The word “foreign” will have a meaning all the time there are national frontiers e.g. all the time Germany is one country and France is another country.
It may not be the most polite choice but you know me 
As regards fields with volunteers, I would think none of them can accept international traffic (no Customs and no Immigration – not even on a PNR) so it’s not an issue. There is not ever a suggestion that some little grass strip needs an English speaking “controller”.
As regards fields with volunteers, I would think none of them can accept international traffic (no Customs and no Immigration – not even on a PNR) so it’s not an issue.
Well, the vast majority of Europeans are both Schengen and EU so that is really only an issue for a very small percentage of the community… which is why more and more airfields in France, Germany and elsewhere are pulling customs/immigration status. I know several airfields with neither customs nor immigration but a lot of foreign language traffic.
Jan Olieslagers: why not fly to The Netherlands? We only speak English on the radio. No Dutch.
To be able to arrive late at night at Lyon-Bron, I HAVE to speak French on the radio. So, I learned some French words, enough to inform other pilots around me (who?) that I am on final runway x or vacated the runway. Since I have done that I have had no trouble getting in. The funny thing is that you are in contact with the controller of Lyon-Exupery until established on final. He even confirms that there is no other traffic. To turn on the runway lights you need to tune in to the tower frequency of Lyon-Bron. After landing and vacating the runway I usually can contact the controller again of the larger Exupery airport and ask him to close my flight plan (which I also do in the flight plan app by sending an arrival message). There is no danger of meeting pilots speaking only French near the airport and even in those cases there is always the English speaking controller of Exupery nearby. Just the demand that I have to speak French to land there late at night will not stop me from going there.
Well, the vast majority of Europeans are both Schengen and EU so that is really only an issue for a very small percentage of the community… which is why more and more airfields in France, Germany and elsewhere are pulling customs/immigration status.
That’s true, but what is the solution?
Aviation is international, the Schengen concession pretends that Europe is one unified country, but Europe is absolutely not one country, language-wise, culturally, etc and never will be. Not in 1000 years.
There is a big situational awareness benefit in speaking a common language, and learning stock phrases in the local language, with no ability to understand the same language if somebody calls you back, is almost useless. I cannot speak one word of French (despite doing it for 3 years at school) but could learn the required phrases. Or could set up a mobile phone to inject recorded versions into the intercom when a button labelled “G-ABCD downwind” is pressed – hey there’s an idea for an iphone app 
Jan Olieslagers: why not fly to The Netherlands? We only speak English on the radio.
Hm. English? Kind of… Please excuse my continued chuckle at “see-row” to mean zero… but that is of course secondary. Not even mentioning the “Cheese Us” I acquired from a couple of Dutchmen I once shared an office with. Nice chaps, though, sure enough. And, no, R/T is not my issue, not at all.
I thought my prime reasons for avoiding Dutch airspace had been sufficiently vented: legal requirement for a mode S-transponder above 1200’, legal requirement for an ELT, very high landing fees at most fields, MoGas availability very limited. Netherlands is not impossible, but there are other countries nearby where flying is so very much easier AND more enjoyable AND more affordable. I carry neither ELT nor transponder, yet can legally fly into Germany and France – what is Holland to me, aviationwise?
Aviation is international
A small portion of it, especially the French seem to be totally happy doing traffic patterns at their local field and from time to time visiting a neighboring airfield. I haven’t met a lot of French pilots who have ever crossed the border in a GA aircraft.
Obviously a Belgian pilot will have a different attitude, not only because going abroad is like a bigger traffic pattern to them. Still using GA to go to smaller airfields abroad is a tiny fraction of the private (= recreational) aviation scene.
How difficult is it to get a language endorsement to use French airfields – or others for that matter? Is the required level equivalent to GCSE, A-level, university, or just a matter of learning a few stock phrases?
specially the French seem to be totally happy doing traffic patterns at their local field and from time to time visiting a neighboring airfield
Didn’t they have a national license that only allowed you to fly in the immediate vicinity of the airfield?
I don’t think you need to get a language endorsement to land at “French only” airfields. You need to speak French. In any case, I don’t have the endorsement and I do speak the few phrases and land there. When racing in the Coupe Breitling race, we have Belgian teammembers who do not have French language endorsements. Our teammembers are accepted and the whole Coupe Breitling race is surrounded by aviation officials to check everything.
Until today, there is no evidence that one would need a language endorsement other than English to land at a FR only airfield. Apart from the endorsement, French language skills are obviously required but no endorsement in the license.
Everybody claiming otherwise has so far failed to provide evidence… this FR language endorsement appears to be a myth.
