Us air carrier first officer complains of using french for ATC communications in parts of canada and...

Attributes
ACN	142041
Time
Date	199004
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : yul
State Reference	PQ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : czul
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : czul
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 6300 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	142041
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

You mentioned you wanted international comments. Both in parts of canada and in france the controllers regularly speak french to french speaking carriers. They do this in all areas of flight (taxi, takeoff, cruise, approach etc). In bad WX and/or overseas when you are unsure of routines, vors, etc, it is very disturbing. Much is gained by hearing clrncs given to other aircraft, not only in knowing what to expect, but to be able at times to verify that you are preceding as you thought cleared.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: U.S. ACR FO COMPLAINS OF USING FRENCH FOR ATC COMS IN PARTS OF CANADA AND FRANCE.

Narrative: YOU MENTIONED YOU WANTED INTL COMMENTS. BOTH IN PARTS OF CANADA AND IN FRANCE THE CTLRS REGULARLY SPEAK FRENCH TO FRENCH SPEAKING CARRIERS. THEY DO THIS IN ALL AREAS OF FLT (TAXI, TKOF, CRUISE, APCH ETC). IN BAD WX AND/OR OVERSEAS WHEN YOU ARE UNSURE OF ROUTINES, VORS, ETC, IT IS VERY DISTURBING. MUCH IS GAINED BY HEARING CLRNCS GIVEN TO OTHER ACFT, NOT ONLY IN KNOWING WHAT TO EXPECT, BUT TO BE ABLE AT TIMES TO VERIFY THAT YOU ARE PRECEDING AS YOU THOUGHT CLRED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Us air carrier first officer complains of using french for ATC communications in parts of canada and france.