scope:

FOREWORD

Safety experts are constantly seeking to identify means of improving safety in order to reduce the already low accident rates. With mechanical failures featuring less prominently in aircraft accidents, more attention has been focused in recent years on human factors that contribute to accidents. Communication is one human element that is receiving renewed attention.

In 1998, the ICAO Assembly, taking note of several accidents and incidents where the language proficiency of pilots and air traffic controllers were causal or contributory factors, formulated Assembly Resolution A32-16 in which the ICAO Council was urged to direct the Air Navigation Commission to consider, with a high level of priority, the matter of English language proficiency and to complete the task of strengthening the relevant provisions of Annexes 1 and 10, with a view to obligating Contracting States to take steps to ensure that air traffic control personnel and flight crews involved in flight operations in airspace where the use of the English language is required are proficient in conducting and comprehending radiotelephony communications in the English language.

Subsequently, the Air Navigation Commission established the Proficiency Requirements "in Common English Study Group (PRICESG) to assist the Secretariat in carrying out a comprehensive review of the existing provisions concerning all aspects of air-ground and ground-ground voice communications and to develop new provisions as necessary. In March 2003, the Council adopted amendments to Annexes 1, 6, 10, 11, and the PANS-ATM relating to language proficiency in international civil aviation.

In 2004, the first edition of this manual, compiling comprehensive information on a range of aspects related to language proficiency training and testing, was published in order to support States' efforts to comply with the strengthened provisions for language proficiency.

In 2007, the ICAO Assembly adopted Assembly Resolution A36-11, Proficiency in the English language used for radiotelephony communications, which directed the Council to support Contracting States in their implementation of the language proficiency requirements by supporting globally harmonized language testing criteria. "

Over the past several years much activity has been undertaken on a worldwide basis to meet ICAO language profiCiency requirements, including regional initiatives by Eurocontrol, EANPG, ASECNA and COCESNA. Other initiatives include those of numerous airlines and air navigation service providers on all continents to -set up or acquire training and testing programmes. Aircraft and equipment constructors have also assisted their customers in choosing or setting up testing . and training. The language training and testing professions, both commercial and academic, have contributed to the accelerated development of programmes, learning materials and testing services in accordance with ICAO language proficiency requirements. These have most notably emerged from countries where English is the native language . . Finally, professional associations such as ICAEA and JALCO have provided fora for the exchange of information and ideas on implementation.

ICAO has been equally active in supporting States in their implementation of language proficiency requirements. Such efforts include the publication ih June 2009 of ICAO Circular 318 - Language Testing Criteria for Global Harmonization, Circular 323 - Guidelines for Aviation English Training Programmes and a second edition of this manual in 2010.

This second edition has been updated and reorganized into seven chapters and eight appendices, which have been Significantly augmented. Several appendices have been formatted to facilitate the detachment of certain documents (checklists and tips) for reproduction and use as practical tools by stakeholders.

Chapters 1, 2 and 3 introduce the subject of language proficiency and specific features of radiotelephony communications. Chapter 3 is a useful introduction to aviation radiotelephony. for the language training and testing community. While Chapters 1, 2 and 3 are of primary interest to training managers and to training and testing service providers they are also highly recommended reading for State regulators and for operators and air navigation service providers for a full understanding of the implications of the iiTIplementation guidelines in subsequent chapters and for a linguistic perspective on the aviation field.

Chapters 5 to 7 provide guidance on how to achieve compliance with the language proficiency reguirements. Chapters 4 and 5 give the background to the Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) relating to language proficiency and explanations of their meaning and implications. Chapter 6 integrates the material originally published in Circular 318 and, along with Chapter 7, aims to provide practical guidance enabling successful implementation of the SARPs from the points of view of testing and training. These chapters provide information on best practice in all domains and warn against identified pitfalls and substandard practices.

References throughout the document are to "language" proficiency requirements in general regardless of the specific language concerned. While it is understood that proficiency in English will be the major preoccupation in the implementation of the requirements, it is recognized that many States will be concerned with ensuring compliance also for local languages.