Speaking French on the radio

[AuxBatOn]

ticasse, you fly professionnally?

[ticasse]

ticasse, you fly professionnally?

Yes. why are you asking ?

[Cat Driver]

Simple. Because we can. I switch to french as soon as I cross the ottawa river. I do it for the same reason I choose "french" whenever I use an ATM machine, when I call the FSS, when I buy a DVD, when being given company training/manuals or when I fly as a pax on Air Canada. Yes I do understand just as well in english but what if everyone stops using french on the radio in quebec what is going to be next ? No more french services at NavCanada ?...no more french DVDs ? The point is, we do it because we still have a choice and we are not ready to let that go.

May I suggest that your attitude is doing a disservice to your fellow French Canadians?

[ticasse]

Simple. Because we can. I switch to french as soon as I cross the ottawa river. I do it for the same reason I choose "french" whenever I use an ATM machine, when I call the FSS, when I buy a DVD, when being given company training/manuals or when I fly as a pax on Air Canada. Yes I do understand just as well in english but what if everyone stops using french on the radio in quebec what is going to be next ? No more french services at NavCanada ?...no more french DVDs ? The point is, we do it because we still have a choice and we are not ready to let that go.

May I suggest that your attitude is doing a disservice to your fellow French Canadians?

And why would trying to preserve our french services in quebec be a disservice ?

[North Shore]

And why would trying to preserve our french services in quebec be a disservice ?

'Cause they're paid for by our tax dollars?

[AuxBatOn]

ticasse, there is a difference between trying to preserve French and being a liability for yourself and your fellow aviators. When you fly, speak English on the radio. If you need to speak French (in an MF, trying to deconflict with some other French private out there), then do so.

Do you think Lufthansa, BAW and such should learn to speak French because they fly into Dorval?

[Cat Driver]

And why would trying to preserve our french services in quebec be a disservice ?

Because this is an aviation forum and your attitude may be seen by some here as being elitist and arrogant because of the way you explained why you use French.

Quote:

Simple. Because we can.

Having been in management in the airline sector of aviation I would have grave concerns about your ability to interact with fellow crew members and would take that into consideration when deciding what and if you would fly.

Shall I go on?

[small penguin]

Simple. Because we can. I switch to french as soon as I cross the ottawa river. I do it for the same reason I choose "french" whenever I use an ATM machine, when I call the FSS, when I buy a DVD, when being given company training/manuals or when I fly as a pax on Air Canada. Yes I do understand just as well in english but what if everyone stops using french on the radio in quebec what is going to be next ? No more french services at NavCanada ?...no more french DVDs ? The point is, we do it because we still have a choice and we are not ready to let that go.

Here here! (Though I still prefer my DVDs in English)

SP, what about a commercial aircraft getting into a small airport (like jazz does all the time), where there is no ATC and a few privates French speaking pilots? They are still not expected to know anything about French and get in there fat, dumb and happy?

Assuming the airport is an ATF, I see no issue at all. Since nordo/ronly aircraft can exist, so a language barrier is no excuse for 'lack of safety'. In an MF, you've got an extra set of eyes looking over you, and they should (can?) communicate with you in English or French. That other aircraft cant communicate in your language can be a safety concern, but, you'll (hopefully) get a warning of any conflict. Not to mention that listening to the radio is not a substitute for keeping your eyes outside of the cockpit.

[AuxBatOn]

If you have comms, why not use it and be efficient at it. No reason to fly NORDO with a functionning radio. But that's airmanship... Incidents have happenned when 2 aircraft came in with functionnign radio and almost collided because they wouldn't speak to the other guy in English/French.

[ticasse]

ticasse, there is a difference between trying to preserve French and being a liability for yourself and your fellow aviators. When you fly, speak English on the radio. If you need to speak French (in an MF, trying to deconflict with some other French private out there), then do so.

Do you think Lufthansa, BAW and such should learn to speak French because they fly into Dorval?

Do you think lufthansa refrain themselves from speaking german when flying into Frankfurt ?
Do you think Air France refrain themselves from speaking french when flying into Charles de gaules ?
Do you think Air China refrain themselves from speaking chinese when flying into Bejing ?

Why wouldn't I use my mother tongue when I fly home, when it is safe to do so and where I am being given a choice ?

[Donald]

Here here!

I guess we have to speak French when we fly into "his" airport then.

[AuxBatOn]

ticasse, there is a difference between trying to preserve French and being a liability for yourself and your fellow aviators. When you fly, speak English on the radio. If you need to speak French (in an MF, trying to deconflict with some other French private out there), then do so.

Do you think Lufthansa, BAW and such should learn to speak French because they fly into Dorval?

Do you think lufthansa refrain themselves from speaking german when flying into Frankfurt ?
Do you think Air France refrain themselves from speaking french when flying into Charles de gaules ?
Do you think Air China refrain themselves from speaking chinese when flying into Bejing ?

Why wouldn't I use my mother tongue when I fly home, when it is safe to do so and where I am being given a choice ?

AFAIK, they speak English.

[ticasse]

And why would trying to preserve our french services in quebec be a disservice ?

