Further English Language Development of Experienced ATCOs

Further English Language Development of Experienced ATCOs

Czech Air Navigation Institute Division of Air Navigation Services of the Czech Republic Established in 1983 Initial and recurring training for: 230 licensed Czech ATCOs and ATCO trainees Technicians and support staff Foreign ATCOs and professionals from more than 15 countries

Czech Air Navigation Institute Training follows Eurocontrol common core content and ICAO guidelines Wide range of skills training within Air Traffic Services English language training

English Language Level 4 or Higher Training and testing all ATCOs since 2001 ELPAC test Recruitment minimum level 4 100% Level 4 or higher since 2009 After 100% ATCO level 4 certification, what next?

ATCO Refresher Course

ATCO Refresher Course Mission Statement: Further develop English language communication skills of active ATCOs to enhance operational safety and external productivity Operational: signed on to an ATC position External: job-related, but not ‘on the mike’ Functional English in various working environments

ATCO Refresher Course Licensed ATCOs, level 4 or higher 5 days, 3 X 90 minutes per day = 22. 5 hours Once per year Participants relieved of all other job-related duties Led by 1 to 3 different native English teachers with Aviation English teaching experience, selected and trained specifically for this course

ATCO Refresher Course Core Language Components Aviation vocabulary building Listening (mostly from materials developed in-house) Speaking Reading Refresher grammar

ATCO Refresher Course Classroom activities Aviation-related case studies with discussion Student presentations (end of week) Analysis of real world ATC dialogues Both native and non-native English speaking pilots and ATCOS

Sample Teaching: Medical Emergency Listening and Analysis using materials developed in-house Relevance Medical emergencies occur in approximately 1 in 25, 000 passengers Flight diversions occur in up to 7% to 10% of these cases* Mandate Where standard phraseology does not suffice, communication will be conducted at all times in plain language that is precise, concise and unambiguous *Source: Commercial Aviation In-flight Emergencies and the Physician Emerg Med Australis 2007 Feb 19(1): 1 -8 Review

Sample Teaching: Medical Emergency February 19, 2011 Air France 636, Paris to Houston, emergency diversion to St. John’s, Newfoundland Dialogue length: 1 minute 10 seconds

Sample Teaching: Medical Emergency

Sample Teaching: Medical Emergency

Sample Teaching: Medical Emergency 0: 06 ATCO “Heart attack” 0: 17 Pilot “Cerebral attack” 0: 24 ATCO “Brain aneurysm” 0: 46 ATCO “Brain issue” 0: 51 Consensus “Brain attack” Cost of consensus: 5 different attempts, 51 seconds, 9 radio transmissions

Sample Teaching: Medical Emergency Stroke Brain Attack Aneurysm • Too specific • Low in universal comprehension • Marginally acceptable • Possibly misleading • Is patient awake and in pain or unresponsive? • Requires more questions before actionable response • Precise • Concise • Unambiguous

Sample Teaching: Medical Emergency Stroke: rapidly developing loss of brain function due to a disturbance in the blood supply to the brain Specific enough to allow an actionable response Not too specific so as to mislead medical responders Cost of consensus: 1 attempt, 5 seconds, 2 transmissions Ensures safety for the ailing passenger and all other parties

ATC: Sir I just want to confirm that the patient is a 57 year old male with a heart attack, is that correct? Pilot: Negative negative it is cerebral problem cerebral (unreadable) (unreadable) attack ATC: Okay sir say again the condition Pilot: Cerebral attack for a passenger brain problems with blood in the brain ATC: Okay some sort of brain aneurysm is that correct? France 636 I think I stepped on you there just confirm it’s a brain aneurysm of some sort Pilot: I don’t know this way in English (unreadable) in the brain for Air France 636 passenger ATC: Ok, yeah, I take that it’s a brain issue, maybe an attack of some sort in the brain, is that correct? Pilot: That’s correct perfect and we need assistance

Sample Teaching: Medical Emergency Solicit feedback from students Repeat subtopics as necessary Success is measured in applicability to real-life working environments

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