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Written by: Michael Egerton

Parent Category: Learning Zone

Category: Learning Advice

Published: 24 July 2018

One thing that we have learned since we began teaching Aviation English in 2009 is that every learner is different.  

Before starting a course we always recommend that learners come in for a consultation.  This isn't one of those level tests followed by aggressive sales conducted at some language schools - a consultation is to find out exactly how long it will take you to achieve your target level in the time available, considering your current proficiency in structure, pronunciation, listening comprehension, in addition to your range of vocabulary and technical knowledge.

You might be looking for short-term practice for an interview, or last minute practice for an ICAO English test, or you might have more long term goals of improving your Aviation English proficiency.  If you failed an ICAO test recently, you might have been told that you need to improve your comprehension, but actually there are many factors which can cause you to lack comprehension.  After we have assessed these exact skills, and noted your patterns of behaviour we can then advise you of the best and most cost effective means to reach your goal.

Recommended learning practices for pilots

One of the most important factors in language acquisition is the frequency at which you attend classes, and we have 9 years of data to support our results. So it's highly likely that if you are an airline pilot and failed an ICAO test that we will will recommend you attend at least 100 hours over 5-6 weeks.  If you are applying for a cadetship and have a full-time job in daytime, we would probably recommend that you focus on some very specific skills in addition to the ICAO Aviation English for Cadet Entry Pilots course.  We have also noted massive difference in ability, and attitude to learning when comparing learners who attend more than once per week.  

The right English language practice, at the right time

Our Aviation English courses are designed so that learners can benefit from practice of the most relevant content for them, at the right time.  This will save you both time and money.  Whatever you think your needs are, our assessment will be more accurate than any feedback that you have had in an ICAO test.  Our feedback and assessment is highly regarded by all major airlines in Hong Kong.  Call us to arrange your consultation today, on +852 81799295.

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Written by: Michael Egerton

Parent Category: Learning Zone

Category: Learning Advice

Published: 29 March 2018

Article written by Michael Egerton for Aviation English Asia Ltd

When starting an Aviation English course, a lot of candidates initially find listening comprehension of pilot / controller dialogues difficult. Some students ask what they can do in their own time to prepare. If you want to develop genuine proficiency in comprehension of pilot / controller dialogues, the answer is a little bit more complex than the throwaway advice that is sometimes given by General English teachers.  But before we give you our advice on how to develop your English listening skills in an aviation context, let's look at the reasons why.

Listening comprehension in General English tests

In General English tests like IELTS, TOEIC and TOEFL, listening comprehension is assessed in a relatively simple way, and there is an emphasis on whether a candidate can understand the overall gist of a recording, before assessing whether a candidate can understand smaller details. For this reason candidates are often told to improve their English overall, immerse yourself in an English speaking environment, and do things that native speakers do such as listen to English songs or BBC news reports.  In some tests there is positive marking so if you get a question correct, then your overall score will be higher regardless of whether you understand the situation overall. Perhaps most critically this type of General English test doesn't assess accuracy in matters which are critical to pilots and controllers such as flight levels, speeds and headings.  

Time-wasting or throwaway advice?

How effective is this type of advice? Well, there is a lot of information in news stories that native speakers will miss, or at least not focus on. And in everyday life native English speakers are not going to correct every mistake or misunderstanding you make in conversation.  But the main difficulty is that just listening to news stories doesn't give learners any feedback on whether their comprehension is accurate or not.  Furthermore, most recordings are not pitched at a particular level, so this type of audio might not be suitable for self study.  Surely learners can look for a transcript and check against that? Possibly, but sometimes the transcript doesn't reveal implied meanings and intentions.

Overall that type of self-study isn't a particularly productive use of time. Self-study definitely has it's place, but we have seen students who have been told to practice listening and like good hardworking students they have followed that advice and listened to youtube videos featuring ATC but not actually made any improvement.

You have probably heard the idiom "practice makes perfect". Well it's not true.  Repeating the same mistake over and over again is the definition of insanity!

"PERFECT PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT"

Listening comprehension in Aviation English tests

Aviation English is more complex in that the audio used in ICAO assessments generally falls into one of four main categories.

1. Pilot / controller dialogues - this is an extended communication between a pilot and controller using a mixture of phraseology and plain English.
2. Instructions from a controller - typically a maximum of three instructions is given in one clearance
3. Dialogue between flight crew - captain to first officer, or flightcrew to cabincrew
4. Monologues - typically a summary or a report of an incident

You might find that you have more difficulty with one type of audio than others.  Every learner is different and you would be surprised in the difficulties that even experienced pilots have.

In order to improve your listening comprehension, the first thing you should do is identify your problem and why you have it.  The best way to identify a problem is to call Aviation English Asia Ltd on +852 81799295 and arrange a consultation ($250 HKD).  If you don't know the source of your problem, and you still keep practicing the same way you could waste a lot of time.  

