arrogance
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 205
Likes: 0
From: northants
most of whom can't accept that this is a part of Britain where the first language is not English.
So the main language in Wales is English, and the minority speak Welsh.
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
From: Yorkshire
I plan to meet up with friends at Quiberon airfield in June. I've read all the posts and I know that Quiberon's AFIS has the notation (FR) on the airfield chart. I know and respect that I should speak French to visit this airfield but all the warnings are not to try and get by with poor schoolboy french and a brush up of RT phrases. I'm not arrogant about speaking english - just sadly incompetent in french.
So, if I take the info as it stands I can't visit this airfield. My friends are staying at the hotel on the airfield boundary and there isn't an alternative airfield.
Quiberon seems to have accommodated several large fly-ins with visitors from all over Europe so it's a bit hard to believe that all the visiting pilots were proficient in french R/T.
Do I stay away and cancel the whole trip or is English tolerated in practice? I've emailed the airfield to ask if I'm welcome but no reply as yet.
Any advice, particularly from anyone who has visited this airfield, would be very much appreciated.
So, if I take the info as it stands I can't visit this airfield. My friends are staying at the hotel on the airfield boundary and there isn't an alternative airfield.
Quiberon seems to have accommodated several large fly-ins with visitors from all over Europe so it's a bit hard to believe that all the visiting pilots were proficient in french R/T.
Do I stay away and cancel the whole trip or is English tolerated in practice? I've emailed the airfield to ask if I'm welcome but no reply as yet.
Any advice, particularly from anyone who has visited this airfield, would be very much appreciated.
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 170
Likes: 0
From: Dorking, England
Hi, flew into Quiberon last summer as part of a Cabair trip. AFIS happily spoke English to us and were very helpful
It's a beautiful location - just watch out for the numerous parachutists and jump planes!
It's a beautiful location - just watch out for the numerous parachutists and jump planes!
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,102
Likes: 0
From: E Anglia
I've had a couple of trips into Quiberon over the years: Always been able to speak English in the circuit.
Interestingly when I googled their website, there has been a subtle change of name of the aeroclub and the website revision dated 2009 no longer has anEnglish or German translation which I am sure there were before.
Menacing sign of the times?
PS While you're there a quick nip across the water to La Baule is a worthwhile trip.
Cusco
Interestingly when I googled their website, there has been a subtle change of name of the aeroclub and the website revision dated 2009 no longer has anEnglish or German translation which I am sure there were before.
Menacing sign of the times?
PS While you're there a quick nip across the water to La Baule is a worthwhile trip.
Cusco
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 647
Likes: 0
From: Brussels - Twin Comanche PA39 - KA C90B
France is a beautiful country, to bad they have the French living in there.
Learn a second language, basic pillow talk English is not that difficult. 40% of the Belgium's are French, most of them refuse to speak another language, and especially not Flemish who is spoken by the majority of the country, not even our Queen find it needed to speak a few words in Flemish. It has something to do with the 'laziness of the French'. Why do we Flemish people speak 4 and most French only 1 ? Get over with it. The world has changed, people speak English in international affairs, not French. Having a local rule that makes airports French speaking only in 2010 is beyond decency and as you stated yourself, safety limits.
Not only the Brits speak English on their RT. If the French are really concerned about the safety aspect they would do like almost everybody in the world does: speak English while radio communicating in the air.
It's not the British arrogance, it's the French arrogance.
Learn a second language, basic pillow talk English is not that difficult. 40% of the Belgium's are French, most of them refuse to speak another language, and especially not Flemish who is spoken by the majority of the country, not even our Queen find it needed to speak a few words in Flemish. It has something to do with the 'laziness of the French'. Why do we Flemish people speak 4 and most French only 1 ? Get over with it. The world has changed, people speak English in international affairs, not French. Having a local rule that makes airports French speaking only in 2010 is beyond decency and as you stated yourself, safety limits.
Not only the Brits speak English on their RT. If the French are really concerned about the safety aspect they would do like almost everybody in the world does: speak English while radio communicating in the air.
It's not the British arrogance, it's the French arrogance.
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 10,804
Likes: 1
Its dead easy to get the french to speak english.....
Just start the conversation in German and they very quickly swap to English and by then they have played there cards and can't then play the I can't speak english pish they so love to do.
Just start the conversation in German and they very quickly swap to English and by then they have played there cards and can't then play the I can't speak english pish they so love to do.
