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ICAO Regional Seminar and Workshop on Aviation Language Proficiency Baku, Azerbaijan – 7-9 December 2005. ICAO Language Proficiency Requirements Nicole Barrette-Sabourin Training Officer Aviation Training Policy and Standards Unit, Flight Safety Section – ICAO. Plan of the presentation.
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ICAO Regional Seminar and Workshop on Aviation Language ProficiencyBaku, Azerbaijan – 7-9 December 2005 ICAO Language Proficiency Requirements Nicole Barrette-Sabourin Training Officer Aviation Training Policy and Standards Unit, Flight Safety Section – ICAO
Plan of the presentation • Who • What • Why • How • Conclusions
ICAO’s objectives • To promote cooperation between nations and people • To agree on certain principles and arrangements in order that international civil aviation may be developed in a safe and orderly manner and that international air services may be established on the basis of equality of opportunity and operated soundly and economically
ICAO Structure Contracting States Assembly Secretariat Council Air Navigation Commission
Development of ICAO Standards • Convention on International Civil Aviation (Article 37): • “Each Contracting State undertakes to collaborate in securing the highest practicable degree of uniformity in regulations, standards, procedures and organization in relation to aircraft, personnel, airways and auxiliary services in all matters in which such uniformity will facilitate and improve air navigation.”
Making an ICAO Standard Origin of Proposal Development Phase Review Phase Adoption/ Publication Phase
Origin of Proposal CONTRACTING STATES ASSEMBLY COUNCIL International Organizations SECRETARIAT ANC Meetings Panels & Committees Proposal for Action
Development Phase Proposal for Action ANC ANC Panel Divisional Meeting SECRETARIAT AN Study Group Technical Proposal ANC Preliminary Review
Review Phase ANC Preliminary Review Contracting States International Organizations SECRETARIAT Secretariat Analysis ANC Final Review
Adoption/Publication Phase ANC Final Review Annex Amendment ANC Recommends Adoption Date Council Adopts (Usually March) Green Edition 4 Months Disapprove Effective Date States (Amendment becomes Effective if not disapproved by majority of States) Notification of Differences SECRETARIAT 4 Months Blue Edition Supplement Applicability Date Applicability Date (Usually November)
LPR Chronology 1998: A32-16 2000-2001: PRICE SG 2001-2003: Review and Expand 5 March 2003: Adopted 14 July 2003: Effective 5 March 2008: Applicable
Applicability of ICAO Standards • International Aviation • Notification of differences • Implications of the notion of sovereignty
Enforcement of ICAO Standards • System is based of mutual trust between States • ICAO Safety Oversight Audit Programme
The Trail of Wreckage • Trident/DC-9 mid-air collision, Zagreb -1976 • Double B747 runway collision, Tenerife - 1977 • B707 fuel exhaustation, JFK - 1990 • B757 CFIT, Cali - 1995 • IL-76/B747 mid-air collision, India - 1996 • MD83/Shorts 330 runway collision, Paris/CDG -2000 • MD80/Citation runway collision, Milan – 2001 • Helios Airways – Greece August 2005 (?) • … The common element: Communication
Action up to the 90s Standardized Phraseologies Hope of development of a radiotelephony speech based on a simplified English Realization that it was not sufficient Development of new Standards Clarify the use of the English Language Strengthen the use of standards phraseologies Establish language proficiency requirements Air-Ground Communications
A Systemic Perspective Design Reason Model Management Training Supervision Operations Kept under control in normal system conditions… Sources: Docs 9683; 9806
A Systemic Perspective (cont.) Design Management Training Supervision …surface in unstable system conditions Operations Sources: Docs 9683; 9806
A Training Perspective H L L E S SHELL Model L • Mismatches at the operational interfaces = breeding grounds for operational errors Source: Doc 9683
An Operational Perspective Threats Threat Management Strategies Errors Error Management Strategies Threat and Error Management (TEM) Model Source: Doc 9803 Undesired State
Language Proficiency: A Threat Passenger management Language Proficiency ATC Terrain CabinCrew Weather Similar call signs Maintenance Time pressure GroundCrew Flight diversions Heavytraffic System malfunctions Unfamiliarairports Automationevents Missedapproaches Source: Doc 9803
Therefore, as Safety Practitioners Language Proficiency is: • From a safety management perspective • A latent condition with safety damaging potential • From a training management perspective • A technical skill acquired through training • From an operational management perspective • A threat that increases complexity of aviation operations
A risk management exercise • Denial: defensive attitude • Repair: cosmetic acceptance • Reform: tackle the safety concern
A32-16 • “…steps to ensure that air traffic controllers and flight crews involved in flight operations in airspace where the use of the English language is required, are proficient in conducting and comprehending radiotelephony communications in the English language”
PRICESG • Mandated to • Review all aspects of air-ground and ground-ground voice communication • Develop requirements concerning English language testing • Develop language proficiency requirements
Over 70% of problems cited involved message exchange. Communication errors still represent largest category of problems. However, only 1% of communications are compromised by inaccuracy. A review of 28,000 safety reports
frequency congestion, poor microphone technique, ambiguity, phonetic similarity, incomplete call-signs, confused sequence of numbers in messages, strings of instructions, truncated phraseologies, inadequate acknowledgements, readback errors, hearback errors. R/T communication problems
The Issues • Existing provisions at the time • Phraseology vs. plain language • English vs. Universal Speech • Means to assess language proficiency reliably
Previous ICAO language requirements • For controllers: • “… speak the languages designated for use in air traffic control without accent or impediment which could adversely affect communication” • For pilots: • Strangely quiet!
