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ICAO LPRs – from 1996 to now

Mitch Fox Chief, Flight Operations Section, ANB, ICAO

ICAO Language Proficiency Requirements Technical Seminar March 25-27, 2013, Montréal, Canada

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Presentation Outline

Why we introduced Language Proficiency Requirements (LPRs)?

What are the Language Proficiency Requirements (LPRs)?

ICAO Assembly Resolutions

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Why we introduced LPRs?

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LPR Chronology

1996: Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision

1998: 32nd Assembly

2000-2001: PRICE Study Group

2001-2003: 33rd Assembly - Review and Expand

2007: 36th Assembly - A36-11

2008: Applicable

2009: Circular 318 - Language Testing

Circular 323 - ICAO/ICAEA Collaboration

2010: 37th Assembly - A37-10

Second edition of Doc 9835

2011: Launch Test Service

Complete Rated Speech Sample

In the last decade, numerous workshops, conferences, symposia.

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Making a Standard

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Resolution A32 of ICAO 1998

“…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”

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PRICE Study Group

Proficiency Requirement In Common English Study Group

Comprised of aviation and linguistic experts from Argentina, Canada, China, France, Russia, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States, EUROCONTROL, IATA, IFATCA, IFALPA and ICAO.

Mandated to

Review all aspects of air-ground and ground-ground voice

communication

Develop requirements concerning English language

testing

Develop language proficiency requirements

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ICAO SARPs

Annex 1 — Personnel Licensing

Annex 2 — Rules of the Air

Annex 3 — Meteorological Service for International Air Navigation

Annex 4 — Aeronautical Charts

Annex 5 — Units of Measurement to be Used in Air and Ground Operations

Annex 6 - Operation of Aircraft

Annex 7 — Aircraft Nationality and Registration Marks

Annex 8 — Airworthiness of Aircraft

Annex 9 — Facilitation

Annex 10 — Aeronautical Telecommunications

Annex 11 — Air Traffic Services

Annex 12 — Search and Rescue

Annex 13 — Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation

Annex 14 — Aerodromes

Annex 15 — Aeronautical Information Services

Annex 16 — Environmental Protection

Annex 17 — Security

Annex 18 — The Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air

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ICAO Hierarchy of Documents

Chicago

Convention

Annex 1 Personnel Licensing

Doc 9835

Manual on Implementation

of Language Proficiency

Requirements

SAR

Ps

Gu

idan

ce

Circular 323

Training

Guidelines

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What are LPRs?

Annex 1 – Personnel Licensing

Annex 6 – Operation of Aircraft

Annex 10 – Aeronautical Communications

Annex 11 – Air Traffic Services

PANS-ATM

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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

Rating scale is applied

Shall speak and understand

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Language Proficiency in Annex 1

Shall demonstrate the ability to speak and understand the language used for radiotelephony communications (Standard 1.2.9.1)

After 5 March 2008,

the “speak and understand” ability shall be demonstrated to level 4 of the ICAO rating scale (Standard 1.2.9.4 and Appendix)

recurrent testing will be required for those below level 6 (recommendation: every 3 years for level 4 and every 6 years for level 5)

Previous Standard on the use of radiotelephony procedures and phraseology still applies

• Aeroplane & helicopter pilots (PPL, CPL and ATPL)

• Air traffic controllers and aeronautical station operators

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Language Proficiency in Annex 10

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

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Language Proficiency in Annex 10

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

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Implementation Notes

Standard 1.2.9.1 will apply only on 5 March 2008 for aeroplane and helicopter pilot who have a licence issued before 5 March 2004

No “grandfather” clause for Air Traffic Controllers and Aeronautical Station Operators

Language proficiency requirements applies to pilots who are engaged in international flights and ATCO/ASO providing services to international flights

Pilots shall demonstrate proficiency in at least one of the language(s) offered in the airspace that is used

ATCO/ASO shall demonstrate proficiency for each of the language(s) offered in the airspace in which they are providing service

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Other Aspects

The Rating Scale and Holistic Descriptors are contained in the Appendix and the Attachment to Annex 1

Consequences of non-compliance with the language proficiency Standards

For pilots

For Air Traffic Controllers and aeronautical Station Operators

Guidance on the implementation of the Standards has been published in the Manual on the Implementation of ICAO Language Proficiency Requirements (Doc 9835)

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Resolution A36-11 Basic Elements

Urge States to waive Article 40

Until 5 March 2011 to comply provided:

States that do not comply post implementation plans on the ICAO website as soon as practicable, but no later than 5 March 2008

Implementation plans include risk mitigating measures

ICAO does not review plans. It is up to States.

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Article 33 of the Convention

Recognition of certificates and licenses:

Certificates of airworthiness and certificates of competency and licenses issued or rendered valid by the contracting State in which the aircraft is registered, shall be recognized as valid by the other contracting States, provided that the requirements under which such certificates or licences were issued or rendered valid are equal to or above the minimum standards which may be established from time to time pursuant to this Convention.

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Article 39 of the Convention

Endorsement of certificates and licenses a) Any aircraft or part thereof with respect to which there exists an international standard of airworthiness or performance, and which failed in any respect to satisfy that standard at the time of its certification, shall have endorsed on or attached to its airworthiness certificate a complete enumeration of the details in respect of which it so failed.

b) Any person holding a license who does not satisfy in full the conditions laid down in the international standard relating to the class of license or certificate which he holds shall have endorsed on or attached to his license a complete enumeration of the particulars in which he does not satisfy such conditions.

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Article 40 of the Convention

Validity of endorsed certificates and licenses:

No aircraft or personnel having certificates or licenses so endorsed shall participate in international navigation, except with the permission of the State or States whose territory is entered. The registration or use of any such aircraft, or of any certificated aircraft part, in any State other than that in which it was originally certificated shall be at the discretion of the State into which the aircraft or part is imported.

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Resolution A37-10 Basic Elements

After March 2011

ICAO to monitor implementation of LPRs through continuous monitoring approach (Safety oversight audits)

ICAO to provide information on status of implementation in all Contracting States

Non-compliant States to provide updated implementation plans with milestones against which progress will be assessed

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A State is considered compliant when…

Language provisions are included in its regulatory framework

Licenses are endorsed or personnel records include information on level of proficiency for languages used in international operations

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Questions

What are the challenges?

Do we need to review the Language provisions – i.e. make recommended practice Annex 1 para 1.2.9.7 a standard?

We have made progress. But it’s not over. What else do we need to do?

What are your expectations at the next ICAO Assembly for LPRs?

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