International flights

[JohnR]

hey all,
ive been wondering this: lets say your a 747 Fo or captian( i hope to be a 747 captian some day) and your flying to spain, would the ATC at spain no english or would you have to no spanish?

 

[voteno]

English. Unless you are driving in TEXAS, then it would be spanish.

 

[SCT]

English is the universal language of ATC worldwide. Now that being said, the levels of the English language differ from country to country. Also, ATC in a foreign country may be talking English to you, they will probably be talking their local lanuage to their domestic a/c. This can make situational awerness very tricky.

SCT

 

[JohnR]

mmmm ok thanks alot, when i fly on vatsim (FS thing) i have either a hard time understanding their english or they speak there own lang, thought mabe that was how it was in real world, whew its not!!!

 

[leardrivr]

Actually that sounds about right. You must remember when you are talking to a foriegn controller they may only know the english reqiured to perform there job. Some of them sound like your next door neighbor but if you meet them in the terminal you may find it impossible to hold a conversation. Fortunatly when you are flying international you almost never stray from published routes. so read your jepps and you won't fly into a hill because you don't understand what the controller is saying. Or somtimes they use non standard phrases that get very confusing. So get out the charts and read the small print. That will help alot.

 

[Thedude]

Fortunatly when you are flying international you almost never stray from published routes.

Not true at all

 

[2000flyer]

While english is the "given" language of ATC, not all countries or regions follow this little rule. Many countries will require you to have a translator on board while flying in or transitioning their airspace. Even more true when talking about local controllers. You'll either need to "hire" an english speaking controller or a translator.

The French are notorious for speaking french to french aircraft. Other countries do it as well, but not to the extent I've heard in France. A few years ago two aircraft collided in a runway incursion in Milan. It was ruled that the accident could have been avoided had instructions to both aircraft be given in english.

2000Flyer

 

[Stepclimb]

Slang

Another thing for Americans flying abroad is to avoid slang and stick to standard phraseology. "ABC123 looking for lower" will often be met with akward silence while "ABC123 requesting descent" usually will get you what you want.
-Stepclimb

 

[JohnR]

ok, i guess all the major airports like japan and so fourth will speak english

 

[TMMT]

"Expect lower at the end of this transmission."

"Citation 123, if you quit calling me center, I'll quit calling you twin Cessna."

"About three miles ahead you've got traffic 12 o'clock, five miles."

"If you hear me, traffic no longer a factor."

"You're gonna have to key the mike. I can't see you when you nod your head."

"Put your compass on 'E' and get out of my airspace."

"Climb like you're life depends on it ... because it does."

"For radar identification throw your jumpseat rider out the window."

"Japan Air Ten Heavy, how 'bout a radio check?"
(Response -"Rogah, switching!")

"Approach, how far from the airport are we in minutes?"
"N923, the faster you go, the quicker you'll get here."

"American Two-Twenty, Eneey, meeny, miney, moe, how do you hear my radio?"

"Air Wisconsin Three-Thirty-Five, caution wake turbulence, there is an Air Wisconsin Three-Forty-Five on the frequency."

"I don't mind altitude separation as long as they're not on top of each other."

"We were told Rwy 9...we'll take out the 14R approach plate."
"Captain you got sixty miles to take it out...have a ball."

"The traffic at nine o'clock's gonna do a little Linda Ronstadt on you."
"Linda Ronstadt? What's that?"
"Well, sir, they're gonna 'Blue Bayou'."

"I can see the country club down below...look's like a lot of controllers out there!"
"Yes, sir, there is...and they're caddying for DC-10 drivers like you."

"N07K you look like you're established on the localizer and I don't know the names of any of the fixes, you're cleared for the ILS approach. Call the tower."

"MidEx 726, sorry about that, Center thought you were a Midway arrival. Just sit back, relax and pass out some more cookies...we'll get you to Milwaukee."

"Approach, what's our sequence?"
"Calling for the sequence I missed your callsign, but if I find out what it is, you're last."

"Sure you can have eight miles behind the heavy...there'll be a United tri-jet between you and him."

"Approach, SWA436, you want us to turn right to 090?"
"No, I want your brother to turn. Just do it and don't argue."

"Approach UAL525 what's this aircraft doing at my altitude?"
"UAL525, what makes you think it's YOUR altitude, Captain?"

"DAL1176, say speed."
"DAL1176, we slowed it down to two-twenty."
"DAL1176 pick it back up to two-fifty...this ain't Atlanta, and them ain't grits on the ground."

"Request Runway 27 Right."
"Unable."
"Approach, do you know the wind at six thousand is 270 at fifty?"
"Yeah, I do, and if we could jack the airport up to fifty-five hundred you could have that runway. Expect 14 Right."

"Air Force Four-Five, it appears your engine has...oh, disregard...I see you've already ejected."

"The first officer says he's got you in sight."
"Roger, the first officer's cleared for a visual approach runway 27 Right...you continue on that 180 heading and descend to three thousand."

"Hey, O'Hare, you see the 7600 code flashing five northwest of Gary?"
"Yeah, I do...you guys talkin' to him?"

"Approach, what's the tower?"
"That's a big tall building with glass all around it, but that's not important right now."

"How far behind traffic are we?"
"Three miles."
"That doesn't look like three miles to us!"
"You're a mile and a half from him, he's a mile and a half from you...that's three miles."

And the number one actual transmission heard in the O'Hare TRACON is:

"Turn in and take over .. you know the rest."

 

[JohnR]

wait so this is at O hare? or did you just make these all up? im lost,..... lol

 

[Gulfstream 200]

All joking aside..

lose the Joe Cool Airline Dude voice and slang when abroad..you gotta speak slow and clear...

please no (deep stud voice) "Gulfstream eighty seven suga poppa checkin witcha at five-one-oh...., got the little guy on the fish finder"...

 

[SiuDude]

"Air Wisconsin Three-Thirty-Five, caution wake turbulence, there is an Air Wisconsin Three-Forty-Five on the frequency."

Hahaha

 

[JohnR]

Lol !!

 

[mmmdonut]

Still funny the 897th time I've read that...