Pilots taking well to English language rule
July 30, 2010, 10:20 pm
It's been almost 10 years since the International Civil Aviation Organization made English proficiency a requirement, and progress has been made, according to Bloomberg Businessweek.
The English requirement came after an accident between Saudi and Kazakh airplanes, in which 349 people died, reports the paper. An inability to properly communicate is thought to have contributed to the collision.
The paper reports that ICAO training officer Nicole Barrette-Sabourin says many pilots have command over basic words, but may lack the skills for more broad communication.
"What do you do an emergency situation when no phraseology is available for that situation? What do you do when you need to convey such a message?" Barrette-Sabourin said to the paper. "That's why we introduced those language proficiency requirements."
The ICAO notes that obtaining English proficiency for pilots as akin to physical fitness is for other careers. Neither can be crammed for or obtained overnight. It takes steady work to achieve, but can be crucial to successfully completing a job.
The paper reports that the English requirement has been in effect since 2008 for commercial flights, but other countries have been awarded an extension until March 2011. 
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