Language Proficiency Requirements History

The use of the English language in aeronautical communications (via radiotelephony) was established by ICAO in 1944 at the International Civil Aviation Convention, known as Chicago Convention, more specifically, in Annexes 1 and 10 to this document. However, in 2003, this organization adopted a new international language policy, called Language Proficiency Requirements (LPR), which requires pilots, air traffic controllers and aeronautical station operators involved in international operations to demonstrate their ability to speak and understand the language used in aeronautical communications, through a formal assessment, for the purposes of issuing and renewing their professional licenses.

Language proficiency requirements are described in Appendix 1 of Annex 1 and encompass a scale with six proficiency levels: Pre-elementary (Level 1), Elementary (Level 2), Pre-operational (Level 3), Operational (Level 4), Extended (Level 5) and Expert (Level 6). Level 4 was considered by ICAO to be the minimum level for these professionals to operate in international civil aviation. Reevaluation intervals were also set for professionals who were below Level 6, being 3 years for those who achieved Level 4 and six years for those who reached Level 5.

In addition, ICAO published in 2004 the Manual on the Implementation of ICAO Language Proficiency Requirements – Doc 9835, which presents specifications and guidelines for the development of training and assessment programs regarding the use of English in aeronautical communications, and determined that it would be appropriate for each contracting State to be able to decide for the development and administration of their own assessment instruments or for acquiring external tests.

In Brazil, ICEA was commissioned by DECEA to be responsible for planning, developing and implementing training and assessment programs related to the language proficiency of Brazilian air traffic controllers and aeronautical station operators. In compliance with the LPR, in 2007, ICEA developed the Aeronautical English Proficiency Exam for the Brazilian Airspace Control System (EPLIS) and, since then, has periodically administered it to these professionals. In 2014, ICEA extended the target population of EPLIS to include students in the last semester of their initial training courses in air traffic control in order to promote curricular and pedagogical changes and also to increase the proficiency level of these future professionals.

For a more detailed background on LPR and the implementation process in DECEA, readTOSQUI-LUCKS, P.; SOUZA, P. R.; RAYMUNDO, N. A.; GUERREIRO, N. C.; ARAGÃO, B. F. Ensino e Avaliação de Língua Inglesa para Controladores de Tráfego Aéreo como Requisito de Segurança em Voo. Revista Conexão SIPAER (Brasília), Vol. 7, No 1. 2016. Disponível em: https://geia.icea.decea.mil.br/geia/artigos/Lucks-et-al-2016.pdf>

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OACI Publications

1. DOC 9835 edition 2004
2. Resolution A36-11
3. Circular 318
4. Circular 323
5. Resolution A37-10
6. Doc 9835 edition 2010
7. Resolution A38-8

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DECEA Publications

1. Programa de Elevação de Nível na Língua Inglesa 2007
2. Plano de Implementação dos Requisitos de Proficiência em Inglês, para o período 2008-2011
3. Plano de Implementação dos Requisitos de Proficiência em Inglês, para o período 2011-2013
4. Plano de Implementação dos Requisitos de Proficiência em Inglês, para o período 2014-2016
5. Prorrogação do PCA 37-9, 2017
6. Manual dos Requisitos de Proficiência em Inglês Aeronáutico (MCA 37-225, 2018)
7. Programa de Elevação de Nível de Proficiência em Inglês Aeronáutico (ICA 37-924)

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