Do you speak English? Que? - Curt Lewis

Pilots' poor English risks 'serious accident' in UK skies, warns CAA

The poor English of some pilots operating in the skies above the UK is increasing the risk of an air disaster, a study has found.

The investigation carried out on behalf of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) found there were hundreds of incidents of miscommunication involving commercial aircraft in UK airspace over an 18-month period.

In one incident, a pilot taxied on to a runway at a Midlands airport without permission.

Another mid-air event involved confusion over left and right on an approach to Manchester Airport.

The authority commissioned the independent review to assess whether there were any dangers from these incidents.

It identified that there is a risk of "serious" accidents at home and abroad.

A total of 267 incidents that required reporting, called mandatory occurrence reports (MOR), were based on language problems during the period under examination.

The report said that cheating in exams, corruption and inadequate testing was partly to blame.

It said: "For the safety of the UK travelling public, it is imperative that all pilots and controllers working in international aviation have the proficiency to communicate clearly and succinctly in all situations, routine and non-routine.

"Language-related miscommunication, including lack of ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) proficiency standards, certainly has the potential to be the cause of serious incidents or even accidents.

"Several MOR that reported language-related miscommunication had the potential to develop into serious incidents or accidents."

To work in international civil aviation, pilots and controllers are required to gain a Level 4 qualification in English from the ICAO.

But the report said it found there were enough non-UK pilots and controllers with below-standard English skills to give "grounds to suspect cheating on aviation English exams".

In one country, candidates who started with no English skills received their certificates after 10 days' tuition - an "impossible" feat, according to one of the report's contributors.

The report's author, consultant linguist Dr Barbara Clark, recommended increasing spot checks, improving the reporting of incidents where language was an issue and a crackdown on cheats.

A CAA spokesman said it was discussing the findings with the UK's Department for Transport, adding: "We will be studying this research and will work with ICAO, other international regulators and the wider aviation industry on any actions that can help (to) enhance safety."