Now, English test must for serving pilots, ATCs

New Delhi: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Monday issued a new rule that stipulates that Indian airlines must conduct proficiency tests in English for serving pilots and submit them to the regulator. This comes fourteen years after the world witnessed the worst-ever midair collision between two aircraft at Charkhi Dadri, attributed to a lack of proficiency in English of pilots in one of the planes. The test is mandatory for air traffic controllers (ATCs) as well.
While many desi airlines check a pilot’s proficiency in English at the time of hiring, the real target are those carriers who hire expats, whose communication skills are largely suspect. The civil aviation requirement (CAR) issued by DGCA chief Nasim Zaidi follows a requirement of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which says that pilots and ATCs must have proficiency to a certain basic level. These areas cover six skills of pronunciation, structure, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension and interaction.
“All holders of licences shall from October 1, 2010 undergo an assessment to demonstrate an operational level of the ability to speak and understand English used in radiotelephony and have the assessment level endorsed on their licence before March 5, 2010,” the CAR says. A DGCA-approved board will select examiners for conducting English proficiency assessment on its behalf.
25/03/10 Times of India