Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons^™

Native Language Effects On Flight Training Performance, Robert Fowler Jr, Daniel Siao

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Several high-profile commercial aviation accidents in the past that were caused in part by inadequate English language proficiency confirmed the importance of clear and concise communication between air traffic controllers and pilots. Although the connection between English language proficiency and aviation safety has been well established, there has been very little research concerning the relationship between English language proficiency and flight training performance. Thousands of international students who are not native speakers of the English language come to the United States and Canada for ab initio flight training every year. While the ability to communicate with air traffic controllers is …