Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance
Human Factors
The C172 made initial contact 1/2 mile west of the airport at 1;200 FT. Contact is supposed to be made prior to entering Class D airspace. Pilot's response to informing him of such was that 'there were clouds'. Only about 60% of what the pilot says could be understood. I was already working one of his buddies from the same flight school; who called me saying he didn't see the airport. When questioned how he was navigating to the airport; he replied he did not see the airport. I reworded the question to which he replied he had followed a Highway Interstate which at its closest is 4 1/2 miles from the airport. I had issued a suggested heading to assist him in visually acquiring the airport. After initial contact with the C172; I had to immediately call traffic because he was headed right at the other aircraft. He claimed he saw the traffic. I then issued traffic to the aircraft and got the response that he did not see the traffic because he was in a cloud. I managed to get them both on the ground alive and only had to coax one of them to exit the runway after landing roll out as he was quite content to just sit there on the runway. They both taxied back to the runway to re-terrorize the skies on their way back to the other airport despite them both blaming clouds on their pitiful performance. Both were instructed to 'fly straight-out ' when cleared for take off. Neither one followed this instruction either and ended up being a hazard to aircraft in the pattern on the parallel runway. Once again the excuse given for not following instructions was that there were clouds in the sky. The C172 apologized over and over in order to use that as his 'get out of jail free card'. Recommendation; there must be some sort of standard of competence established when it comes to using the ENGLISH language while operating a flying machine. Also; these flight schools need to quit sending out their incredibly incompetent students on solo flights when they are not ready to do so. I'm sick and tired of dealing with these situations every day of every week! The FAA harps continually on how imperative it is to have clear communication in our line of business.....well I agree.....so let's see some action on the issue and get this incessant problem resolved!
Local Controller described two very confused pilots from a near by flight school that were having extreme difficult locating the landing airport as well as other language difficulties; the reporter frustrated with FAA's lack of language oversight.