And if so is it also true that there have been crashes due to the French refusing to speak English? Just that I've been told this quite genuinely but dispute it.
2007-01-29 08:07:46 · 25 answers · asked by john 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Aircraft
Yes...but only for Air Traffic Control communications...pilots usually talk in their native languages on the flight deck / cockpit.
And yes, it does sometimes cause problems. The worst airline crash in history, when two B-747's collided on the runway was, for all practical purposes, caused by miscommunications in English being spoken by a Spanish controller, and American captain, and a Dutch captain.
As for the French, they DO occasionally "break the rules" and talk French in some ATC communication...so do Russians, Chinese, and Japanese...mostly during domestic flight situations.
Communication problems
"While lined up and holding, the co-pilot advised the captain that ATC clearance had not been given and takeoff was aborted instantly. The KLM crew then received an ATC airways clearance; a clearance to fly a certain route after take-off, but not permission for the take-off itself. The captain may have mistaken this for a take-off clearance. He released the brakes of the aircraft and the co-pilot responded with a heavy Dutch accent with words that could either be "We are at take off" or "We are taking off".[2] The control tower was confused by the message and asked for the KLM plane to stand by. However, simultaneous communication from Pan Am caused mutual interference. All that was audible was a heterodyne beat tone, making the tower response inaudible to the pilots. Coincidentally, Pan Am was reporting they had not finished taxiing. Either message, if broadcast separately, might have given KLM crew time to abort its takeoff."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenerife_disaster
2007-01-29 08:20:33 · answer #1 · answered by 4999_Basque 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
The language of the skies is officially English however the French often do speak French on their own frequencies in French airspace. Other countries are also particularly bad at speaking their indigenous language instead of english ... China and the ex Soviet Union are prime examples and French is still spoken primarily in some of the central african nations.
The mixture of french and english in aviation r/t can be annoying and a possible threat to flight safety but as a professional pilot I have never heard of an actual accident being caused by it.
2007-01-31 05:00:47 · answer #2 · answered by mikewildeman 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Almost ALL airport towers in the world speak English. They also speak their native languages, and they don't always have English speaking tower agents on duty when needed. So generally speaking, it is true. The French, on the other hand, DO speak English at the tower, and their has never been an accident due to "language barriers". There are too many failsafes in place for that to occur. After all, don't you think that the pilots knew where they were going before they left?
2007-02-01 08:29:48 · answer #3 · answered by bigbear 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The International Civil Aviation Organization has adopted English
as the standard language. Air traffic controllers can use the
local language wherever they are but if a pilot uses English so
must ATC. If an arab pilot flies in to Russia, for example, they
both know they can communicate in English.
2007-01-30 18:25:29 · answer #4 · answered by Aerostar 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, that's true. However, it seems common practice in some countries (Brazil, Russia, and parts of Europe, etc.) to hear quite a lot of communications in the native language of the region. However, I do agree with the ICAO that the communications should be in English only, which is accepted as the common language of aviation communications.
2007-01-29 11:32:11 · answer #5 · answered by wjtherman 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually there are two official languages of the air transportation system. French and English. French may only be used in French-speaking areas and they must switch to English upon request.
The only time I ever ran into a francophone who refused to speak English was at the European Flow Control Center in Brussels. But, as they only deal with aircraft that are still on the ground the impact on air safety is minimal.
2007-01-29 08:18:51 · answer #6 · answered by Bostonian In MO 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
all language of the skies is english. when aircraft speak native language on ground accidets happen as other a/c do not have situational awearness. example a few years a go a shorts 360 on runway and anouther aircraft was cleared on to runway the other aircrafts wing sliced through the cockpit of the 360 killing the pilot. ALL DUE TO LANGUAGE. avoidable if english was spoken.
2007-01-29 08:59:49 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, the language of the skies is English and that of the sea (so I have heard) is French. I refuse to believe that a pilot would risk his own and many other peoples´ lives because he (or she) refuses to speak a certain language. Rubbish.
2007-01-29 08:15:37 · answer #8 · answered by auntiestwict 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
in case you look at french, this is a few distance more effective sturdy for English scholars to study, as apposed to Spanish, which many discover more straightforward. In French you should understand a thanks to pronounce the letters, ie: in case you pronounce 'll' as 'ai' as in bouteille. I have a Polish scholar who's getting to understand English very right away yet some issues he has a problems with are stupid such issues as double meanings and colloquial words.
2016-10-17 04:03:08 · answer #9 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The international air language is English, but pilots flying within their own country are free to communicate with their own language.
2007-01-29 08:22:13 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