KEY POINTS:
Aviation authorities in New Zealand want tighter English language rules for trainee pilots.
That follows growing concern about radio communications by foreign students at uncontrolled airports, where pilots rely on talking to each other to avoid collisions.
The new rules have been put forward by the International Civil Aviation Organisation which said English language problems were a factor in more than 1100 aviation deaths worldwide between 1976 and 2000.
From Wednesday a company working for the CAA will give would-be pilots an aviation-related English test over the phone.
Until now, students were tested by their flight instructor. Students must pass the new test before getting a pilot's licence.
Around 350 overseas pilots are currently training in New Zealand. The CAA said it was aware of "general concerns" with their airmanship.
"This view is under investigation and, if found to be correct, proficiency with English language may prove to be a factor." It said two flying schools were under investigation but would not name them.
New Zealand Aviation Industry Association chief executive Irene King said complaints about the language issue had increased.
"Sometimes it is difficult to understand people at the best of times, let alone on a radio. We are obviously pretty concerned about it. We don't want to discourage foreign pilots from coming here, they are critical to the survival of the industry."
The number of trainee pilots in New Zealand has doubled in the past four years, mainly due to what King described as an "explosive" increase in overseas students from Asia, South America, the Middle East and Europe.
Richard Gates, the chief executive of New Zealand's busiest airport, Ardmore in south Auckland, declined to be interviewed.
In a statement he noted the introduction of the English language test.
Craig Hunter, general manager of Ardmore Flying School which has about 20 foreign students on its books, refuted claims of poor English.
Hunter said some of his overseas students spoke better English than some locals.
"Sometimes people need to get over their middle-class, Anglo-Saxon issues," he said. "We are a multi-cultural society."
Hunter said Ardmore had relatively few foreign students compared to Paraparaumu and Palmerston North, which catered for up to 60.
Several pilots at Ardmore said they were used to foreign students' accents on radio broadcasts and did not consider them a safety risk.
