It's easy to say "i completely agree" when the official language is your mother language. It's very comfortable to you guys. All the world speaking english. But only suppose that ICAO rules change and all of us need to talk in mandarim, the new official language. Maybe we change the profession. And what about the Continental pilot that said to "Boston Jon": here is America.We speak english here when Jon said hasta la vista (pure chauvinism???). Ok, now we are thinking about the question!. All of us (pilot's) want's high SA and we have high SA when we are using our language. So, we need to trust in the other guys (controllers and pilots) when we are in their countries.
cmdtmarcelo has a very good point there! This argument is not about: "Hey, I only speak English, so everybody has to speak English" CFVDI appears to be complaining about others not speaking HIS language, rather than about the lack of a COMMON LANGUAGE. (That is pure chauvinism indeed!)
CFVDI, if you would not be willing to learn another language as a common aviation language, you don't have the right to complain!
If you look back at my reply #22 a little bit higher, you would see that my own language is Dutch and that I would be prepared to learn Russian for instance. (I will admit that Mandarin would be a more difficult choice
)
I prefer i have small SA in another country and the natives have high SA instead of all of us (i and the natives) having poor SA trying to speak in a third language with the controller. That's my opinion, and guy's, my apologise for my poor english. Thanks
That's were I politely disagree with you, cmdtmarcelo! Your English is obviously quite good and controllers and pilots all over the world should (but sadly aren't always) be proficient in English. (Isn't that what the new ICAO English proficiency requirement is all about?)
It's simply a matter of a change of culture. As soon as a kid learns to fly or a student ATCO starts his training, it should be done in English (English does appear to be the obvious choice...) and from the start ATC communication should be done in this common language.
I can guarantee you that very soon everybody involved would become very proficient in English and EVERYBODY would have high situational awareness EVERYWHERE.
I'm convinced that some day we will speak ONE common language with ATC! Do you know when this will start to be enforced? Let me tell you: AFTER a major accident with A LOT of lives lost will have happened caused by language confusion!! (The
CDG incident was not bad enough) Sadly enough major safety regulation changes only happen after catastrophes!
On the "positive" side, and for the reason mentioned, Mr Murphy has assured me that one day in the near or distant future everybody will speak English on the frequency.
Best regards,
Erasmus