Native English speakers and EL2 pilots : an experimental study

Dominique Estival, Brett Molesworth

    Research output: Chapter in Book / Conference PaperChapter

    4 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    This chapter presents the results of the analysis of a set of flight simulator experiments designed to study the complex relations between language background (NES or EL2), flying experience and four conditions under which communication is expected to be more difficult. Following two preliminary studies completed via questionnaires distributed to pilots in the Sydney and Australian Capital Territory (ACT) regions (Estival and Molesworth 2009, 2012), in which we investigated the impact of English as second language on radio communication between native English speaker pilots (NES pilots) and pilots with English as a second language (EL2 pilots) and Air Traffic Controller (ATCs), these flight simulator experiments are part of a larger research programme whose overall goal is to better understand miscommunication in aviation as well as the conditions under which miscommunications and misunderstanding occur in the aviation environment. While the first aim is to investigate the determinants of communication problems specifically with respect to EL2 pilots, the second aim is to research solutions to mitigate the impact of such problems on air safety in order to obviate potentially dangerous situations, e.g. pilots misunderstanding a clearance given to another aircraft as being given to them. This is not a far-fetched scenario, as illustrated by an incident on 18 November 2011, when a China Eastern Airlines Airbus A330-200, with 245 people on board, took off without clearance from Osaka Kansai (Japan) for a flight to Shanghai (China). Following that incident, China Eastern Airlines announced they would improve the English language training of their pilots, prompting speculations about the causes of the misunderstanding.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationAviation English: A Lingua Franca for Pilots and Air Traffic Controllers
    Place of PublicationU.K.
    PublisherRoutledge
    Pages140-181
    Number of pages42
    ISBN (Electronic)9781315661179
    ISBN (Print)9781138022386
    Publication statusPublished - 2016

    Keywords

    • English language
    • aeronautics
    • air pilots
    • air traffic controllers
    • communication
    • technical English
    • terminology

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Native English speakers and EL2 pilots : an experimental study'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this