WHD,
Be glad to help with anecdotes and tales of frustration and woe. Finished working last september for a co. in Melb which dealt exclusively with Students from a particular country.
Needless to say the standard of English Language was appalling on the whole. Remember in a CPL theory course watching a student cirlcle the word "reduce" and look it up in the dictionary. He had GFPT and 5 hrs xc PIC.
The clipped callsign was a classic trademark too. Any instruction from another a/c or out of the ordinary was replied with callsign, understood or not.
In reply to the authorities' revenue issue you raised - definitely!
The other aspect vaguely related is the fact that many kids who come out here (not airline cadets, but the self sponsored (read parents) ) are just here for a holiday and think that it is a big joke. Not to mention the fact that one or two were completely hopeless - just rich parents.
One tale to show this. Student flying from Moorabbin to Leongatha. ends up flying out over the water, heading for tassie. many many miles offshore he is still studying the map, thinking bass straight is westernport bay.
I'll participate in the research, however I'll be emailess in a couple of weeks