Classifying difficulties with listening comprehension in ICAO English tests

AEA teachers are language experts and can diagnose a problem and identify the source of the problem. Then you can focus on developing the skills you need so you can progress faster.   For example, difficulties with listening comprehension in ICAO English test tend to fall into one of these categories:

1. Lack of familiarity with radiotelephony / standard phraseology
2. Lack of aviation-related vocabulary - aileron, backtrack, laminar flow
3. Lack of proficiency in identifying non-technical vocabulary - which significantly changes the meaning of a sentence
4. Lack of proficiency in identify the grammatical structure of a sentence - which significantly changes the meaning of a sentence
5. Lack of proficiency in identifying sounds - leading to confusion of "similar" sounding words

Typically there will be a correlation between core language skills and listening comprehension.  Once we have identified your problem we can identify the best type of self-study for you.

This article is copyright protected and many not be modified or reproduced without express permission of Aviation English Asia Ltd.

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Written by: Michael

Parent Category: Learning Zone

Category: Learning Advice

Published: 28 February 2014

A focus on unusual and strange occurrences during flight operations

English learning advice from Aviation English Asia. Article written by Michael McBride. How would you communicate the following situation to the controller?

In this article I'm going to explain the different components of Aviation English, and explain why English is important and essential for communication in unexpected situations.

Summary of Aviation English language

Aviation English (AE) is split into three key areas;

• Phraseology,
• Plain English used in an aviation context and
• General English.

All three areas work side by side to create language ‘moments’ in the sky and on the ground.  Phraseology is the scripted communication that every pilot and controller has been trained to use.  Plain English is a way to communicate simply without use of over-complex language. It may help to aid understanding and deliver the meaning of something and indeed save lives in certain situations.  General English is not a specific part of many Aviation English courses but it is integrated and assumed.  You need General English as the foundation before you add the building blocks to create your dream home. The main rule is that you cannot have one linguistic area without the other.  It is a fair assumption that some people discredit or rather devalue the use of ‘plain’ and General English in Aviation English, but the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) completely disagree.  ICAO state that pilots/controllers at level 4 standard can “handle successfully with relative ease the linguistic challenges presented by a complication or unexpected turn of events.”  After all, unforeseen events in the sky may not be as predictable as a holding pattern around London Heathrow.

Phraseology will not get you out of every situation

The official phraseology used by aviation personnel is highly specific and fine-tuned, it will form the basis of all flights, and is indeed a ‘special’ feature of Aviation English.  Phraseology is the result of decades of expert knowledge due to accidents, incidents and logic.  The framework needed to get from A to B safely.  However, it is not enough and you need Plain and General English to get you out of strange and unpredictable problems. 

English is one of the most important aspects of ICAO level 4+ language testing.  For example, what if there are animals loose in the aircraft?  What if there is a piece of luggage blocking the taxiway?  How would you explain this to a controller in English? Professional Aviation English training with Aviation English Asia will help you integrate all 3 aspects of Aviation English language.  This is done by training you to use a wide range of language skills to get you out of those ‘sticky situations’ when you need to explain an unusual situation.  The  ICAO level 4 requirements state, “(this person) can often paraphrase successfully when lacking in vocabulary for unexpected circumstances.”  This requirement means that you do not need to know every word in aviation or general English, but you do need to know how to get around not knowing certain vocabulary.

Advice on how to communicate in unusual situations

It is essential for any uncertain communication that you maintain a connection with the pilot or controller, “checking and maintaining exchanges in unexpected turn of events” (ICAO).  Aviation English training can help you to build solid communication strategies to solve these communication difficulties and ‘fly out of danger.’   In the classroom or online course you will get plenty of practice on using these language skills.  Relevant grammatical structures include include stock phrases such as:

• [subject] is similar to…
• [subject] is like…
• [subject] looks like...
• [subject] appears to be...
• [subject] seems to be...

and stock phrases/expressions to help you describe unusual situations.  You will also be trained to create and change words to combine both simplicity and clarity in your exchange over the radio.  You cannot use a dictionary in your ICAO test and you cannot search for one in your cockpit!  A wide vocabulary is very important in aviation as you might be communicating with another non-native speaker that doesn't recognise the words that you used.  You will need to learn how to paraphrase so you can use alternative words. You will learn aviation-related words as part of your pilot/controller training and also in Aviation English training. 

It is advisable to learn words in groups, such as technology, mechanical parts, weather related etc.  It is much easier for you to learn when you can see a pattern.  It is also good for your wider English knowledge to study word families – receive, reception, receiving…etc.  And it is a good additional communication strategy to find words with the same meaning, these are called ‘synonyms’, eg, fire, blaze, explosion etc.  Maybe you will remember one word more than others. For more practical study, try creating situations and imagine how you would communicate it.  For example, animals escaping into the terminal, damage to aircraft by animals.  Then think of the connected vocabulary – containers, cages, hinges...  What information is key when listening?  And if the person you are speaking to doesn't know what a “cage” is, how could you communicate this?

How would you communicate these problems?

