi clearance and could immediately tell the Controller was overloaded and flustered. He gave me taxi instructions to hold abeam the FBO and to follow an aircraft taxiing to the ramp. I was number 6 for takeoff behind a flight of 5 Blackhawks. The Controller was talking to an aircraft trying to enter the pattern for landing. The aircraft pilot was a secondary English-speaker and was clearly focusing to understand the Controller. The Controller communicated in an exasperated and rude tone repeatedly. For example; at one point the aircraft said 'I am over the field' and the Controller responded aggravated; 'I told you to get on the downwind; now get on the downwind!' The aircraft then asked 'Which downwind?' Though clearly angered by the pilot not following instructions; the Controller was not actually clearly giving them out. The Controller never responded with left or right downwind. He did respond with 'Get on the downwind Runway 32!' As the aircraft was trying to figure out which downwind; the Controller asked the Blackhawks if they could see an airplane. The Blackhawks reported that they saw a helicopter on right downwind at which point the Controller stated something like 'I wasn't sure what type of aircraft it was.' From this; it became clear to everyone listening that there were clear miscommunications from the very beginning. Shortly after the aircraft tried to make a position report; the Controller came over the frequency and inappropriately said 'Hey if you can't speak English you shouldn't be flying the plane!' The unprofessional nature of this statement and general anger from the Controller only worsened an already difficult situation. All of this made it more difficult for the pilot to communicate and understand what was trying to be communicated. Unnecessary condescending actions; e.g. the statements; over the frequency; e.g. 'Hey if you can't speak English you shouldn't be flying the plane;' were clearly taking focus away from flying and contributed nothing to a safe landing. As heard in tone shift throughout the exchange; messaging toward the pilot that he was an idiot and that he was not welcome in the airspace; directly and dramatically reduced the pilot's performance. There were no corrective interjections as I did not want to clog the frequency even more.
Small aircraft pilot reported a Tower Controller's phraseology and performance was unsafe and unprofessional.