Background
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has introduced language proficiency requirements for air traffic controllers and pilots with the intent of improving the level of language proficiency in aviation around the globe and reducing the frequency of communication errors.
Historically, insufficient English language proficiency on the part of the flight crew or the controller has contributed to a number of accidents and serious incidents.
The Language Proficiency requirements apply to all international air traffic communicators in the civil sector should they be native English speakers or non-native English speakers.
The advantages of an elevated international standard of aviation English are:
- Improved communicative understanding of all parties.
- Non-standard phraseology is less likely to cause confusion.
- Increased situational awareness of flight crews in relation to other aircraft, both in the air and on the ground.
- A higher standard of communication internationally.
- A broader range of English comprehensions by flight crews in their profession
Last updated: 2019/10/28 18:41