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[–] 5 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

For handling international traffic under ICAO rules, ATC is indeed supposed to be done in English.

But if we take a look at some of the terminology in aviation, the French words cannot be ignored. Mayday and pan-pan are from the French venez m'aider and panne.

When radio silence is required, a station might command "SEE-LONCE" but this comes from the French word for silence. Though I think this is a rarity in aviation.

And then outside of aviation radio, the French left their mark on aircraft parts names: fuselage, empennage, aileron.

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