International Workshop on Language Proficiency

Implementation

Langen, Germany6 -7 September, 2007

ByCaptain Rick Valdes

IFALPA representative to ICAO’s PRICE SG

PRESENTATION OUTLINE

IFALPA’S policy on PRICE Study Group

PRICE Study Group members

ICAO PRICE Study Group mission

Intent of the new Annexes

The English language can be difficult at times….

ICAO document 9835

IFALPA’S POLICY ON PRICE SG

It is essential that pilots are, at all times, fully aware of the situation in the ATC environment. This is, obviously, impossible if communications are being conducted between other aircraft and the ground station(s) in an incomprehensible language.

IFALPA’S POLICY ON PRICE SG

ICAO, in Attachment B to Volume II of Annex 10, acknowledges the need for a universal radiotelephony language and tacitly implies that it will have to be English.

IFALPA’S POLICY ON PRICE SG

IFALPA has no national, ethnic or linguistic bias, but recognizes that if there is to be a single aviation language, this must be from a practical point of view, be English.

PRICE SG MEMBERS

EUROCONTROLIATAICAOIFALPAIFATCANAVCANADAU.K. CAAU.S. FAAARGENTINA, CHINA, FRANCE, JAPAN, RUSSIA, UKRAINE.

ICAO PRICE SG

Established to assist the Secretariat in drafting proposal for the amendment of ICAO provisions relating to English Language proficiency.

Ensure that air traffic control personnel and flight crews, engaged in flight operations in airspace where the use of the English language is required, are proficient in conducting and comprehending communications in the English language.

INTENT OF THE NEW ANNEXES

Strengthen the provisions for the use of English in radiotelephony communications, both in the use of ICAO language phraseologies and when such phraseologies do not apply.

Ensure that pilots and air traffic controllers demonstrate proficiency in English to the level of the proposed ICAO language proficiency requirement.

Assign responsibility to operators and air traffic service providers to ensure that the personnel are proficient in English.

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

March 27, 1977 - Tenerife, Canary Islands PAN-AM/KLM 578 fatalities.

January 25, 1990 - Cove Neck, NY. AVIANCA 73 fatalities.

December 20, 1995 - Buga, Colombia AMERICAN 163 fatalities

The English Language can be difficult at times……..

The English Language can be difficult at times…..

ICAO ACCREDITATION

Presently ICAO has NOaccreditation program in place in order to certify any school training or testing programs.

ICAO DOCUMENT 9835

Is in the process of being revised.

ICAO’S DOCUMENT 9835

Establishes and defines all the language proficiency requirements, holistic descriptors and rating scales

ICAO’S DOCUMENT 9835

Provides guidance in the development, management, design, and administration of licensing tests (initial and recurrent).

ICAO’S DOCUMENT 9835

Establishes qualifications for test development, management, design and administration teams.

ICAO’S DOCUMENT 9835

Test administration team requirements:

Minimum 2 raters.

Interlocutor Expertise (operations).

Interlocutor Expertise (linguistics).

(Interlocutor is a person who takes part in

conversation)

Interlocutor Expertise (Operations)

Working knowledge of the test administration guidelines.

Radiotelephony experience as a flight crew, air traffic controller or aeronautical station operator. Minimum proficiency at ICAO level 5. Successful completion of initial and recurrent interlocutor training.

Interlocutor Expertise (Linguistics)

Working knowledge of test administration guidelines.

Experience or training in aviation language instruction. Minimum proficiency at ICAO level 5. Successful completion of initial and recurrent interlocutor training.

Document 9835 Chapter 6.5

“Best practice would provide a language rater and a pilot to rate the speech of pilots, and a language rater and an operational controller to rate the speech of controllers”.

ICAO PHRASEOLOGY

ICAO PHRASEOLOGY SHOULD BE USED IN THE ENTIRE WORLDWIDE AVIATION COMMUNITY.

INCLUDING, THE USA.

CAUTION!

DO NOT allow your training program to teach how to pass the tests………..

SAFETY, is why the ICAO requirements were created.

Thank you,

Captain Rick Valdes

RV767@AOL.com