I believe the Standard for ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization)
is SI, with exemptions for places like the US and of course feet for
altitude, but reading the documentation (which I've not done for a while)
seems to state a long term preference for SI in everything while trying to
make everything harmonious. Aviation is one of the true international jobs,
you can end up in every country on the planet while staying in the same
"office". So keeping things standard is important. It's a pity the US FAA
does not change altimeter settings to hPa, that would get rid of inches.
After all it's only a number in a dial, all the synoptic (weather) charts
have hPa anyway, not an inch in sight.
Michael Payne
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ezra Steinberg" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, 05 March 2008 09:19
Subject: [USMA:40505] International civil aviation authority new rules on
English competence come into forceI
I just heard on the BBC radio that new rules come into force this week from
the international civil aviation authority requiring all airline and ground
personnel have sufficient competence in the English language to communicate.
More traffic and more international encounters and the increased risk for
accidents or problems are behind this move.
Hmmmm .... wouldn't it also be appropriate, if international air operations
are standardizing on English, that they should also standardize on the one
international standard for measurement, the metric system (SI)?
I wonder if there's a way to make that argument with that organization.
Cheers,
Ezra
