Why Saying “I Don’t Know” is Part of Being Professional

Many pilots have experienced that moment at some point in their career: A check ride, a moment with in-flight pressure, or even a job interview – someone throws a question your way, and suddenly all eyes are on you 👀

You feel that pressure to have an answer, and “you better get it right”.

And in that split second, for some people – their brain starts scrambling:

What do you say?

Sometimes, instead of admitting you’re unsure, the temptation is to “replace the doubt” with something that sounds right.

Something that saves face and avoids that dreaded moment of saying the words: “I don’t know.”

But here’s the thing: those three little words can actually be the safest and most professional ones in aviation.

They open the door to finding the real answer together, instead of gambling on a guess.

They invite teamwork instead of ego. And in an industry where small errors can snowball into big consequences, “I don’t know” can be a mark of professionalism, not weakness.

In other (harsher) words: bullshitting sacrifices safety. Let’s talk about why, and how to avoid it ⤵️

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⚡️ Why Saying “I Don’t Know” Can be Difficult

It sounds pretty simple, right? Just admit it! But in reality, many people prefer to avoid this altogether.

From the start of training, we’re taught that good pilots know their stuff. Numbers, procedures, acronyms, all drilled into us until it becomes second nature.

So when you don’t know, it can feel like you’re breaking that image of competence.

Add to that the social pressure. In a cockpit, briefing room, or interview, nobody wants to look stupid or unprepared.

It’s human nature in some ways, we want our peers to see us as sharp, reliable, switched on. And let’s be honest, ego plays a part too. Saying “I don’t know” can feel like lowering your guard.

That’s why the temptation to blurt out something instead of admitting uncertainty is so strong. It protects your ego in the short term, but that’s rarely worth it in aviation. We discussed this here:

The Most Dangerous Crew Member on Board: Your Ego

Let’s talk about why ⤵️

⚠️ The Threats of Bullshitting

The problem is, in aviation, bullshitting isn’t “harmless conversation”. It’s dangerous.

When you bluff an answer, a few things can happen:

🔸 You plant a seed of error. Maybe it’s a performance figure, a procedure, or something else that’s very relevant to what you’re actually doing. If it’s wrong and someone acts on it, the whole crew could be nudged in the wrong direction. One small slip at the start of the chain can snowball into a much bigger problem later on.

🔸 You damage trust. If your colleague realises you’ve guessed, they’ll second-guess you the next time you speak with confidence. And in the cockpit, hesitation can be deadly. Trust is the glue that holds good CRM together, and once cracked, it’s hard to rebuild.

🔸 You delay or avoid learning. Admitting you don’t know creates space to look it up, ask, or get taught. Pretending you know shuts that door, and leaves you stuck in the same gap in your knowledge.

🔸 You add pressure to others. If you sound confident but you’re wrong, your crew might override their doubts to go along with you. Now the error has spread from one person to the whole team.

🔸 You train the wrong habit. The more you get away with bluffing, the easier it becomes. Suddenly, “filling the silence” becomes your default instead of pausing to check. That’s a slippery slope in a safety-critical job.

🎓 Getting Better at Saying “I Don’t Know”

Here’s the thing: admitting you don’t know is actually one of the clearest markers of professionalism.

When you say “I don’t know,” what you’re really saying is: I’m not going to gamble with safety.

You’re choosing honesty over ego. That opens the door to working together to get to the solution. Maybe your co-pilot, engineer, or ATC has the missing piece. Or maybe it means looking it up properly instead of winging it.

It sounds corny, but humility shows maturity. It proves you understand that aviation is too complex for any one person to know everything. And ironically, it builds trust because when you do give an answer with confidence, people know it’s real.

If no one else knows the answer either and time is not an issue, it’s the perfect opportunity to turn it into a “let’s go find out together”.

I’ve certainly benefitted from many leaders over the years who took this approach, and I hope you will too!

Conclusion

Aviation isn’t about having all the answers in your head, it’s about making the right decisions with the information you have, and knowing when to go and get the information you don’t.

“I don’t know” might feel uncomfortable in the moment, but it’s far safer (and far more professional) than bluffing.

Those three little words show that you value safety over ego, teamwork over pride, and accuracy over how you come across!