ICAO recommends that an approximate scope of language proficiency training needed to get from one level to another is 400 hours of combination of various means of the training.

As flight school cannot make you a pilot over the weekend, Aero Language cannot make you an English expert within short time. Evening course of English language proficiency training won't make you perfectly proficient. English language training and especially aviation English training doesn't take days, or months. It takes a years.

Aero Language proposes combination of comprehensive English language course together with aviation-specific English language proficiency training course.

ICAO Doc 9835 is Manual on the Implementation of ICAO Language Proficiency Requirements created by ICAO. This document serves as certification basis for implementation of ICAO English. Document establishes the rules and procedures required for Testing Service Providers as well as the procedures for ICAO English testing. Document has introduced language proficiency rating scale which has been later on adopted by EASA as well.

• Download ICAO Doc 9835 - Manual on the Implementation of ICAO Language Proficiency Requirements

Best book for ICAO English is a real-life experience. ICAO English exam consists of non-standard phraseology assessment of an English language proficiency. Same like one can not learn to fly an aircraft by reading the books, also to learn an ICAO English, it needs some "hands-on" experience.

ICAO English exam also focuses on grammar structures, comprehension and pronunciation. You can brush up those language proficiency descriptors even by attending the basic language proficiency training course.

To improve your aviation-related vocabulary, a lot of different aviation-related sources can be used.

Aviation English is an unformal aviation language. No nation speaks it - all pilots understand it

Aviation English consists of all of the following:

• complex of standardized messages (standard phraseology)
• abbreviations,
• special three-letter codes abbreviation
• coded messages (for METAR, TAF, NOTAM, etc)
• technical English - e.g. related to the aircraft parts, technologies, systems, etc
• plain text spoken in pre-determined order
• and many more

You can fly without ICAO English, but not internationally. If you are about to operate in an airspace, where international communication in other than your native tongue is suspected, pilot-in-command shall be a holder of valid ICAO English language proficiency with at least ICAO English level 4.

All airline pilots and most of the professional pilots must have a good command of English language. Besides the airmanship and flying skills, English language is mandatory skill for an airline pilots. All technical manuals and information are shared in English language Proficiency of English language is verified by the means established by ICAO and EASA in either Testing service provider or Language testing body.

Minimum so-called Level of English language proficiency for operational use is international ICAO Level 4.

We suggest you to take your ICAO English with Aero Language. We are internationally based provider of language proficiency and ICAO English exam services. Aero Language is largest network of language proficiency examiners in Europe.

ICAO English test or ICAO English assessment is the procedure established by ICAO Doc 9835 and if done for EASA flight crew license holder also by Ec 1178/2011, Part FCL FCL.055 to assess the language skills and proficiency of exam candidate.

ICAO English test content and assessment methods are approved and supervised by specific National Aviation Authority. Provider of the ICAO English test is organization authorized by National Aviation Authority called Testing Service Provider and in for EASA flight crew license Language testing body.

ICAO English level is an outcome of the English language proficiency exam. ICAO English level is evaluated by observing the actual language descriptors during an ICAO English exam compared to the ICAO English rating scale contained in ICAO Doc 9835.

Aero Language is holder of all three authorizations. Aero Language has been certified when respective revision of Part-FCL has been in force naming organizations authorized for language proficiency assessments as LAB - Language Assessment Body. In March 2020, the Language Assessment Body - LAB name has been changed by an EASA to Language Testing Body - LTB. In fact, the requirements and certification basis are the same like the language assessment body - LAB.

Aero Language is using LAB and LTB in connection with language proficiency exams for EASA license holders only.

Due to the fact that Slovak republic is International Civil Aviation Organization member state, Aero Language is also authorized to provide language proficiency assessments in accordance with international ICAO standards as well. Due that fact, Aero Language is also TSP - Testing Service Provider. The abbreviation and name has been established by ICAO Doc 9835.

Aero Language is using TSP in connection with language proficiency exams for other than EASA license holders.

