Embry-Riddle to Market World's First English Test for Airline Pilots

The copyrighted Test of English for Commercial Airline Pilots fills the need for a reliable, easy-to-use, standardized test of pilots' ability to communicate in English, the international language of aviation. As air travel expands around the world, the English proficiency of flight crews and air traffic controllers is becoming a safety issue.

Initially developed by the Embry-Riddle Language Institute (ERLI) at the request of Korean Air, the test has been taken by more than 250 KAL pilots. The airline's pilots must perform well on the test in order to be promoted.

"The Test of English for Commercial Airline Pilots provides a standard for our curriculum design," said Shin Yul Hur, training manager at Korean Air. "We firmly believe that a pilot's ability to speak English, among many other factors, directly affects airline safety. ERLI's test will enhance the level of language competence of our pilots and greatly contribute to our flight safety."

The test assesses the ability of pilots to speak English in most situations, from communication with traffic controllers to in-flight announcements.

The 60-minute test includes audiotapes and testing materials and can be administered by an airline's training managers. Tests are scored by ERLI's trained aviation English specialists using Embry-Riddle's copyrighted English Competency Rating Scale.

"This test has the potential to become the TOEFL of the aviation world," said Elizabeth Mathews, director of the university's language institute, referring to the Test of English as a Foreign Language, the leading exam for international students who want to study in the United States, Canada, or other countries where English is the primary language of instruction.

The Embry-Riddle Language Institute designs and administers specialized English language training programs for air traffic controllers, cabin attendants, dispatchers, managers, pilots, and technicians. Its clients have included the Civil Aviation Administration of China, Delta Airlines, Federal Express, FlightSafety International, Instituto Nacional de Aviacion Civil (Argentina), Saudi Arabian Airlines, Turkish Air, and United Airlines.

Mathews said the language institute is now developing a version of the test for pilot candidates who are involved in ab initio, or initial, flight training.

Embry-Riddle, the world's largest, fully accredited university specializing in aviation and aerospace, meets the needs of students and industry through its educational, training, research, and consulting activities. Degree programs through the master's level are offered in Daytona Beach, Fla., and Prescott, Ariz., at more than 100 teaching sites in the U.S. and Europe, and through distance learning technology.