PEP, Part 3: Flying in a Foreign Language

By LT Randall A. Perkins IV, USN

In “PEP, Parts 1 and 2,” I spoke to the background of the Personnel Exchange Program (PEP), covered the initial requirements for a PEP tour, and introduced the AS-365 Dauphin. In PEP Part 3, we will begin to discuss what it is like to fly and operate in a foreign language. In U.S. Naval Aviation, when a pilot is overwhelmed in the cockpit due to the combination of flying, radio calls, emergency procedures, and/or the mission at hand, we call this a “helmet fire." Often the pilot is being tested, trained, or simply has too much on their plate at that specific moment in time. French Naval Aviation has the same idea, referred to colloquially as "tempête sous un crâne" which literally means “storm in a skull.” Imagine, for a second: you’re a pilot experiencing a case of “helmet fire” and we decide to pour JP-8 on that “helmet fire.” Imagine all of the information that’s burning through your brain being presented to you in French. Now, you’ve got a good initial idea of what piloting in a foreign language can be like.

So far, I have spent approximately eight months operating in a foreign language, day in and day out. From morning squadron meetings to group lunches, from basic radio calls to IFR approaches, and from small talk with French Admirals to ordering a morning baguette. Living in a foreign language, and more so flying in a foreign language, is just as romantic as one might think. But it’s also equally as challenging and frustrating as you could ever guess. English as the Language of the Sky

The rules that establish “English as the language of the sky” for the United States are contained in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations, Title 14 CFR. The publication states that, to hold an FAA certificate as a pilot, engineer, air traffic controller, or UAV remote operator, the applicant must be able to read, write, speak, and understand the English language. The minimum required level of English proficiency, per the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), is referred to as Language Proficiency Operational Level 4. ICAO opted to standardize the language of aviation largely in response to a number of accidents which cited individuals’ lack of English proficiency as a contributing factor. Rules and regulations concerning this standard have developed over time–from ICAO’s inception in 1944, to its March 2003 acceptance of the amendment that established “Level 4” as the minimum acceptable level of English proficiency for those performing flight-related duties. Though English has long been used as the primary language of aviation, a concerted emphasis has been placed on proficiency with the language only since the beginning of the 21sr Century.

So where does English come into play within France?

As France falls under the regulations of the European Aviation Safety Association (EASA), and furthermore, the DGAC (French Civil Aviation Authority), each French Naval Pilot must pass an exam, titled the FLC55, that tests English language proficiency. Pilots continue their practice of English during their initial flight training. Imagine learning how to fly while simultaneously being required to make radio calls in a foreign language!

English is such a large part of French aviation that, inside the building of the French Helicopter Squadron (the 35F), there even exists an English classroom where French aviation maintainers can build their knowledge of the language and eventually pass an English technical aviation exam.

AS-365 Dauphin F post-landing for public static display at “Les Invalides” military museum near the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.

Many U.S. military members (and citizens) might grow up taking a few semesters of Spanish or French in high school, but ultimately fail to reach a level that’s anywhere close to proficiency or fluency in a second language. This is normally a by-product of need. Not only is English the language of the sky; it has also become the unofficial “default” language of the world, thus reducing or eliminating Americans’ need for a second language. When traveling abroad, many of us will fall back on technology to translate, or hope that the person across the counter speaks English. Europeans travel differently. Here, there is a higher chance that, when visiting a neighboring country the “foreigner”–a German traveling to France, for example–might speak a bit of the native tongue due to the countries’ proximity. But there is always a chance that both the German visitor and the French host will need to resort to English to communicate. Here in France, and specifically within a French Naval Aviation unit, the level of English proficiency exhibited by many of the pilots and aircrew has far surpassed my expectations; sometimes, their English language proficiency even rivals that of their native tongue.

High levels of English proficiency are even more thoroughly perceptible amongst the French Navy’s fighter community. Most of these pilots conducted their Advanced training and Carrier Qualifications (CQ) training in the United States, and therefore, their English language base is incredibly strong. This allows for long discussions comparing French and American Naval Aviation, and even the occasional Flora-Bama or Seville Quarter story…

Through growing up flying in two languages, the French Dauphin instructors are usually quite comfortable switching between French and English. Such proficiency allows for the U.S. exchange pilot who took a rapid-fire nine-month French course to ask the occasional question in English if he or she is experiencing a small tempête sous un crâne. While operating at the 35F, French is the default language in and out of the cockpit. However, when dealing with a foreign entity, participating in a joint military exercise, or executing a tactical training event, English becomes the main language. Not only is English the language of the sky and the language of the world, but it also happens to be the language to which we default within our militaries.

French in the Cockpit

While the first part of this piece might imply that knowing the French language in the cockpit isn’t completely necessary, I’m here to tell you that this is the sole barrier between you and your success as an exchange pilot in a foreign country. As I previously stated, English is a requirement for French Naval Aviators, and as dictated by ICAO/EASA, for stations serving an international role. But when you’re flying a native aircraft, and talking to a native controller or flying to a native naval vessel, you’d better believe it’s French all the way. During flight operations, English might be spoken at random times, but 99% of communications (ATIS, taxi/takeoff clearances, arrival/departure instructions, etc.) will be conducted in French.

