When the idea of ICAO level 4 English was to set and improve the international English standard. Dont see this happening yet as many given grandfather rights, just more red tape and business for the schools.
that IS the whole purpose of it! With level 4, you must prove your standards latest in 3 years. If you then don't pass the test, then you either keep lever 4, and re-test again in 3 years, or purhaps (I'm not sure) you could even get dropped to a lower level. Of course the test must be properly done and I've been hearing lots of tales of good and bad testing.
I have not heard of required testing in other languages, like Spanish. Could that be a national thing? In Germany you must have one of 3 types of radio licences: only German (BZF II), German/English (BZF I), English for IFR (AZF). With only a BZF II you may not fly outside of Germany. Anyone already having proven their (basic) English radio skills and having a BZF I and/or AZF received the level 4 automatically, after all, a language skill test in English had already been done at one time. No German re-testing is as yet planned.
I have an AZF and in spite of being an American received the level 4 like everyone else. I, too, must prove myself in English.... latest in 3 years.
