> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.planeconnection.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# How to Submit a Report Using Natural Language
> Describe a safety event in your own words and let the AI assistant extract the structured fields for you.
By following this guide, you will submit a safety report by describing the event in plain text, letting the AI assistant extract structured fields, and reviewing the results before submission.
**Who should read this:** Any workspace member who submits safety
reports. Natural language mode is especially useful for field
personnel who need to capture details quickly and for reporters who
find the structured form cumbersome.
**Prerequisites:** You must be signed in and have access to a
workspace. No special permissions are required -- any role that can
submit a standard report can use natural language mode.
## When to Use Natural Language Mode
| Scenario | Recommended Mode |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------- |
| You are in the field and need to capture details quickly. | Natural language |
| You want to dictate a report hands-free (e.g., post-flight). | Natural language with voice input |
| You prefer a guided form with explicit field prompts. | Standard form |
| You know exactly which fields apply and want full control. | Standard form |
| You are filing a report on behalf of someone who described the event verbally. | Natural language |
Both modes produce the same report record. The only difference is
how the initial data entry occurs.
## Submit a Report Using Natural Language
### Step 1: Open the new report form
Navigate to **Safety > Reports** and create a new report. You can also press `N R` or use `Cmd+K` and select "New Safety Report."
### Step 2: Switch to Natural Language mode
Switch to Natural Language at the top of the form. The structured fields are replaced by a single free-text input area.
### Step 3: Describe the event
Write or dictate what happened in your own words. Include what occurred, when and where it happened, which aircraft was involved, who was involved, environmental conditions, and the response or outcome. The text field accepts 20 to 10,000 characters.
Use the voice input button to dictate hands-free. This is particularly useful immediately after a
flight or event when details are fresh.
### Step 4: Analyze the narrative
Submit the narrative for analysis. ALI processes your text and extracts structured fields in 2 to 5 seconds.
### Step 5: Review and correct extracted fields
Review each extracted field and its confidence indicator (High, Medium, or Low). Correct any misidentified fields -- common corrections include report type misclassification, airport code ambiguity, and date/time parsing errors.
**AI suggestions are advisory only.** Per 14 CFR Part 5, all safety assessments, investigation
findings, and risk evaluations require independent human evaluation by qualified personnel. AI
recommendations should be used as one factor among many in decision-making, not as the sole basis
for any safety, operational, or maintenance action. See [Legal
Notices](/en/reference/legal-notices#ai-and-automated-features-disclaimer).
### Step 6: Add missing information
If the AI could not extract certain fields, fill them in manually. The form highlights required fields that are still empty.
### Step 7: Select your reporting mode
Choose **Standard**, **Confidential**, or **Anonymous**. For details on each mode, see [Report Types](/en/reference/report-types).
Confidential and anonymous modes are feature-flag controlled and may not be available in all
workspaces.
### Step 8: Review and submit
Review the summary panel showing all fields and submit the report. You receive a tracking code, QR code, and email confirmation. The report enters the standard workflow.
## Benefits of Natural Language Submission
| Benefit | Description |
| ------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Faster capture** | Describe events in flowing narrative rather than navigating a multi-field form. Reduces submission time for reporters in the field. |
| **Reduced form fatigue** | Eliminates the friction of dropdown-heavy forms, which research shows contributes to reporting avoidance. |
| **Richer narratives** | Free-text encourages reporters to include contextual details that structured fields may not capture -- observations, impressions, and sequence-of-events information that aids investigation. |
| **Accessibility** | Voice input with AI extraction enables hands-free reporting for situations where typing is impractical. |
## Limitations
| Limitation | Mitigation |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| AI may misclassify report type or category. | Always review extracted fields before submission. |
| Informal language or abbreviations may reduce extraction accuracy. | Use standard aviation terminology and ICAO airport codes where possible. |
| Context-specific details (local procedures, aircraft nicknames) may not be recognized. | Manually correct fields the AI cannot resolve from general aviation knowledge. |
| AI cannot assess severity or likelihood with regulatory precision. | Severity indicators are suggestions only. Formal risk assessment is a separate process (14 CFR 5.55). |
## Related
Complete guide covering all submission methods including the standard form.
Definitions and workflows for all six report types.
Lifecycle statuses after submission.
Other AI-powered capabilities beyond natural language reporting.