| All international aircraft operators, | | | | their everyday roles. In a short |
| whether pilots or air traffic control | | | | English-language course for aircraft |
| officers (ATCOs), must meet minimum | | | | operators, therefore, trainers must |
| English language proficiency | | | | consider where to place the emphasis. |
| requirements specified by the | | | | Many trainers focus on R/T phraseology; |
| International Civil Aviation | | | | however, whilst standard phraseology is |
| Organization (ICAO) which come into | | | | an important aspect of aviation |
| effect on 5 March 2008. The aim of ICAO | | | | communications, it is merely one of |
| is to raise standards in 'Aviation | | | | many. Most aviators are familiar with |
| English' communications globally, as a | | | | standard R/T phraseology; they use it |
| means of improving safety both in the | | | | every day. Language trainers therefore |
| air and on the ground. | | | | need to place the emphasis on the many |
| Aviation communications in any language | | | | aspects of non-standard and non-routine |
| are highly specialized. The term | | | | phraseology that might be used in |
| 'Aviation English' embraces a | | | | emergency situations and that |
| considerably wider field of language | | | | potentially create difficulties for |
| knowledge and expertise than most native | | | | non-native speakers, ie those aspects of |
| speakers of English utilize in their | | | | English not necessarily covered in |
| everyday lives. Moreover, a further | | | | aviation manuals. |
| important consideration is that of the | | | | Often, language training is a |
| aviation environment and 2 significant | | | | requirement more often than not driven |
| factors of everyday life in that | | | | by budgetary constraints, operational |
| community: those of the emergency | | | | constraints and logistical |
| situation and of the non-routine | | | | considerations on the part of a client, |
| situation. Aircraft operators learn very | | | | who invariably lacks appreciation that |
| precise procedures, definitions, and | | | | Aviation English training takes time. |
| rules and regulations, and all are | | | | Trainers are frequently required to |
| presented in very formal, precise and | | | | train sponsored groups of trainees, a |
| unambiguous language. Introduce the | | | | scenario that works well only when the |
| unknown, those frequent occasions when | | | | specializations of the individual |
| something does not happen in the way it | | | | trainees, their respective training |
| should, or in the way that those | | | | needs and also the English-language |
| involved are expecting, and we can | | | | levels of each are similar. It must be |
| readily identify where many of the major | | | | stressed that the needs of pilots and |
| communication problems lie. | | | | ATCOs are very different: whilst the |
| Pilots and ATCOs are well trained to | | | | sponsored-group scenario generally works |
| deal with the unexpected; nevertheless, | | | | well with pilots of similar rating, in |
| no organization or individual can cater | | | | the case of ATCOs training must take |
| for every eventuality in such a | | | | account of 3 very different professional |
| precarious operating environment. In | | | | specializations, each of which has its |
| such situations, therefore, yet another | | | | own particular requirements: Aerodrome |
| factor comes into play: that of the | | | | Control, Approach Control and Area Radar |
| degradation of an individual's | | | | Control. |
| performance under stress and under | | | | Problems arise on those occasions when |
| duress. In a very difficult, | | | | either a particular sponsor elects for, |
| ever-changing and ever-challenging | | | | or the training provider attempts the |
| working environment, which is fraught | | | | 'one-size-fits-all' scenario, an option |
| with danger and the unexpected, | | | | that is all too frequently deemed the |
| circumstances can change within seconds, | | | | most practical on the part of the |
| inducing both crises and panic in those | | | | sponsor, for operational reasons, or the |
| directly concerned. At that juncture, | | | | most economic on the part of the |
| individual performance levels plummet | | | | training provider in terms of |
| and instinct takes over. Effective | | | | facilitation. The outcome is all too |
| communication becomes paramount and must | | | | often unsatisfactory, with single |
| be instinctive. If one then considers | | | | trainees, or small group of trainees, |
| the added complication of a particular | | | | being placed on courses where the group |
| individual, if not 2, one in the air and | | | | as a whole is totally mismatched - by |
| one on the ground, operating in a second | | | | far the least effective way of achieving |
| language, performance can degrade | | | | a satisfactory result from any |
| further. Hence, the importance and | | | | viewpoint. |
| necessity of a high level of | | | | Provided there is adequate compromise, |
| English-language proficiency in all | | | | understanding and agreement between the |
| concerned. | | | | client and the training provider, |
| English language trainers therefore face | | | | nevertheless, the sponsored-group |
| an enormous task in facilitating the | | | | scenario can work well, so long as all |
| service necessary to meet the demands | | | | the parties concerned ensure that each |
| for effective training in Aviation | | | | group selected for training comprises |
| English worldwide. The ICAO impetus, | | | | trainees of the same aviation |
| quite rightly, is on general | | | | specialization, individuals of similar |
| English-language comprehension, which | | | | experience and personnel with comparable |
| has to be the basis for any training. | | | | English-language proficiency skills. The |
| However, to meet the minimum | | | | real key to success, however, is that |
| communication standards for safe | | | | prior to course commencement, the |
| aircraft operations internationally, | | | | training objectives and learning |
| trainers must also consider the | | | | outcomes are clearly defined and that, |
| contextual issues. It is the enormous | | | | importantly, they are agreed in advance |
| scope of English in the context of | | | | between the client and the training |
| aviation that presents language trainers | | | | provider. Within such a package, |
| with a significant challenge. | | | | professional trainees can then negotiate |
| Aircraft operators require an enormous | | | | their own learning programme and achieve |
| range of knowledge, terminology and | | | | precise and specific learning outcomes |
| phraseology to function effectively in | | | | both efficiently and effectively. |