TOC
English Language Proficiency
FTE was the first organization of any kind to be formally approved by the UK CAA to test and certify English Language Proficiency levels for license issue, and the certificates issued by FTE are accepted by some others JAR-FCL States. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) grades English Language Performance on a scale of 1 to 6:
| ICAO Levels | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Pre-elementary | Level 4 | Operational |
| Level 2 | Elementary | Level 5 | Extended |
| Level 3 | Pre-Operational | Level 6 | Expert |
In order to conform with ICAO Language Proficiency requirements, Pilots, Air Traffic Controllers and all others who use English in R/T communication on international routes must be at ICAO English Language Level 4 (Operational) or above. This must be confirmed by successful completion of an airline industry approved test.
Those who are assessed at ICAO Level 4 must be re-tested every three years. Those who fail may not be licensed to operate on international routes.