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The Center for Aviation and Transport Systems and the Language Competence Centre secure Eurocontrol contract

The Centre for Aviation and Transport Systems of the School of Engineering and the Language Competence Centre (formerly ISBB) of the ZHAW School of Applied Linguistics have taken up their work as part of a research project commissioned and funded by Eurocontrol.

The aim of the project is to further develop the existing ELPAC language test for air traffic controllers in compliance with the ICAO Language Proficiency Requirement.

 

The successful proposal was prepared under the guidance of William Agius, Deputy Head of the Centre for Aviation and Transport Systems, and Walter Seiler, Head of the Language Competence Centre. In 2010 the two centres signed a Memorandum of Understanding that would allow them to pursue an interdisciplinary cooperation in the field of Aviation Language and Communication. The fact the Eurocontrol has awarded this prestigious contract to the ZHAW is a testimony to the expertise available in the two centres and the validity of taking an interdisciplinary approach to the issue of language testing for aviation.

 

The scope of the project covers the development of the test itself and test material, as well as the designing and running of training courses for assessors to administer the test upon completion.

 

Eurocontrol is an international civil organisation involved in planning and coordinating air traffic across Europe. The original ELPAC was officially launched in 2007. ELPAC is an abbreviation for English Language Proficiency for Aeronautical Communication.

 

The ICAO Language Proficiency Requirements came into effect worldwide in March 2011. Since then all licence holders, such as pilots and air traffic controllers, are required to demonstrate their ability to use plain English in radiotelephony communications. These new requirements are clearly aimed at making a valuable contribution to improving safety in aviation by eliminating the risk of miscommunication.