Wanted: Aviation language translater

[Richard]

There is a flight school in S. FLA looking for an English/Thai translater for scheduled ground schools. The ground is 2 or three times/yr, lasting up to 3 weeks at a time.

I'll search for the link if anyone expresses an interest.

 

[tonycondon]

shouldnt they be looking for an english teacher?

so much for speaks, reads, writes, and understands the english language...

 

[EdFred]

A translator why?
Maybe that flight school, along with a crapload of other ones, need to read the following regulations:

61.83(c)
61.96(b)(2)
61.103(c)
61.123(c)
61.153(b)

Be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English language. If the applicant is unable to meet one of these requirements due to medical reasons, then the Administrator may place such operating limitations on that applicant's pilot certificate as are necessary for the safe operation of the aircraft.

Sorry, but trying to figure out where someone is in the pattern/area shouldn't be like asking the guy selling the Slurpees if they have Whatchamacalits.

 

[KennyFlys]

Aviation is no place for PCBS. I'd like to know what school just to be certain to turn prospective students away from there.

 

[SkyHog]

Wait for it guys, its only a matter of time before the written exams will be required to be administered in multiple languages.

You watch, we made a mistake when we said "They only take the jobs we don't want."

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

Finally, some competition for the high-paying, entry level aviation jobs that America has been trying to monopolize here.

 

[KennyFlys]

I don't think its a competition for jobs here nearly as it is the level of training available in American schools. The school I'm doing my CFI at is linked with a school in India to assist in training.

A friend of mine from India owns a motel in my area (big surprise, I know!). He went back to Bombay over the holidays. He said nearly all of the Indian Air's flight crew were Americans. There's a shortage of airline pilots at overseas locations and many are filled by Americans.

The transcript of Comair 191 indicated discussion of an overseas job. Regardless, if you train here then you should abide by the rules here. That means clearly spoken and written English language. After all, English is the universal language in air traffic control.

 

[gkainz]

I could find some perverse pleasure in quitting my ever-lower-paying IT job to take a flying job with India Air ...

 

[cwyckham]

As Ken mentioned, it's unlikely that they are training for US jobs. If you have a whole class of Thai speakers, they're probably being trained for Thai airline jobs. The US is one of the (if not the) cheapest and least regulated places to fly. Throw in the southern states where year round flying is easy, and a lot of people travel to the US for training. Many of these pilots never even get an FAA license as many schools will offer testing to other standards.

I think it's entirely appropriate to provide training for foreign pilots in their own language. The international ATC language is english, and it's important that they're able to operate on the radio in english. However, you only need to know a fairly limited amount of english to operate effectively in the ATC environment, even in an emergency. It would be far easier for them to learn things like principles of flight in their own language. An excellent compromise might be to teach the ground school in english but to have an interpreter who is conversant in aviation speak as well as english and thai to help explain any words or phrases that the students are having trouble with. This seems to be precisely the approach this school is taking.

 

[KennyFlys]

The international ATC language is English, and it's important that they're able to operate on the radio in English. However, you only need to know a fairly limited amount of English to operate effectively in the ATC environment, even in an emergency.

I don't know. I'm often entertained by how difficult it sometimes is to get a foreign pilot at JFK to read back instructions, particularly mandatory read-back of hold short instructions. Controllers must be pulling their hair out.

 

[cwyckham]

I don't know. I'm often entertained by how difficult it sometimes is to get a foreign pilot at JFK to read back instructions, particularly mandatory read-back of hold short instructions. Controllers must be pulling their hair out.

Yes, certainly you need more than many foreign pilots have, it would seem. Still, you need less english to readback hold short instructions than to explain how a wing develops lift.

Chris

 

[flyersfan31]

Best thing I ever heard on the airwaves was an Air France pilot/FO, not sure which, while I was transiting JFK airspace. A woman, with a French accent, and she sounded as hot as the surface of the sun. Hey, I hate the French as much as the next American, but let me tell you, sultry doesn't begin to describe her voice. ATC communications never sounded so good.

Much better than the Lufthansa/Austrian Air guys - you can almost hear their heels clicking in the background.

I agree that flight instruction should be in the native tongue, so they make darn sure they understand the basics of flight.

 

[KennyFlys]

I've heard some very sweet voices with Comair call signs. Sometimes, you have to wonder how long they've been out of high school. Other times, they sound so nice there will be a male voice that keys up with a one or two-word comment.

Although I've been fooled many times in life by a voice, it's quite rare to happen from a female pilot.