Because this is an aviation forum and your attitude may be seen by some here as being elitist and arrogant because of the way you explained why you use French.

Quote:

Simple. Because we can.

Having been in management in the airline sector of aviation I would have grave concerns about your ability to interact with fellow crew members and would take that into consideration when deciding what and if you would fly.

Shall I go on?

Cat, I tried to explain my point as precisely and shortly as possible. English is not my first language and it probably would not have sounded the same way if I had wrote it in french. My point was and still is, why wouldn't I use french, when flying in quebec when being given a choice ? Of course if there is a possible conflict with a non-french speaking crew in a MF or ATF I'll be more than happy to switch to english.

[AuxBatOn]

ticasse, here's a reason. To keep everybody's SA up without having ATC translate relevant things to you. You are paid to demonstrate airmanship. Do it once in a while...

Any arguments other than "because I can??"

[Cat Driver]

AFAIK, they speak English.

Yup, air traffic communications in Europe is conducted in English.

In fact an Air France flight into Montreal told ATC that Air France conducts all radio work in English when they received a transmission in French....( Maybe they couldn't understand Quebec French? )

[small penguin]

If you have comms, why not use it and be efficient at it. No reason to fly NORDO with a functionning radio. But that's airmanship... Incidents have happenned when 2 aircraft came in with functionnign radio and almost collided because they wouldn't speak to the other guy in English/French.

Im not saying dont use a radio if you have one. If you have comms, why not be efficient at it? Are a bunch of PPLs flying at a French ATF all talking in french inefficient? Is an airliner talking to ATC in Montreal inefficient?

[AuxBatOn]

A professionnal pilot trying to get his point in English to a French Speaking PPL is inneficient and dangerous.

[jetflightinstructor]

Well gentlemen, 2 points:

Xlent wrote:

When these pilots are spewing French on the radio

Sorry, but what do you mean by spewing french? I think I start to understand whats behind this thread...



second point:

ticasse, there is a difference between trying to preserve French and being a liability for yourself and your fellow aviators. When you fly, speak English on the radio. If you need to speak French (in an MF, trying to deconflict with some other French private out there), then do so.

Do you think Lufthansa, BAW and such should learn to speak French because they fly into Dorval?

Do you think lufthansa refrain themselves from speaking german when flying into Frankfurt ?
Do you think Air France refrain themselves from speaking french when flying into Charles de gaules ?
Do you think Air China refrain themselves from speaking chinese when flying into Bejing ?

Why wouldn't I use my mother tongue when I fly home, when it is safe to do so and where I am being given a choice ?

AFAIK, they speak English.

NO they dont. If you do fly an approach in beijing from time to time, of course you will notice the ATC will speak to you in english. But which language do they use with air China? Juniao? OK? Deer jet? hainan airlines? china eastern? china southern? et caetera... and so on...??? Chinese.
and the same with the others countries...

My fellow colleagues, there is a lack of honnesty here...

However, agreed to expand the english language to aviation for the sake of safety. Just to speak the same language when we fly in the same sky.

I still say, though, that some of you guys could me nicer.

Cheers.

[AuxBatOn]

THe only time I've flown across the pond in the front end of an aircraft, Air France was speaking English to the controllers, and Lufthansa English to the German controllers. Maybe it was a 1 time coincidence, I don,t know.

[3juggs]

At risk of being politically incorrect I have to say that there shouldn't be any French on 126.7. Sooner or later we will have a forum on here on two aircraft that got toasted midair because of miscommunication. I've flown north of Quebec in Nunavut and a few trips into Northern Quebec which have always proved to be a Gong show trying to figure out where all the traffic is relative to me when the position reports were given in french. I hope I'm wrong but it's an accident waiting to happen if it hasn't already.

[small penguin]

A professionnal pilot trying to get his point in English to a French Speaking PPL is inneficient and dangerous.

Depends on the situation. A 'professional pilot' landing at a small French airport should be able to communicate in French. (I think you mentioned this earlier) If the situation is at a larger controlled airport, then its up to ATC to manage the aircraft and worry about the languages (something I think they do rather well being able to jump back and forth between languages)

Another solution might simply be to move elsewhere, or fly elsewhere, if multiple languages really scare some people that much. *shrugs*

[AuxBatOn]

Even flying at a larger airport, it's more efficient to speak english as most people on the frequency understand that language. That way, everyone's SA is up there and everybody is happy (ok, maybe ticasse isn't happy, but most people are).

[Cat Driver]

Another solution might simply be to move elsewhere, or fly elsewhere, if multiple languages really scare some people that much.

You never fail to amaze us small penguin.

Another solution might simply be to move elsewhere, or fly elsewhere,

That really will make things better between French and English speaking pilots won't it.

A 'professional pilot' landing at a small French airport should be able to communicate in French.

Unfortunately French is not the international language of aviation....

[C23flyer]

When communicating in French, does the pilot still give the call sign with the phonetic alphabet that we use in English? I think all the letters translate directly.

[AuxBatOn]

Same phonetic alphabet, just different way of pronouncing it..