Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
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By PeteSpencer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#573649
[quote='flybymike'][quote='haggis']

In the late 1990's it was recognised that the standard of RT was well to put it simply -lacking- so along came the RT exam[/quote]

As an aside, the RT exam was [i]reintroduced[/i] in the nineties, having previously been temporarily withdrawn. I certainly took an RT exam in 1983.[/quote]

I didn't: My RT was assessed by continuous assessment ,the method favoured by many a GCSE course (1993).

That may explain a lot, on reflection :roll: :roll:

Odd really as my part time day job is examiner/assessor of the English language (amongst other skills) for a well known National Regulatory Body of a certain group of foreign nationals (non-EU) who wish to come and work in this country.

I wonder if the CAA would let me sign my own Level 6 sustificate?

Peter :wink: :wink:
By portugueezer
#573662
dublinpilot wrote:Well AL,

Suppose someone has very poor English. Perhaps before taking up flying they didn't speak any English at all. They learn just enough to barley scrape through the RT exam, sticking strictly to standard phraseology.

They then go flying in some other country where they don't need to use English, or perhaps they give up flying for 18 months or so. At this time they are not likely to be able to speak enough English to be safe, because of the lack of practise. It would seem that these people should be tested on a regular basis to ensure that their English remains sufficient for safe flight.

The better their English, the less frequently they should need to be tested. If you're fluent, then you shouldn't need to be tested again, as you're not likely to loose your skills.

Well, the funny this is, that is just how it is going to work! ;)

I suspect that it will also be the case that your examiner on the skills test/RT practical will give you your initial test. If you're found to be fluent, then you won't need a separate formal test...ever.

Having sat behind a TNT? 737 at Exeter 18 months ago, who's grasp of English language was frightening, I can fully appreciate where ICAO is coming from on this. The controller spoke to him very slowly, using standard phraseology and the guy did not understand. The instructions were very simple, such as "After the landing traffic, line up and wait runway xx, after the landing traffic". This had to be repeated appx 4 or 5 times, before he got the read back right. Then when the traffic landed, he requested a clearance to line up on the runway. There was also a lengthy period of the controller trying to give him some very basic departure instructions.

I don't object to taking a once off test, if it sorts this sort of thing out. My only objection would be if there is an expensive fee, and difficult logistical arrangements for taking the test.

dp


Spot on ! In Portugal you have the option of using portuguese , with all pilot forced to switch to english if anyone speak in english on the frequency.
This usually means that in small airfields you get portuguese 99% of the time
Whilst all pilot are capable of understanding the standard ICAO phraseology, anything beyond that is usually a challenge...