So in fact, all three abbreviations and names are correct when talking about Aero Language as an organization authorized to perform language proficiency assessments.

TSP is abbreviation established by International Civil Aviation Organization - ICAO to adress specifically authorized organization for purpose of language proficiency assessments of flight crew and air traffic controllers. 

TSP stands for Testing Service Provider and the name was established in ICAO Doc 9835. Testing Service Provider or TSP has its own structure and management systems. For the purpose of language proficiency assesments, it refers to ICAO English language proficiency Testing Service Provider.

Testing Service Provider must be in possession of holding own Operation manual and Quality management system. Testing Service Provider (TSP) is certified by an ICAO member state's National Aviation Authority.

In EASA region, the equivalent of Testing Service Provider is called LTB or Language Testing Body.

LAB is abbreviation established to adress specifically authorized organization for purpose of language proficiency assessments of flight crew and air traffic controllers. 

LAB stands for Language Testing Body and the name was established in Ec 1178/2011, FCL.055 and respective acceptable means of compliance with FCL.055. Language Testing Body or LAB has its own structore and management systems simpler, but very similar to ATO - Approved training organization structure.

Language assessment body must be in possession of holding own Operation manual and Quality management system. Language assessment body (LAB) is certified by National Aviation Authority.

LAB or Language testing body was replaced with LTB or Language Testing Body by Amendment 9 of Acceptable means of compliance to Part FCL.

In other than EASA region, the equivalent of Language Testing Body is called TSP or Testing Service Provider.

Anyone can become Language proficiency examiner (LPE) provided he meets the initial critereia and attends comprehensive language proficiency examiner training and checking.

General prerequisites for Language proficiency examiner:

• knowledge and excellent command of general English
• ICAO/EASA English language proficiency holder of at least Level 5

Language proficiency examiner does not need to be a pilot nor to have previous aviation experience.

EASA English is name of language proficiency qualification introduced by Ec 1178/2011, Part FCL, FCL.055. EASA English mandates pilots to attend specific language proficiency exam in order to evaluate their language skills in using of English language in situations requiring other than standardized aviation phraseology.

With regards to EASA flight crew licenses in most of the cases the wrong naming is used. ICAO English is used instead of EASA English to describe the language proficiency endorsement required by EASA. In such case both - ICAO English and EASA English are evaluated at the same time, thus the correct wording should be language proficiency or EASA English.

Procedures for language proficiency assessments are throughly described in Part FCL, FCL.055 and in respective acceptable means of compliance.

ICAO English is commonly used name of language proficiency qualification introduced by International Civil Aviation Organization. ICAO English mandating the pilots to attend specific language proficiency exam in order to evaluate their language skills in using of English language in situations requiring other than standardized aviation phraseology.

With regards to EASA flight crew licenses in most of the cases the wrong naming is used. ICAO English is used also to describe the language proficiency endorsement required by EASA. In such case both - ICAO English and EASA English are evaluated at the same time, thus the correct wording should be language proficiency or EASA English.

Procedures for language proficiency assessments are throughly described in ICAO Doc 9835.

ICAO English level 4 is lowest level of English language proficiency accepted for operational linguistic use in aviation. Depending on the country which issued the flight crew license, ICAO English level 4 has different validity period.

Refer also to ICAO English level 4 language descriptors.

ICAO English Level 5 is intermediate level of language proficiency qualification evaluated in accordance with ICAO Doc 9835 rating scale. ICAO English level 5 is so-called "advanced" level in accordance with ICAO phraseology.

Refer also to ICAO English level 5 language descriptors.

ICAO English Level 6 is highest rating of language proficiency qualification evaluated in accordance with ICAO Doc 9835 rating scale. Once pilot obtains ICAO English Level 6, it is valid for lifetime. However other requirements such as medical certificate, typerating and other due qualifications shall be valid in order to exercise the privileges of ICAO English level 6.

