Yes, of course there are plenty of people in spain who speak very good english. Be them translators or whatever that doesn't mean they'll do good as air traffic controllers. Does anybody here know how hard it is to find suitable candidates for training as ATCO's? Well, it's about only 4 out of 100 people tested, actually. And that is AFTER initial screening -I mean screening of their applications and Curriculum Vitae-. And guess how many actually become qualified and left to work: 2.5 out of 100 -averages applicable in europe-. Yes, let's focus on their language skills and that will make everything soooooooo much better. Let's forget the spatial orientation, the multi-tasking skills, the fact that they need to keep it cool and work under strees instead of running like headless chickens and that they need to be team players. Who needs that anyway? -for all of you who don't understand sarcasm all of the last is sarcastic except the succes rates which are very real-.
Now, let's focus again on the thread itself. Given the data, maybe the reporting system in Spain needs improving further. Maybe legislation needs improving further to allow for just reporting culture to set in. Maybe ya'll should be working in learning from each other -step off the cockpits into the towers and viceversa- and talk with "the enemy" instead of bringing working relationships to an even lower by acting childishly and approaching all with a "you're worse" attitude.
And maybe you should treat the language matter differently -some more respect will be appreciated and I really mean that as it may touch our pride in a bad manner and that will only encourage people to continue. It has to do with the way it is said, mind you, I agree that one language will be best. Imagine it being like when controlador told you all to learn spanish. It doesn't feel good, right? Matter of fact, almost any reason why english should be the one language can be used against you. Why not french as single language...or russian...arab anyone? So please treat it as it should be and thank your gods for it being english so far or all of you from the uk and us trying everybody to get what you say in your own language would have to sweat as some others do trying to get by talking something that makes not much sense at all. (living proof is that, me not being that bad with english was once told: "it's a bit black over Bill's mother's"...to mean that a storm was approaching...very standard ain't it?) And please remember that the chicago convention was a treaty signed and agreed to by all parts involved . It is kind of funny to me to see comments like the one from torque saying that controlador has chosen to be and that he should know english. Well, I do not know how old torque is but the picture in Spain has been from allways the same and I imagine torque would have known that he was becoming a pilot and that the situation in Spain was as it is -or did it come as a surprise to you first time you flew?Didn't they tell you at the school that other languages may be heard on the radio?-.
What I'm trying to say is that if you want this to be treated seriously start by treat it seriously yourselves -cut the bashing- and direct it to where it needs to go. Otherwise this would be as much as you'll get.
Safe flying,
A.