it is inconceivable for the environment for an airliner to be out of com tact for an hour and 18 minutes. >> what is a normal period of contact with air traffic control. how long are the breaks? do you hear them once every five or 15 minutes? what is normal? >> that would depend on where you are flying. in a busy environment around washington, d.c. or new york, you would be hearing from the controllers very, very frequently and beyond hearing from them call your aircraft, you hear them from the area or ahead of you going to the same destination. you know that you are plugged in and listening to the controller and not just the conversations with your airplane, but all the airplanes in the area. >> i'm happy to be direct corrected here, but my desk in the cockpit of the plane, you want to hear them talk to you and you want to know in the planes around you.