Yep, the main language in the air is english. However, when you're on the ground and talking to the refueller, to ops, to crewing, it most certainly isn't.
I was recently on a course. 8 of us were there. There was only 1 Englishman amongst the group. There was a Kiwi, Aussie, a Frenchman, a Portuguese bloke, a Dutchman and 2 Germans. The only people that spoke one language was the ones with the Anglo-Saxon heritage. Personally, I was embarrassed about my lack of foreign language skills.
It is expected that foreign types who come to Britain should learn English. Why can't the European folk expect British/American/Australian to learn the language of that land?
If you don't have language skills, you'd better have something else that they want to make up for that shortfall.
It is harsh world out there. Even being fluent in a language doesn't make it easy to live in a foreign land.
If you have an EU passport then you can work and live where you like. If part of that means you should have a knowledge of another language then so be it.
Last edited by redsnail; 8th Apr 2004 at 23:02.