Wondering if you need an
ICAO English level 6?
Ask this question to any recruiter and airline pilot you can talk to.
Meanwhile, here is what we believe.
Ask this question to any recruiter and airline pilot you can talk to.
Meanwhile, here is what we believe.
Flying an airline aircraft is a team effort, completed between two pilots in constant communication with ATC, their flight attendants, etc.
Therefore, without excellent communication it is not possible to fly.
Proper communication and safety go hand in hand. It is essential to avoid misunderstandings, which in an increasingly globalized profession, with pilots and controllers from all over the world, it means being able to communicate effectively in English.
Beyond misunderstandings, as a pilot there are moments of high workload, requiring your full attention and skill, in which you simply cannot be thinking about the right way to communicate in English. It must be natural and effortless so that all your attention is focused on making the right decisions in the right moment.
Airlines are well aware of this, making a perfect English level a more and more critical factor in their recruitment processes.
Mastering the English language is the single most important competency you need as a pilot.
Whether you are trying to get an ICAO level 4 or an ICAO level 6, the ICAO English language proficiency test is another process we have to go through on our way to becoming airline pilots.
It is a test of English for aviation which is needed for international pilots and controllers.
While most of us have to do this exam, it is quite hard to find information about it, so in this article we are going to try and explain and summarize the structure of the exam together with some tips to increase our ICAO level with the skills we have.
The structure of the test can vary slightly from center to center, but they all must comply with certain requirements, guaranteeing an equal opportunity for everyone. These requirements include:
The examiner asks the candidate about his professional experience. Some of these questions can be:
During the test, several pictures will be shown for the candidate to describe with as much detail as possible. They can show routine or emergency situations. The examiner can ask some follow up questions on the topic of the picture.
This part of the test can be divided into two parts:
Evaluation of pronunciation, accent, rhythm and intonation. While the influence of our mother tongue does not necessarily influence our mark, it is important that it doesn’t alter the meaning of words.
Control of grammatical structures and sentence patterns. The higher the complexity, the better the mark.
Variety and precision of the words we use. Vocabulary is idiomatic, nuanced and sensitive to register.
Speaking with natural and effortless flow, using connectors and discourse markers, and avoiding fillers.
Understanding of what a speaker intends in general or details of the information.
How well we respond in a conversation. It is better to ask for clarification than to be unsure of what is being talked about.
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It is important to note that your final mark will be the lowest out of the six skills that are evaluated. For example, if we get a level 5 in all skills except for comprehension, in which we get a 4, your final mark will be a 4. Therefore, we must prioritize working on your weaker skills.
Depending on your mark, your language proficiency will be valid for a certain period of time:
Any mark under 4 is not valid to fly in areas where English is used for radiotelephony communications.
There are many ways to improve your English, and many of them can be done cheaply on your own: watching movies, reading books, listening to podcasts, and even sharing a meal with English speaking friends, especially if they are so kind as to give you a little correction every now and then.
Using such opportunities as much as possible is the best way to complement your specific Aviation English training, allowing you to boost your learning at a reduced training cost.
Our courses are designed for commercial pilots and air traffic controllers that want to study English, upgrade their level and meet the ICAO requirements for an advanced standard. It will also allow you to achieve the best English interview preparation.
Our courses run in small groups to create a more personalized learning experience and to guarantee that safety requirements are always met.
Would you risk to apply for the official ICAO Language Proficiency Test without knowing which skills are you missing to get your ICAO 6 level?
because whatever your level is now,
These classes helped me to expand my knowledge about the specifics in aviation English needed to pass the ICAO exam and to overall gain more confidence with the language.
Even if you already have a good level you will probably find it useful to polish your skills and be able to learn some helpful tips and vocabulary for the exam. The friendly atmosphere makes it easy to communicate openly and learn from your mistakes without feeling judged.
Robin was very thorough with the content and always tried to ensure the concepts were well understood and any doubts answered before moving on. The weekly one hour classes were friendly and student oriented, making it easy for everyone to participate. The digital book and audios provided can be used to study outside the classroom and further work on your English.