Since we touched on the topic of English..
Aug 8, 2006
Pilots, air controllers to sit for English test
Move is to abide by global air safety standards that will kick in from 2008
By Karamjit Kaur, Aviation Correspondent
ALL Singapore pilots and air traffic controllers will be tested on their English language skills, as the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) prepares to meet international standards to promote air safety.
Testing will start later this year for the more than 2,500 pilots and over 200 air traffic controllers. For those not up to the CAAS mark, they will have to go back to the classroom.
The need to push for safer skies has become more important in recent years with so many new airlines popping up, especially in Asia. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has told its 189 member states that by March 2008, all pilots and air traffic controllers must have a basic working knowledge of English before they can be licensed. It means, for example, being able to pronounce words and letters clearly and being familiar with air traffic control jargon.
Candidates will be assessed and ranked on a scale of 1 to 6, with 6 being the highest level of proficiency. The minimum requirement is level 4 to be licensed but the CAAS is confident 'the vast majority' of Singapore pilots and air traffic controllers who are already required to speak fluent English will have no trouble meeting the highest level. Those who do not will be sent for classes every three or six years depending on their proficiency, a spokesman said.
Singapore Airlines supports ICAO's initiative, said its spokesman Stephen Forshaw. 'Given that the language of international aviation is English, proficiency in language communications is a critically important safety standard that the industry must follow.'
According to ICAO, more than 1,500 people have died worldwide in air traffic accidents due to communication problems between pilots and air traffic controllers.
The International Air Transport Association, which represents 261 airlines, supports the move too, said spokesman Albert Tjoeng. With less than two years before the new standards kick in, industry players gathered here last week to discuss what is required of airlines and airports. About 100 delegates from 31 countries, including representatives from ICAO and the International Federation of Air Line Pilots Associations, attended a three-day conference last week organised by the Singapore Aviation Academy.