1. A lot of cargo + gate
2. Animal + in terminal
3. Rain + window

For feedback on your answers please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Checklist

• Phraseology is vital but is also not enough
• Communication strategies
• Structured learning of words, phrases etc

What to do next

For more information about Aviation English Asia’s courses please visit aviationenglish.com

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Written by: Michael

Parent Category: Learning Zone

Category: Learning Advice

Published: 28 February 2014

How many is too many when making errors in Aviation English? 

English learning advice from Aviation English Asia. Article written by Michael McBride

In this article I am going to focus on accuracy and making errors in Aviation English communication.  As ICAO state, “errors may occur” at ICAO Level 4.  This article will examine what kind of errors you can reasonably make and what you need to do to be as accurate as possible.   To be accurate is also to be realistic, you cannot expect to be correct in what you say all of the time, so what ‘errors’ are important and what aren’t to be ICAO operational?

What is an error and what is a mistake?

The basic difference is that an “error” is something you do not know the answer to, maybe through a lack of knowledge or skills.  A “mistake” is when you forget the answer to something you previously knew. So we must look further into the first term – error.  This is where problems can arise and what you need to target in getting your message across even without being 100% accurate and using other words and communication strategies.  Let’s look at the term in more detail by separating it into the following: -

• Global error – something is said incorrectly and it affects the meaning entirely
• Local error – some parts of what is said is wrong but overall it doesn’t change the meaning, it is understood to a good extent.

As you probably would guess ICAO will tolerate local errors more, as they state the candidate “rarely makes global errors…and some local errors.”  In other words you must avoid making global errors as much as possible and understand that local errors could still guarantee ICAO level 4 as long as it is not frequent.  Which do you think is local and global from the following: -

#1 “My job is check first the aircraft status.”
#2 “My jos is first the aircraft status.”

#1 is not grammatically correct, but the meaning is clear = local
#2 could be interpreted correctly but it is unclear and when in a pilot-controller situation (as one example) is there enough time to try to understand what is spoken? It totally interferes with the interaction = global

Advice and information on how to reduce errors

Do you think mis-communicating “he speak” rather than “he speaks” on the radio will be seen as a major problem in the eyes of ICAO requirements?  Is it really crucial to meaning?  Well, the simple answer is that it is a local error and if all you need is Level 4 it is not a serious issue, it depends how far you want to go, ICAO level wise. I must stress that ICAO is more interested in appropriacy and intelligibility than correctness all the time, which means not everything has to be correct but it must be understood overall. As I have mentioned in previous articles, you need to practice communication strategies to reduce errors and increase accuracy which can be helped by practising the following: -

• Synonyms – use words of similar/same meaning if you forget your first thought
• Word families – practice the different forms of words eg. extend, extension, extended, which one is used when?
• ‘Invent’ new words rather than struggling to remember the correct word for something e.g. “animal container” instead of “cage”

Furthermore you must always be able to check and clarify certain uncertain interactions, which ICAO state as “using clarification strategies” when communication problems arise.  Do not give up, you might not be accurate with a message first time around, so adopt the 3 Cs rule.  Clarify, Check and Confirm.  Which “C” do you think applies to the following: -

• “Is the altimeter 1014”?
• “Affirm”
• “What is the altimeter setting?”

The 3Cs provide a way to make less mistakes in interactions and carrying out a full procedure in the air or on the ground.

Answers – Check, confirm, clarify

An error is only an error if it is not understandable to the vast majority of speakers/listeners.  You must focus on working on the core sounds of words to become more accurate in terms of pronunciation (previous article) and the above strategies in terms of vocabulary and understanding. In conclusion, remember that your training time might be limited with due to your schedule, so do not worry too much about local errors like missing out the/a/an and “s” in 3^rd person verbs, your instructor will probably not focus too much on correcting this.  Of course this depends on what level you need and your current English ability.

Next steps

Enrol in a course with Aviation English Asia.  Practice and interact in English with colleagues, Aviation personnel and friends using Aviation related topics, such as discussions and even arguments.  Your Aviation English course will be communicative, which means that you must talk, make mistakes and not give up to gain fully from the course.  After all, the ICAO recommended testing system is communicative, which I will focus on in the coming weeks.

Test

Re-write the following sentences, which ones do you think would be acceptable for ICAO Level 4?

• Avion Air 734, has things in the air flying around, need you
• Something in the cabin, possibly fighting
• It seem to coming out of cargo hold
• He have problem with baby out now

Checklist

• Some local errors are acceptable, meaning and intelligibility is more important than full and complete accuracy.
• Communication and clarification strategies should be practiced
• It is good to make mistakes in your training, keep at it, and don’t give up.  Continually focus on communication of Aviation related topics in and out of the classroom.  Errors and mistakes should reduce the more you practice and communicate (speaking and listening).

What to do next

For more information about Aviation English Asia’s courses please visit http://aviationenglish.com. If you haven’t already please join the Aviation English mailing list for special offers and details of courses in your area.