English language training is an essential tool for any international business but the aviation industry has special requirements. Safety in the air is of paramount importance, yet few of us give much thought to the intense activity taking place in the cockpit whilst we sip our complimentary cocktails.
Flight plans, clearances, handovers, position reports, weather avoidance, holding and landing instructions are just a few of the routine communication topics that the crew will deal with during the flight. Add to that the pressure of communicating with air traffic control officers (ATCOs) in a foreign language and it all adds up to a pretty stressful experience for your pilot and the first officer.
English is the international language of the air and all international pilots and ATCOs are well versed in the rules governing standard phraseology for radiotelephony, and their understanding of English phrases for routine operations is exceptional.
However, anyone involved in aircraft operations will know that the magical date of March 2008 is the target set for all aircraft operators to achieve the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) minimum standard in English-language proficiency, ie ICAO Level 4 (Operational). The aim of the ICAO initiative is to ensure that, even in exceptional circumstances, air communications are accurate, unambiguous and easily understood by native and non-native speakers alike. The importance of such regulation is clear.
Releasing aviation personnel for language training is difficult at the best of times, so more and more employers are opting for short intensive courses for their employees, such as those conducted by Bournemouth Business School International (BBSI), in England. With knowledgeable and experienced tutors, who fully understand the roles of pilots and ATCOs, BBSI's courses offer intensive general English Language training specifically designed to meet the requirements of the ICAO English-language proficiency specifications.
Those courses include a high proportion of general English language, plus the type of language necessary in controlling routine flight sequences and, importantly, the language necessary to respond to aircraft emergencies and other non-routine situations. To meet the ICAO requirements, the language assessment of aviators at BBSI is conducted by an external CAA and JAA-approved examiner.
