The importance of speaking English and other languages in aviation

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Since 1944, when it was chosen as the official language in aviation at the Chicago Convention, English is the language used in international flights for all communications between Flight crew and ground services (ramp, coordinators, tower) as well as with the cabin staff, in those airlines with crew of different nationalities.

Is it mandatory to speak English to be an airplane pilot?

Being an airplane pilot involves coordinating a work team in such a very complex operation as it is the execution of a flight. Whether you are a private pilot or fly in an airline plane, a clear communication between all parties involved is essential to ensure the operation is carried out safely.

Sometimes, besides the communication with ground services and tower controllers, which in international flights will always be in aeronautical English, within the flight crew may coexist different mother tongues. That is why it is so important for a plane pilot to speak different languages and, more specifically, the English language.

Speaking English for a pilot is not a luxury but a necessity as it is a key requirement to access this demanding and specialized labour market. Having a good English level is essential for a pilot’s work for different reasons:

For a successful execution of the flight – in both airport and flight operations, the pilots as well as controllers and ground personnel involved need to have an aeronautical vocabulary so technical and specific that, with its phonetic alphabet and its particular terms and phrases, facilitates communications regardless the interlocutor’s nationality .
Procedures manuals will be easily understood – as English is both the international as well as the aeronautical language, airlines checklists and procedures manuals are edited in this language. Likewise, the phrases to be said to confirm a procedure and/or announce an emergency, which are called “call-outs”, must be spoken in English.
Need to handle different “interfaces” – The aircraft cockpit databases are also in English and are subject to constant updates and changes that need to be quickly familiarized with.
Passengers will follow the instructions – in case of an emergency, being fluent in the international language will allow people on board to understand the instructions they must follow, what increases the chances of the incident being solved in a safe way.
Passengers will feel understood – speaking in a language that almost everyone understands, will help to maintain a relaxed atmosphere in case of delays, missed connections or simple landing waits. The explanations of the pilot in command in a common language for all make the passengers feel that, despite what may be happening, their situation is taken into account and, in consequence, they empathize with the crew as they understand that they are doing their best to get everyone to their destination safe and sound.

Thus, misunderstandings and language barriers can lead to errors that have a negative impact on flight safety. For this reason, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) requires an aeronautical language proficiency test to ensure that this sector personnel have a significant level of English, especially pilots and air traffic controllers operating and servicing international flights.

What is the language proficiency test like?

Although the English language was selected as the official language of aviation at the 1944 Chicago Convention, it was not until 1998 that ICAO established different levels of proficiency, and it would be still ten years before a language proficiency test should be created as a basic requirement for pilots and air traffic controllers.

This ICAO Examination is based on an established level scale ranging from 1 to 6. The minimum level accepted by ICAO for pilots and controllers is 4. The test evaluates reading comprehension, ability to understand an audio and ability to speak as well as pronunciation, phrases structure, vocabulary and fluency.

ICAO’s scale in English linguistic competence:

LEVEL	PRONUNCIATION	STRUCTURE	VOCABULARY	FLUENCY	COMPREHENSION	INTERACTION
6 – Expert	Easily understood in any situation.	Mastery in grammar and sentences.	Large and precise vocabulary to talk about any topic.	Can talk with no effort.	Understands in any lingüistic and cultural context.	Easy interaction in any situation.
5 – Extensive	Easily understood in most situations.	Mastery in grammar and sentences, with occasional meaning mistakes.	Amount of words and sentences large enough to communicate with success.	Can talk easily with occasional fluency interruptions.	Understands mainly in work contexts.	Appropriate answers. Informative tone. Handles well the relation speaker/listener.
4 – Operational	Not so clear due to mother tongue accent but generally understood.	Basic grammar. Mistakes exist but do not affect meaning.	Enough vocabulary to communicate effectively.	Occasional fluency losses but effective communication	Understands in work context, depending on the accent. Could need clarification.	Appropriate answers, in general. Can keep a conversation. Needs clarification or confirm information, sometimes.

The validity of the test depends on the level acquired. Applicants whose mother tongue is English or who achieve a level 6, will not need to be re-evaluated; those who reach level 5 will pass the test every five years while those who get level 4 will have to pass it every three years.

In Spain, the State Aviation Safety Agency (AESA) is responsible for approving the evaluating centres where the Aeronautical English Examination can be taken. World Aviation Flight Academy has agreements with some of them to take this ICAO Exam. If you are interested, click here >

Specific Aeronautical English Course

Operational safety is the number one priority in aviation, that’s why an effective communication is vital. Any misunderstanding, however small, can affect air operations and cause serious consequences. The requirement of a minimum English level adds an extra layer of safety, shortening the margins of error. Therefore, it is necessary to master aeronautical English so that, with its particular vocabulary and phonetic alphabet, facilitates understanding between pilots and air traffic controllers.

In this sense, ICAO has specific trainings such as AELTS – Aviation English Language Test Service; ELPAC – English Language Proficiency for Aeronautical Communications or RSST – Rated Speech Samples Training Aid- among others, to help professionals in the sector to prepare the language proficiency test they must pass to become an airline pilot, in this case. Taking one of these Aeronautical English courses can be the perfect complement to the ATPL Frozen Airline Transport Pilot course if your English at a technical level is not yet good enough to pass the ICAO EXAM.

Conclusion

Having a good English level in the aeronautical context is vital for pilots in order to maintain a clear and concise communication with air traffic control services, with no place for misunderstanding and, thus, keep air transport accident-free.

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