Pilots who struggle to speak English risk major disaster

PILOTS who speak English poorly are endangering passengers and risking disaster, an alarming report has warned.

The review found there were pilots flying in British airspace who ‘appear to lack the minimum proficiency in English’.

The problem is compounded by the poor English language skills of air traffic controllers outside Britain, particularly in France and Spain, who are supposed to speak English to international pilots, the report found.

There is evidence of cheating and inadequate testing – with pilots awarded certificates through ‘sweetheart deals (handshakes, via friends)’ with examiners.

The researchers noted one startling reason for the corrupt deals – the importance of ‘saving face’ in some cultures, where candidates cheat to avoid the embarrassment of mispronunciation and forgetting vocabulary.

To obtain a licence, pilots and controllers have to achieve Level 4 English in an exam system run by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). This means they can speak with ‘accuracy’ and ‘clarity’ in aviation terminology, resolve misunderstandings and react to unexpected events. The report found non-UK pilots and controllers with below-standard English skills. In one country, pilots were said to be certified after just ten days of tuition.

The Civil Aviation Authority review found ICAO levels of language proficiency, especially Level 4, are ‘not robust enough to ensure appropriately clear pilot/ controller communication’.

The report was commissioned over concerns that a lack of fluency in English could lead to accidents over Britain and abroad. It identified 267 incidents related to miscommunication in UK-based aviation over an 18-month period.

It warned: ‘Language-related miscommunication, including lack of ICAO proficiency standards, certainly has the potential to be the cause of serious incidents.’