Amendment 164 to Annex 1 has introduced strengthened language proficiency requirements for flight crew members and air traffic controllers. The language proficiency requirements apply to any language used for radiotelephony communications in international operations. Therefore, pilots on international flights shall demonstrate language proficiency in either English or the language used by the station on the ground. Controllers working on stations serving designated airports and routes used by international air services shall demonstrate language proficiency in English as well as in any other language(s) used by the station on the ground.

- Are all members of the flight crew required to meet the language proficiency requirements?

All pilots shall meet the language proficiency requirements when they fly internationally. The provisions contained in Annex 10, which allowed the use of interpreters, have been withdrawn.

- What happens if I am late for my test?

We will try to reach you if you are five minutes late. If we are unable to reach you, we will wait fifteen minutes after the appointed time for you to begin the test. After that time, we do not have time to complete your test, and must free our equipment for the next scheduled ELP Test. If you do not contact us by fifteen minutes after the appointed time, you will be charged the full amount for the test.

- Are there browser requirements to support online registration?

To register online for the ELP Test, we recommend using the following browser versions:

1. Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher
2. FireFox 1.5 or higher
3. Safari 2.0 or higher

- What is the 'ICAO Rating Scale for Operational Level 4'?

A speaker will be rated at Operational Level 4 if the following criteria are met:

Pronunciation:

(Assumes a dialect and/or accent intelligible to the aeronautical community.) Pronunciation, stress, rhythm, and intonation are influenced by the first language or regional variation but only sometimes interfere with ease of understanding.

Structure:

(Relevant grammatical structures and sentence patterns are determined by language functions appropriate to the task.) Basic grammatical structures and sentence patterns are used creatively and are usually well controlled. Errors may occur, particularly in unusual or unexpected circumstances, but rarely interfere with meaning.

Vocabulary:

Vocabulary range and accuracy are usually sufficient to communicate effectively on common, concrete, and work-related topics. Can often paraphrase successfully when lacking vocabulary in unusual or unexpected circumstances.

Fluency:

Produces stretches of language at an appropriate tempo. There may be occasional loss of fluency on transition from rehearsed or formulaic speech to spontaneous interaction, but this does not prevent effective communication. Can make limited use of discourse markers or connectors. Fillers are not distracting.

Comprehension:

Comprehension is mostly accurate on common, concrete, and work-related topics when the accent or variety used is sufficiently intelligible for an international community of users. When the speaker is confronted with a linguistic or situational complication or an unexpected turn of events, comprehension may be slower or require clarification strategies.

Interactions:

Responses are usually immediate, appropriate, and informative. Initiates and maintains exchanges even when dealing with an unexpected turn of events. Deals adequately with apparent misunderstandings by checking, confirming, or clarifying.

- Do native speakers need to be evaluated and how?

Native speakers need to be evaluated. However, in this case, it is possible to use a process similar to that which is routinely used today to ensure that applicants do not have a speech impediment that would affect their capacity to operate safely. This assessment can also be extended to non-native language assessment at the highest or Expert level. This is because native speakers can easily identify other speakers with native and/or Expert language proficiency through fluent and natural use of the language. Similarly, completely inadequate proficiency is also relatively easy to identify.

In practice, language proficiency assessment for native and/or Expert speakers can consist of an interview with a representative from the Licensing Authority such as a flight examiner. If a problem is noticed (speech impediment or inappropriately strong regional accent) during such an interview, the applicant should be referred to a specialist for follow-through.

- Is my personal information safe online?

Aerosolutions takes your privacy very seriously and employs an array of measures to protect any personal information you provide to us. For more information, please review our Privacy Policy.

- Can I appeal my results or request a remark?

Yes. If you feel the result you received was not accurate, you can request that your performance be remarked. You will need to contact the Aerosolutions Test Center as soon as possible after you receive your results, if you wish to appeal your ELP Test result.

- Can I cancel my online registration?

If you have not yet submitted your registration, it remains incomplete until the late registration deadline. Incomplete registrations are deleted from the system after the late registration deadline. Once you've submitted your registration, it cannot be canceled and your test fees cannot be refunded. You may, for a fee, transfer your registration to a future test date by contacting us.

- How soon can I get my results?

Results are issued 10 working days after the test date. Results are made available to individual candidates through Aerosolutions directly or through their organisation.

- For how long are test scores valid?

This is determined by your local civil aviation authority. The following Table lists the levels along with functional and testing requirements associated with each level (ICAO recommendation).

ICAO Level	Level Name	Meets ICAO Proficiency Requirements	Recommended testing recurrence
Level 6	Expert Level	Yes	N/A
Level 5	Extended Level	Yes	Every 6 years
Level 4	Operational Level	Yes	Every three years
Level 3	Pre-operational Level	No	N/A
Level 2	Elementary Level	No	N/A
Level 1	Pre-elementary Level	No	N/A

- Is every ELP Test the same?

Although there are many versions of the ELP Test, the structure of the test remains the same for all versions. No test taker will repeat the same test.

- Can I take only 1 section of the test?

No. Both the listening and speaking components must be completed to receive a score.

- How and when do I register for the test?

Online registration is the preferred method. Registration is available 6 months before the test date. Register early as seats fill up quickly. You cannot register by phone.

- How will I find out my test date?

Once we have a confirmed test date/time, an email confirmation will be sent to you with all the testing information.

- Can I pick my own test date/time?

Yes. There are no set time slots for these tests. On the application it requests that you give us your availability for testing. You must allow at least 3 business days from the date you submit a completed application. If we are unable to meet your requested dates, we will contact you for more availability.

- What if I achieve Level 4 or more on only one component of the test (e.g. Speaking component), can I just repeat that part of the ELP Test?

If you take the ELP Test again, you are required to sit the entire test even if you received a low score in only one component. Results from previous ELP Tests are not carried forward.

- What is the structure of the ELP Test?

The ELP Test consists of two component: Part 1 - Listening Comprehension and Part 2 - Speaking. Both parts of the test are online delivered.

- How is the test taker's score generated?

The final assessment will be based on the lowest score obtained for any of the six criteria. For example, if a candidate is assessed as fluency 5, structure 5, vocabulary 4, interaction 4, pronunciation 5 and comprehension 4. The awarded score will be at level 4. The minimum level to achieve ICAO compliance is Level 4.

- What is the emphasis of testing phraseologies compared to testing the use of plain English?

The ICAO language proficiency rating scale applies to both phraseology and plain language in aeronautical communication. That is to say that in aeronautical communication both phraseology AND plain language relevant to the context of the communication, must be tested. It is important that a candidate demonstrates the ability to switch effortlessly between phraseology and plain language.