ELP : English Level Proficiency.

As any pilot flying in the European sky and willing to use the controlled area, I have to take a proficiency check every few years, depending on the level acquired. The minimum acceptable level to fly in Europe is the level 4 which is considered as an operationnal level, meaning you are able to cope with any given situation in flight, or at least normally. This level 4 is valid 3years, the level 5 6years and the level 6 is permanent.

Let's get back to 2011, when I was still a young pleasant boy full of dreams and willingness. Before taking my PPL examination flight, I went to Bruxelles to pass the ELP with a captain of DHL, which was, as stated previously, mandatory to fly in controlled airspace. No need to say that, in Belgium, you can't fly a lot if you don't have it ! At this time, I had a decent level in english, I was able to hold a conversation on a known subject, to speak almost fluently and without too much mistakes. As everything connected to aviation, it cost money of course. I paid 100€ at that moment, for approximately half an hour of discussion, listenning and so on...

Air English : English Test For Aviators

So, back in 2014, I had to renew this english licence. I decided, as most people in Belgium, to take the examination with Air English. Created by an airline pilot, who I know very well for passing my single engine piston renewal with him last year, Air English provides a complete assesment of your level trough several checks. The examination is divided in two parts :

The first one is done via a computer, asking you to listen to short videos or ATC records. You will then answer some questions about the media that you have just read/listenned. This is where the first assesment is done, by testing your level on aviation related subjects. Some basic vocabulary is used and some precise one. The level 4 is pretty easy to get, with an average good answers of 60% I think. It is more difficult to get the level 6, because a few questions are clearly made to induce an error, and test yourself. Quick example ;

I was listenning to a record of an aircraft abording the take-off due to a stall of one of the engine stages. The pilot informed the ATC that he had vacated the runway via the left on S4 for example. The ATC asked if they needed any help, the pilot responded no.
Which answer is true :
The pilot vacated on taxiway S4
The pilot aborded the take-off due to an engine stall

A two other propositions that were false. Well, it can seem quiet easy now, but with the accent and stress going on, you can really missunderstood the whole thing and make a mistake. Indeed, the pilot vacated on S4 which is not a taxiway but a holding point. He didn't say it but you should know it, because you are a  pilot...
After completion of the questions, I was sur I had made a few mistakes but could reach the level 5. The level 6 requires more than 90% on 13 to 14 questions I think, a very small marge.
Here is a little example directly get from Air English Website

The second part is a discussion with two Air English examinators. They'll discuss with you, ask you to present youself and a few questions on general subjects. Then, you will have to explain to a partner of the session a video that you saw on the computer. After hearing it, he should be able to explain it again. No big deal !

At the end of our discussion, the examinator said that he had a good new while looking at me, and a bad new for my companion. He told me that I made him lose a client, meaning that I reached the level6, no mistake done during the computer check and a good level during the discussion. I was really happy to hear it, because some companies ask for a level 5 or 6 before hiring you. My classmate wasn't so unlucky, because he reached the level 5. In the end, everyone is happy. ;)

Once again, I am getting a little bit closer to my dream...

EBLG ATC Visit