Definition
An internal communication system in an aircraft that allows the pilot, crew, and passengers to talk to each other through their headsets, separately from the radio used to talk to people outside the aircraft.
Plain English
The system that lets everyone inside the aircraft hear and talk to each other through their headsets without using the outside radio.
Context Anchor
Seen in cockpit communication equipment, especially when using headsets during training, crew coordination, or passenger briefings.
Derivation
Short for 'intercommunication.' 'Inter-' comes from Latin meaning 'between,' and 'communication' means 'sharing or exchanging.' So 'intercom' simply means 'talking between people' — in this case, between people inside the same aircraft.
Why Pilots Care
It allows clear coordination and briefings in a noisy cockpit without shouting, reducing errors during critical phases of flight.
Intuition Check
An intercom is not the same as the aircraft radio. The intercom is mainly for talking inside the aircraft; the radio is for talking outside the aircraft, such as with air traffic control.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor used the intercom to walk the student through the approach without transmitting on the radio.
Example Sentence 2
During the instrument approach the copilot used the intercom to confirm the next altitude with the pilot.