Refer also to ICAO English level 6 language descriptors.

We're sorry if you didn't pass the language proficiency exam.
It is, however, not the end of your aviation career. But if you want to improve your language skills and language proficiency, you should consider proper language proficiency training. Afterwards, you should get another attempt to pass the language proficiency exam again. The reasons for failing the exam depends on the person. It is therefore necessary to analyze your weak spots and with the help of our language professional, eliminate them. It is necessary to undertake course tailored to your individual needs.

Most exam candidates who failed ICAO English LEVEL 4 exam lost it only by a narrow margin. Thus, a few hours of individual lessons usually suffice and most pilots are able to pass ICAO English LEVEL 4 in a very short time.

If you think that the results of your language proficiency exam are wrong, you can send an appeal. 

Many people ask how to prepare for ICAO English exam. They often ask whether to work with a flight instructor or a language proficiency trainer.

The answer is simple - you should ideally work with a flight instructor who is also a language proficiency trainer.

We recommend language proficiency preparation provided by English trainers.
Most applicants failed the ICAO English proficiency exam because they lacked knowledge of English language. The reason is not usually due to the lack of aviation knowledge. Most flight trainers are not able to help you with grammar and pronunciation.

Read books

Any book or English language text helps, but reading about aviation English is especially useful. You get to see the right grammar structures and aviation English vocabulary with a number of professional terms.

You bought English textbook, started reading it, but from some reason, you stopped after the first ten pages?
English learning is not easy and it takes a great deal of time, energy, willpower, and endurance. Purchasing textbook is usually not sufficient.

Listen to English

You can listen to radio broadcast. If the broadcast is too hard for you to understand, you might want to start with something simpler.
One of the good ways is to listen to ATIS broadcast because you can check if you got the message!

Listen to ATC communication

 You can use liveatc.net website which provides live radio broadcast from a number of places around the world.

• EDDM (Munich, Germany) - good quality
• KJFK (New York, USA) - might be harder to understand
• KSFO (San Francisco, USA) - might be harder to understand

Aviation English course

Taking part in one-to-one language proficiency training course, you effectively improve your language proficiency.

On-line learning

Many applicants are not successful due to the lack of grammar knowledge. There are several websites and materials available online for free. Make use of some.

Foreign language cannot be learnt in a matter of hours. You can, however, prepare yourself for ICAO English exam.

Expect unexpected

ICAO Englsih language exam allows us to assess your true knowledge only if you don't know the exam content beforehand and you cannot be prepared for specific questions. You therefore have to face events and contexts which might be non-standard or unexpected.

We don't assess the technical correctness of your answer. ICAO English exam is a technical exam, but not focused on writing or standard aviation phraseology. Don't be afraid to say something you're not sure about in the context of aviation.

ICAO English exam is not a license skill test or license proficiency check. Language proficiency examiners don't assess your technical aviation knowledge and skills. Don't be afraid to say something with incorrect content, as long as your ICAO English is perfect, there's nothing to worry!

First of all you need to get yourself to ICAO English exam :-)

You need the knowledge and a document to verify your identity - ID card or passport. Aero Language is not able to provide ICAO English  exam or IR English exam without the proof of your identity.

The rest will be provided during the exam by Language proficiency examiner.

After a successful ICAO English exam our Aero Language ADMIN system will issue you Language proficiency certificate.

The Language proficiency certificate is an official document confirming your language proficiency and skills. You can also use the certificate as a proof of your aviation language proficiency for airlines, air operators, and national civil aviation authorities. The Language proficiency certificate issued by Aero Language is valid internationally.

Apart from your name, the certificate of language proficiency contains the type of exam - e.g. ICAO English, the level attained, and the expiration period.

Based on our Language proficiency certificate issued by Aero Language, the national aviation authority may subsequently endorse your language proficiency qualification into the flight crew license - pilot license.

Language proficiency - the ICAO English, is endorsed into the flight crew license.

Pilot license - flight crew license is therefore official document proving your language proficiency skills.

