Use of Second Language and Aviation Safety 0
Title: Use of Second Language and Aviation Safety: Analysis of Fatal Miscommunication and
Attempts for Prevention
Abstract
This paper critically analyzes the use of English as a second language in the field of aviation.
International air traffic has played an important role in the recent globalization. Many pilots
and air-traffic controllers whose native languages are not English are important part of it. As
the common communicative tool, English proficiency is a crucial prerequisite for them to
participate in the field. However, fatal accidents due to miscommunication involving limited
English proficiency have still occurred. The paper first reviews some salient aviation
accidents to critically analyze how communication breakdowns occurred in non-native-
English-speaking environment. It then introduces some attempts to avoid such
communication breakdowns and analyzes limitations of those attempts. Finally, the paper
proposes few suggestions for the non-native English-speaking aviation personnel to achieve a
safer environment.