Was there any research done on how extreme stress afects speach? I guess some exeptionally cool guys would slow it down taking particular care of all the interpunction marks, but the majority would accelerate to an uninterrupted crescendo of ten words a second

Henio, Toruń, Poland

Sorry to say, but that's absolute true!!!!!!!!! Poles are the worst English speakers in Europe! Just a few of them speak enough English to order a beer in a pub. I lived 12 years in Poland - so I guess I can judge about!

Snejder, Krakow,

The 15 out of 800 number is not true or out of date. But probably half - mostly older pilots dont know English as well as they should. Airlines should make up crews where at least one member is up to standard. Anything less is unacceptable. Also keep in mind how hard learning English is at age 50.

Matt, Warsaw, Poland

I agree with Chuck Paugh and wonder if the "British controller" may not be fully free of blame. As nonnative English speaker there is a huge difference for me between U.S. English and British English.

Robert , Winston-Salem, USA

Jenny Neumann -> But the native speakers in the towers should also be trained how to communicate clearly, precisely and, most importantly, slowly.

They are, at least in the UK.

Martin, Leeds, UK

The fairest and safest solution is to to phase in use of the simplest and least ambiguous language in the world for aviation.
Esperanto can be learned thoroughly in a fraction (a fifth, for most Europeans) of the time required for English.
Why should the already disadvantaged be more so?

Penny Vos, Candelo, Australia

What about the pilot's equality?

Should we not have a series of interpreters in each and every Air Traffic Control Tower?

Think of the stress these poor people suffer as a result of this legislation that they MUST understand basic English.

Equality for all.

Deek Dean, Dublin , Ireland

This problem could be solved definitelly if the "official" World language was changed from English to an easier and neutral one, as Esperanto. It is easier to teach Esperanto to all pilots than to teach English to those that still don't know it.

Luis Raudón, Acapulco, Gro., Mexico

Assuming it did land, why didn't the CAA not arrange for this pilot to be sent home, as a passenger on the next flight to his home country with a ban on his flying outside his own country's airspace, thus telling the worlds airlines that they will not be allowed any more such crass stupidity.

Keith Baigrie, Dartmouth, UK

Are these pilots allowed tgo fly in US airspace.
I can imagine that US authorites would be most concerned about an approaching airplane piloted by someone who could not clearly communicate with air taffic control

Ray Harvey, Hitchin, uk

Chuck, read the article - these pilots were unable to follow instructions FROM flight control. Jenny, it would seem that the system works perfectly until pilots whose understanding of English is poor are involved. This is about the safety of passengers and those on the ground.

Bill Q, Derby,

I absolutely agree with John. Not only are they putting their aircraft and passengers in severe danger, but also other aicraft and people on the ground. Why the hell are the UK authorities allowing this to continue?

Andrew Corner, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

"English pilots flying to inter-national destinations are learning that English not enough and they need to know the native language of the airport. "
The above just highlights the article's stupidity.

Transport communication needs standardization. Just like electronics communication and medicine!

Shane Warne, Guildford, UK

Presumably British airports would ban any airline that flew with student pilots from Britain. The same should apply if pilots are unable to speak the accepted international language. Lives must take priority over airlines of any country.

Simon Marshland, Bath, UK

Pages 30-31 of the AAIB report describe the errors of the ATC staff, who failed to to provide to the pilots the location of the plane and who "should ...have treated it as though a MAYDAY had been declared". And the captain's English was good enough for another 15.000 hours of his flying

Mariusz Kuklinski, London,

Mr David Learmount is claiming that it would be even more difficult for these pilots to communicate with the French flight controllers. Well...I would dare to say it would have been easier since both sides as non-native speakers would speak slowly and simply.

Pawel, Basingstoke, UK

John Wokin - people of your profile were needed 70 years ago by the third reich. I spent a number of years in RSA, UK, US and other countries experiencing bad English of your compatriots. To understand Scotsmen it is needed to down a bottle of whisky. Do not exaggerate body...

Grzegorz, Warsaw, Poland

Maybe pilots should just be able to speak the same language as the air traffic controllers, it's that or all airports have to employ staff who speak every language!

sam, Woking, UK

Before we judge the pilot, we should have a chance to listen to pilot - controller tapes (that must be kept for specific time) I just can't believe it's just pilot fault (however it's easiest to say)
Remember the Ueberlingen crash? First thing: Russian pilot didn't speak english - which wasn't true

Pete, Warsaw, Poland

"S", UK - It's more irrational that non-English speaking pilots enter British airspace. Alternative communication - flash torches, wave flags, groups of people on the runway creating "pull up you're going to crash" symbols with their bodies? Speaking seems easier.

Anthony, Manchester, UK

A few years back, I fle LOT to Warsaw and could hardly hear, let alone understand the safety instructions from the cabin crew. If English is the International language for pilots, then any pilot arriving in the UK without proper command should also be prevented from piloting out again.

Ron, Milton Keynes, UK

It sounds a bit irrational that people have to lose their jobs and skilled work, just because they are not English. There are hundreds of languages in the world and thats the beauty of diversity. English really doesn't matter. There should be a medium of communication which is not language dependent

S, uk, uk

The great and brave Polish pilots of WW2 would be turning in their graves at this !!!!

ian payne, walsall,

Repeat please....

Not much has changed since 1940 then :)

Bry Barnes, Somerset, Uk

John from Woking is TOTALLY correct. His only fault is that his posting is 100% logical and 100% sensible. Both attributes would disqualify his comments in the eyes of this pathetic government and the spineless C.A.A.

Mike, Balsall Common, England

Of course if English is the international aviation language, then pilots should be able to understand and speak it. But the native speakers in the towers should also be trained how to communicate clearly, precisely and, most importantly, slowly.

Jenny Neumann, Feldkirchen, Germany

John,Woking, Surrey....You are 1000% 'correct'....

Mr Tim, san marcos, U S of A

I would like to hear a tape of the conversation. I know that living in America, I cannot understand Indians speaking English 75% of the time, and I cannot understand Brits about 10% of the time. Maybe he learned English elsewhere than the UK and that lead to the problem. Let's hear the tape.

Chuck Paugh, Portland, OR, USA

So what we are saying is that LOT, the Polish airline, wish to gamble with men,women and childrens lives for a further 3 years whilst they teach their pilots to speak English so they can navigate !!. It is disgusting if the UK authorities do not immediately suspend LOT form flying into UK airspace

John, Woking, Surrey