If you are a holder of a license issued in accordance with EASA requirements, your language proficiency is valid in accordance with the EASA requlations.

Pilots – validity period in accordance with ICAO requirements

• Level 1 – 3 – not for operational use
• LEVEL 4 - 3 years
• LEVEL 5 - 5 years
• LEVEL 6 - unlimited

Pilots – validity period in accordance with EASA requirements

• Level 1 – 3 – not for operational use
• LEVEL 4 - 4 years
• LEVEL 5 - 6 years
• LEVEL 6 - unlimited

Air traffic controllers (ATCs)

• Level 1 – 3 – not for operational use
• LEVEL 4 - 3 years
• LEVEL 5 - 6 years
• LEVEL 6 – 9 years

Binding date of the validity expiration is the date endorsed in your license. Generally speaking, it is end of month in which you took the exam plus the number of years depending on your profession.

For example:

A pilot took an ICAO English exam

• pursuant to ICAO regulations
• the pilot received LEVEL 5
• the exam took place on 15 January 2017

The expiration date is on 30 January 2022.

You can try to remember your ICAO English expiration date. Or you can simply rely on our Aero Language ADMIN system of validity monitoring.

Also, ICAO English expiry date is written on your certificate of language proficiency which you receive after a successful ICAO English exam.

Aero Language provided both ICAO and Part FCL validity of ICAO English expiry dates in the appendix to the Language proficiency certificate.

If you're a pilot or an air traffic controller, the date is also endorsed into your flight crew license.

ICAO English language proficiency and its validity period are endorsed directly into the pilot license. If you're a pilot, look for ICAO English and its validity period in field XII of your license under the "remarks" title in the format - valid till DD.MM.YYYY.

We realize that in case of a number of qualifications, you may simply miss the ICAO English expiry date. All ICAO English qualifications are therefore archived in self-developed Aero Language ADMIN system. The validity is checked on a daily basis. Aero Language ADMIN notifies you in advance in case of ICAO English is about to expire. You receive first email 100 days before the expiry date, then a series of notification email in a span of 90, 45, 30, 14, 7, and 1 days before the ICAO English expiry date.

If your ICAO English is expired, you can not fly internationally and you have to renew it by attending the ICAO English exam.

ICAO English proficiency exam is one of the qualifications that all professional pilots must have valid and endorsed in their flight crew license. ICAO English validity is monitored and must be up to date along with the medical certificate and type rating or class rating.

If your ICAO English language proficiency is expired, you cannot act as a pilot - active flight crew member on board of the planes performing international flights and planes within the commercial air transport.

A similar restriction applies to air traffic controllers. In case your language proficiency has expired, you cannot act as an ATC.

ICAO English language proficiency revalidation is same as the exam. The content of the ICAO English exam is uniform. It doesn't matter whether it's your first exam, revalidation, or renewal.

If your ICAO English validity has expired, there's nothing easier than just letting us know so we can arrange a date of your ICAO English exam.

The procedure for arranging ICAO English exam or any other Aero Language services is very simple. 

Just contact us by:

• phone
• e-mail
• or find your closest language proficiency examiner

Don't forget to tell us:

• WHEN - is your preferred date and time
• HOW - would you like to take the exam
• WHO YOU ARE - whether you're a pilot, an ATC, or...
• if have already been a holder of ICAO English in the past
• any other additional information (e.g. billing information...)

We'll reply as soon as we can to agree on the details of the language exam or course.

ICAO English exam is cheap! Definitely one of the cheapest parts of your flight training. If you perform well and obtian ICAO English level 6, you will have to pay for ICAO English exam only once in a lifetime.

Aero Language provides ICAO English exam services on a contract basis. Hence, unless stated otherwise, the prices are subject to individual agreement between Aero Language and you - the client. 

Please contact us for more information on pricing.

 Language proficiency certificates issued by Aero Language are accepted by all EASA member countries without limitations.