English for Pilots in Buenos Aires - Part 2

Aviation's Lingua Franca

English, for now, is the language of international aviation.

Thus, pilots, airline flight crews, and air traffic controllers are obligated by international norms to show a measurable proficiency in the English language.

If you currently work or want a career in the aviation industry, you need to pay attention to these guidelines.

ICAO English Language Criteria

According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a Level 4 competence must be achieved.

A pilot, flight crew member, and air traffic controller must meet the following criteria:

Pronunciation:
(Assumes a dialect and/or accent intelligible to the aeronautical community.)

Pronunciation, stress, rhythm, and intonation are influenced by the first language or regional variation but only sometimes interfere with ease of understanding.

Structure:
(Relevant grammatical structures and sentence patterns are determined by language functions appropriate to the task.)

Basic grammatical structures and sentence patterns are used creatively and are usually well controlled. Errors may occur, particularly in unusual or unexpected circumstances, but rarely interfere with meaning.

Vocabulary:

Vocabulary range and accuracy are usually sufficient to communicate effectively on common, concrete, and work-related topics. Can often paraphrase successfully when lacking vocabulary in unusual or unexpected circumstances.

Fluency:

Produces stretches of language at an appropriate tempo. There may be occasional loss of fluency on transition from rehearsed or formulaic speech to spontaneous interaction, but this does not prevent effective communication. Can make limited use of discourse markers or connectors. Fillers are not distracting.

Comprehension:

Comprehension is mostly accurate on common, concrete, and work-related topics when the accent or variety used is sufficiently intelligible for an international community of users. When the speaker is confronted with a linguistic or situational complication or an unexpected turn of events, comprehension may be slower or require clarification strategies.

Interactions:

Responses are usually immediate, appropriate, and informative. Initiates and maintains exchanges even when dealing with an unexpected turn of events. Deals adequately with apparent misunderstandings by checking, confirming, or clarifying.

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In Buenos Aires, contact Professor Winn directly for your own English classes at: 1160 461 342 or mrenglish101 (at) gmail.com. Translations (Es/Fr/Pt >En) via email may also be sent to the gmail account for prompt evaluation.

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