Which country's ATC is hardest to understand?

[BOOZENEWS]

Recently flew IAD-NRT-SIN and back on UAL and was listening to ATC on Ch 9 and found the Russian, Philippine and Vietnamese controllers hardest to understand with the Russians by far taking the crown. NRT approach wasn't too bad but was like ORD during rush hour.

So what's been your experience in who is most difficult to understand when flying overseas?

 

[Cowboy75]

France. I don't speak french and they don't understand Texan.

 

[airgator]

I've always thought Brazil was the worst, mostly b/c the radios are so bad talking to Amazonica. Turkmenbashi + Karachi also suck.

 

[mamba20]

Controllers in Texas

 

[Dornier 335]

Initially I found the Germans hard to understand when they spoke English. Mind you, I speak Germany fluently...

Scottish ATC can be an adventure on it own.

 

[Dumb Pilot]

The sad part flying abroad is not that at the beginning you don't understand ATC but that eventually you will

 

[B-atch]

Brazil!! By a loong shot. When on Amazonica control, offset 1 NM right and announce your position in the blind. If the only controller that speaks broken English is out on break, they will not answer your calls!! Not to mention that their transmissions sound like their coming from a FLUSHING urinal!!

 

[ForgedBlade]

The Saudis, with the Scottish a close second!

 

[CA1900]

The Saudis, with the Scottish a close second!

On that note...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FFRoYhTJQQ


:laugh:

 

[Palmtree Pilot]

It's a toss-up between the Indians and French. Japanese a close third and many African countries (if you can get a hold of anybody) along with Brazil take lots of the following slots. Middle East could be thrown in there somewhere. China is actually pretty good. Funny, the ATIS in TPE has an Aussie accent.

Pt P

 

[refplusnone]

My own experience would be Indian, Saudi, then maybe French.

Ref

 

[JUNK YARD DOG]

Hands down... the Koreans

 

[gutshotdraw]

A female controller in the Caribbean with a French-tinged island patois. Something about that tone and accent combo that KILLS me. ANY French controller runs a close second.

 

[pianoman]

Indians/Pakistanis are the toughest. Especially when they talk fast and don't realize that when EVERYONE on the frequency is asking them to repeat, if they just spoke a little slower, they'd save time.

Found the Russians very easy to understand. French yes difficult, especially something about the women. Maybe I'm just deaf.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Koreans are the hardest for me. Then the French.

 

[waka]

Japan and China....and Turkish women controllers.

 

[Stuka Luva]

Indians/Pakistanis are the toughest. Especially when they talk fast and don't realize that when EVERYONE on the frequency is asking them to repeat, if they just spoke a little slower, they'd save time.

Found the Russians very easy to understand.

I have to agree. Fly enough in India and you'll be happy to fly to Russia.

 

[usav8r]

I don't get to fly to the other places you speak of, but for me by far it is the controllers of the Dominican Republic.

 

[LR25]

Ankara control, those chicks think if they talk louder, we will understand better.

 

[DrunkIrishman]

Yangon is the worst. Why do we even talk to these people? Also, the Indonesians are a trainwreck too.

 

[flyboy9967]

Yangon is the worst. Why do we even talk to these people? Also, the Indonesians are a trainwreck too.

Karachi, hands down! With Yangoon right behind. Compared to those two everything else is a piece of cake.

 

[mt2]

Turks and Saudis definitely make the bottom 5. Scots are by far the toughest "English" speaking people to understand. Have no real experience with the Indians so I can't comment there.

 

[COpilot]

Brazil, for (what the 4th largest industrial nation on the plant) they have an ATC infrastructure that rivals that of the poorest of nations.

 

[Dumb Pilot]

I don't get to fly to the other places you speak of, but for me by far it is the controllers of the Dominican Republic.

Really??? I never had a problem communicating with Dominican controllers, when you speak to them in Spanish that is

 

[ImbracableCrunk]

Of the places I've been - Vietnam is the worst.

On another note, I think the Japanese have one female controller. She must be busy since she seems to work just about every sector. She sounds cute, though.

 

[tailhookah]

Hands down... the Koreans

Absolutely agree. Years ago I was flying into Osan AFB and we were up on their control freqs (center) and we were listening to someone getting their butts reamed out for not answering continued radio calls... after about 5 stern calls (mind you we already checked in w/ them) we realized they were calling us! They talk like the Japanese but w/ a mouth full of marbles.

The Japanese talk very well and very structured. If you go outside the box then you're in trouble w/ them. The French are just fine, especially the hot chick who works Marseille Control. The Saudi's suck, the Egyptians do as well.

My favorite controllers outside the US are the Italians... they are laid back and very good. Anyone in in Africa stink really bad. Mind you that most of the controllers only have a handheld VHF radio and a pair of binocs. A lot of Africa is non-radar... back in the day you had to worry about the Russians b/c their IFF's didn't jive w/ our TCAS and we didn't pick them up... offset flying was the norm.

Really, the Koreans are by far the worse... did a lot of flying there and never picked up on thier terrible engrish tark...

Tail...

 

[EWR_FO]

Of the places I've been - Vietnam is the worst.

On another note, I think the Japanese have one female controller. She must be busy since she seems to work just about every sector. She sounds cute, though.

Cross 15 miles NE of SWAMP at 150, sometimes that pronunciation is comical.

 

[Dornier 335]

Hey man! What about Jamaica, man? Is it as funny to listen to as they say? No stress, man ...

 

[pilot error]

vietnam and laos are tied for last in my book.

 

[DrunkIrishman]

Of the places I've been - Vietnam is the worst.

On another note, I think the Japanese have one female controller. She must be busy since she seems to work just about every sector. She sounds cute, though.

That is so true! To-kyo Ro-ger.