Since exchange pilots are required to be completely immersed in the language, there exists a Copilot/Aircraft Commander training syllabus that’s conducted completely in French. Once you’ve got your feet under you with the basics, up next is the entirety of a deployment onboard a French Naval vessel, where everything is conducted in the foreign language. While, at times, you can rely on your experience, which will facilitate a general understanding of the flow of each mission, you must essentially start at “ground zero,” re-learning tons of terminology and phraseology. The experience is humbling, trying, and completely eye-opening. It is both the recipe for a Crew Resource Management (CRM) disaster, and at the same time, the perfect developer of CRM and Operational Risk Management (ORM) skills.

As a foreign pilot you can be and will be the limiting factor in the cockpit due to your inability to fully express yourself. The greater your proficiency in the foreign language, the more effectively you can present the real levels of knowledge and experience you’re bringing over from U.S. Naval Aviation. If your proficiency is low, you’re stuck operating at a reduced level of effectiveness. As a pilot with likely hundreds or thousands of flight hours, this can be quite frustrating. If you happen to forget the word for “rescue hoist” or “survivor,” or are unable to make a radio call correctly, you can certainly create a CRM barrier. More often, however, these circumstances will spark a

A 4-aircraft formation flight of 2xAS565 Panthers & 2xAS365 Dauphins as the 35F reprised their role of coastal SAR for the south of France.

sense of self-frustration as you are challenged with tasks that once seemed so simple in your native tongue. To avoid such situations, it is necessary to brief phraseology and vocabulary, chair-flying the event beforehand in order to reduce risk, implement controls, and ensure everyone understands their in-flight responsibilities. Your situational awareness needs to be on high alert because you’ll often fail to understand a radio call or the next procedural step as briefed in flight by the aircraft commander. This will often be followed by a test of your communication skills as you create, generate, and correctly order the words of a question to your aircraft commander in the foreign language. This internal process obviously detracts from your ability to perform in the moment.

The brainpower requirement for thinking and piloting in a foreign language is an order of magnitude higher than piloting in your native tongue. The potential inability to express your desires will leave you frustrated and beaten down. Whether you’re experiencing a misunderstanding on the radio or difficulty stating that the landing gear is down and locked, you must be comfortable with the uncomfortable. You will be wrong often, and you will be corrected often. At some point, it won’t faze you. It is at that point–the point at which you can simply accept correction or criticism without emotion–where you can and will succeed.

Obviously there are comical moments that occur while your comprehension of the foreign language is still developing. For instance: the French words for “above” and “below” (dessus and dessous) sound nearly identical to the American ear. This can lead to problems if your aircrew member is trying to tell you that you are too low with a VERTREP load, or too high during a hoisting evolution.

Another example: imagine you’re conducting a night hoisting flight. The aircraft is coupled up at 60 feet, and the aircrew member asks you to “come right two” (a droite deux). Well, the word for two (deux) and the word for soft (doux), again, have similar pronunciations. And if no unit of measure is used…well, you can expect that exchange pilot to continue going right until someone asks him what the hell he’s doing!

The most dangerous aspect of flying in a foreign language is handling emergency procedures (EPs). Whether it be an EP training flight or a real-life EP, your knowledge of the foreign language is crucial. You must be clear and succinct with your commands and/or questions. This isn’t always easy, as your brain will likely need to go through a translation process before you can say exactly what you mean. Giving an order in French while handling an actual EP is done in the imperative tense, while when simulating an EP, you’ll utilize the conditional or past conditional tense (discussing what you would do, or would have done). Each of these tenses requires a different grammatical structure, conjugation, and pronunciation. Do you think about what grammar tense you need to use when speaking in English in the cockpit? You probably don’t. Knowledge of how to utilize the foreign language can either be a CRM barrier, or a path to success.

French on the Boat

Embarking and deploying in a foreign language is a world of its own. The immersion is fantastic for a person’s development of foreign language proficiency. Additionally, and specifically on the French aircraft carrier R91 Charles de Gaulle (“CDG”), it is a chance to interact with fellow Englishspeaking comrades. Onboard CDG there are normally four English speaking naval officers–a Navy O-5 serving on the Admiral’s staff, an arresting gear officer, an NFO with the E-2C unit onboard, and the helicopter pilot of the 35F. In addition, on the Admiral’s staff there can be several other foreign English-speaking officers. Their presence can be a welcome reprieve from the French language, and also an opportunity to compare experiences.

Coming from U.S. Naval Aviation with a deployment or two under your belt, you understand how “boat life” functions. But again, your experience or “know how” is often held back on a French vessel, as you must rediscover the terminology and flow to each flight evolution. Every interaction you have–from receiving a weather brief, to creating the flight schedule, to asking for directions to the gym–will occur in a foreign language. This will force your skill with the language to grow out of necessity. You need it in order to not only live your everyday life, but also to succeed and perform.

As always, I hope “PEP, Part 3,” has given you a deeper understanding and insight into the world of PEP. If any other PEP aviators have corrections, additions, or questions, please contact me at randyperkinsIV@gmail.com.

Dauphin F landing at sunset on the French Aircraft Carrier “Charles de Gaulle”.