Standardized Phraseology • … is insufficient to deal with the full range of situations requiring R/T exchange. • … but how to complement standardized phraseologies?
English vs. Universal Speech • Research states • Effectiveness of natural languages, and • Plain language as medium for international aviation operations. • English for aviation .. • does not belong to a culture; • is a tool • has no special inherent qualities; • is the most accessible of all second languages.
Aviation-Specific English • can be successfully integrated into training programs in common English; • provisions should relate to the common use of English. • Iterating formulaic language by rote does NOT meet all requirements!
Some PRICESG Questions • Acceptance by pilot & controller communities • Allocation of responsibilities to airline operators and air navigation service providers • Interface with input from commercial training & testing providers • integration into State regulatory regimes
PRICESG Conclusions (1) • Phraseologies shall be used whenever possible but … • … there is no practical alternative to the use of plain language for the full range of aeronautical R/T communication, and • The use of plain language in the exchange of critical operational information requires: • an understanding of the fundamentals of linguistics, • an appreciation of the susceptibility of language to misapprehension, and • a commitment to the highest standards of discipline and care.
PRICESG Conclusions (2) • The universal availability of at least one medium of radiotelephony communication is important for safety and efficiency in international air navigation; • The lack of a language common to the aircrew and the ground station could lead to an accident; • There is a need to retain the language used by the station on the ground.
PRICESG Conclusions (3) • Parity must exist between pilots and controllers in language proficiency requirements; thus • A single minimum standard is the best solution for the entire target group; • Responsibility shall also be vested in airline operators and ATS providers for ensuring that staff meet proficiency requirements
PRICESG Conclusions (4) • The new provisions will impact heavily the aviation community but with: • Extensive guidance material, • Education & awareness programs worldwide, • Staff support activities by operators, • Increased compliance with ICAO standardized phraseology, and • Highest standards of discipline, • We need and can improve the 1% figure!
Language Proficiency Requirements • Annex 10 • Annex 1 • General concept • Review of the provisions • Implementation timeline • Annex 6 • Annex 11 • PANS-ATM
Annex 10 – Volume II • Chapter 5addresses voice communications in the aeronautical communication service linking ground stations and aircraft.
Annex 10 – Volume II • Phraseology and Plain Language • Para 5.1.1.1- ICAO phraseology shall be used in all situations for which it has been specified. Only when standardized phraseology cannot serve an intended transmission, plain language shall be used
Annex 10 – Volume II • Language(s) to be used • Para 5.2.1.2.1: The air-ground radiotelephony communications shall be conducted in the language normally used by the station on the ground or in the English language • Para 5.2.1.2.2 The English language shall be available, on request from any aircraft station, at all stations on the ground serving designated airports and routes used by international air services
Annex 10 – Volume II • Provisions no longer in force • Interpreters are no longer authorized • The Attachment on the development of Radiotelephony speech for international aviation has been withdrawn
Annex 1 – Previous requirements • Air Traffic Controllers and Aeronautical Station Operators • shall “speak language(s) nationally designated for use without accent or impediment” • Use of radiotelephony procedures and phraseology • Aeroplane & Helicopter Pilots - Flight Engineers and Flight Navigators • Use of radiotelephony procedures and phraseology • Free balloon and glider pilots • No requirements
Annex 1 • Licences with language proficiency requirements • Aeroplane and helicopter pilots • Glider and free balloon pilots • Flight Engineers and Flight Navigators • Air Traffic Controllers • Aeronautical Station Operators • Licences without language proficiency requirements • Flight Dispatcher • Aircraft Maintenance Engineer
Shall speak and understand Rating scale is applied General Principles • Limited to radiotelephony communication • The “Speak and Understand” Standard • Cover all languages used in radio communication • Assessment using a rating scale (level 4) • Progressive implementation 27 Nov. 2003 5 March 2008
Annex 1 • Aeroplane & Helicopter Pilots (PPL, CPL and ATPL) • Air Traffic Controllers and Aeronautical Station Operators • Free balloon and glider pilots • Flight Engineers • Flight Navigators