The study explores the mediating role of safety communication between safety leadership and safety performance among civil aviation pilots. The research is set against the backdrop of the post-pandemic recovery phase of the aviation industry, where flight safety remains a critical concern. 336 valid replies to a survey were obtained, and SEM (structural equation modeling) and PLS-SEM (partial least squares structural equation modeling) were used to evaluate the data. The findings show that safety leadership significantly improves safety performance and safety communication. Furthermore, safety communication mediates the link between safety leadership and safety performance in addition to having a direct impact on safety performance. This study emphasizes how crucial it is to strengthen pilots’ communication and leadership abilities in order to raise overall flight safety.