English language competency for student pilots

Approved Testing Officers, Chief Flying Instructors and Flight Instructors are reminded of their responsibilities with regard to English language proficiency standards.

Significant numbers of students from non-English speaking countries undertake pilot training in Australia. From time to time, concerns are raised about the safety risks associated with inadequate English language proficiency particularly in relation to R/T communications.

This is a reminder to those of you who are involved in certifying pilots as being competent in the use of the English language for flying purposes and to those of you who authorise student pilots to fly solo - English language competency is a significant safety-related matter.

Current Regulations require pilots to be competent in the use of English language during flight and ground operations, to wit, CAR (1988) 5.09.

CAR (1988) 5.09 states, among other requirements, that CASA should only issue a flight crew licence to an applicant if, and only if, the applicant possesses a knowledge of the English language that is sufficient to enable him or her to exercise safely the authority given by the licence.

FROLs and student licences are flight crew licences. ATOs, CFIs and FOIs are responsible for ensuring applicants for flight crew licences are proficient in the use of English language.

CFIs are also reminded that CAR 5.67 states an authorised flight instructor must not permit a student pilot to fly an aircraft as pilot in command unless the student pilot has satisfied both the requirements of the flight radiotelephone operator licence syllabus and the aeroplane syllabus.

The FROL syllabus has immediate relevancy to this issue. Please re-examine its requirements.

The Day VFR syllabus, which incorporates the Australian National Competency Standards for Private and Commercial Pilots effective on 1 July 1999, provides clear details of the standard defining the English language requirements for private and commercial pilots operating radiotelephony equipment. The syllabus also covers the various flight stages, like first solo and GFPT, leading up to the PPL/CPL.

The performance criteria for the R/T standards are described in the Day VFR syllabus as "Transmission and receipt of R/T messages is carried out using English language in accordance with procedures and phraseology detailed in the FROL syllabus and Aeronautical Information Publications (AIP) … etc … and all messages are reacted to appropriately."

The assessment of the standard must be based on the evidence, which the syllabus also provides guidance in a table of evidence.

Pilots who fly without having achieved the specified minimum standards in English language radio communication are potentially a safety-related hazard. CASA urges ATOs, CFIs and flight instructors to take stock of their students' current competency in the use of English language, and in particular when they recommend students for issue of the FROL and the student pilot licence. CFIs may also take this opportunity to remind school instructors of their responsibilities (as per CAR 5.67) when authorising solo flights for their students.