ICAO STUDENT WORBOOK

UNDERSTAND AND BE UNDERSTOOD

An error in communication is the biggest causal factor of deviations in flight levels and designated routes.
With international airports becoming more and more congested every day, there is a higher incidence of
runway incursions. There are also problems with some foreign pilots who do not understand the Air
Traffic Controllers in the critical parts of the flight.

Clear and concise communication in English is then very important for international operations.
For our clients, understanding and communicating in fluent English is now an essential skill since security
is not negotiable. Pilots must read correctly, check and confirm and, if necessary, clarify instructions.

Bibliography

DOC 9835 (Appendix B-3 2.6) and 2nd Edn DOC 9835 Circular 323 (2009); Annex 17; Security Safeguarding
International Civil Aviation Against Acts of Unlawful Interference, Doc 9870AN/463 Manual on Prevention of
Runway Incursions, ,Annex 6 Part I and the Procedures for Air Navigation Services – Air Traffic Management (PANS-
ATM) (Doc4444), Doc 4444 “Air Traffic Management” Chapter 12, Doc 9976 Flight Planning and Fuel Management
Manual (FPFMM), Phraseology Reference Guide ALL CLEAR AGC safety initiative, Circular 323 Guidelines for
Aviation English Training Programs. Annex 10 Volume II Chapter 5 and in ICAO Doc 9432. 12 Jun 2012 –
International standards of phraseology; International Air Transport Association 2011-Pilots and ATC Phraseology
[Link] Air Traffic Organization Policy February 92012 Policy Order JO7110.65U

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system
without permission in writing from the publisher.

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The ICAO language standards have been introduced to improve communication when phraseology is
insufficient.

Candidates are awarded a mark from 1 to 6 for each of the 6 skills: pronunciation, structure, vocabulary,
fluency, interactions, and comprehension. It is the LOWEST of these 6 marks which decides the overall
mark.

The ICAO exams are scored according to the ICAO Language Proficiency Rating Scale. You will be given
a score from 1 to 6 for your performance in Pronunciation, Structure, Vocabulary, Fluency,
Comprehension and Interactions. The overall mark will be the lowest of these scores. All this
information is recorded on your certificate.

The 6 Descriptors

ICAO describes 6 requirements of language proficiency. Each of these areas must be level 4, or
above, for you to get a Level 4 in the exam.

The 6 areas are:

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The proficiency skills form a pyramid in which the foundation skills support the aim of communication:
INTERACTION.

This program focuses on PLAIN ENGLISH in an aviation context and the ABILITY TO INTERACT FLUENTLY
AND EFFECTIVELY.

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Understand these words in the context of listening – you may hear the words in an audio. If you do not understand
the words (and their meaning) then you may not understand the message, and this can cause miscommunication.

Aircraft/Airport Navigation Security Flight Operation

altimeter alternative route aggressive young man bank left/right
brakes approaching angry carry out
cargo hold ascending armed caused
conveyor belt clear area attacked clearance
engine cross ahead bags have been stolen computer screens
fan blade crossed our heading behaving strangely copy message
flaps descending bomb on board delayed
fuel destination airport calm down detached
fuel flow divert from destination causing problems distress signal
fuel gauges grounded drunk passenger engine is running
fuel truck high speed gun extend flaps
fuselage low pass hit false reading
landing gear on arrival passenger hit a crew gear jammed
nose overrun the runway member gone down
nose gear prevent us metal detectors gone off
personal entertainment proceed passengers are fighting increase thrust
propeller push back restrained inform ATC
radar screen redirect suspicious passenger lasted about ten seconds
runway threshold route sniffer dog leave the airplane
tail plane run up terrorist manual control
terminal gate see clearly unruly passenger manually release
thermostat speed up violent passenger pitch
tires slow down weapon radio interference
tower spacing retract
tug stand by runaway clearance
undercarriage take it around stand by
unknown object tow us switched off
warning light taxing turn around
wheel well truck to push us back time slot
wind screen turn around
wind shield unable to continue
wing

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 Flight Safety Non routine situations Weather Health
loud background noise a flock of birds aqua planed banged his head
bird strike alarm has just gone off can’t see clearly bleeding
burnt animal incursion cold coughing blood
burning back online de-icing cuts and bruises
caught fire being forced to land earthquake dehydration
crash blown over flood disabled passenger
collide blown out fog diabetic
damage burst tire gust of wind distressed
declaring an circuit breakers tripped hailstorm experiencing dizziness
emergency compressor stall heavy fog fatigue
emergency services cracked hot feeling sick
explosion fallen down a ditch hurricane have a fit
fire brigade has collided with ice heart attack
fire extinguisher another plane icing up heart problems
fire resistant material has flown into lightning in labor
flame out it’s gone dark moderate not conscious
flames and smoke leak turbulence panicking
flock of birds lightning system failure pressurization quarantine
fumes lost all power rain receiving some first aid
ignite lost cabin pressure severe turbulence seizure
ingested a bird malfunctioning snow serious injuries
liquid on the floor over heating standing water severe chest pain
losing control passengers are missing thunderstorm stomach pains
medical team radio has gone down tornado trouble breathing
police and security reboot the system visibility unconscious
services severe vibration volcano very upset
put out a fire shut down wind shear
spark skidded off
warning light slid off the runway
something wrong
stuck at 90 degrees
stuck in the sand
suspicious shape

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Words with the same meanings – that you need to know for FAA and ICAO Airspace

Handoff Handover when atc passes aircraft to another controller-area

Traffic pattern Traffic circuit pronounced sur kit

Hold Stack there are 4 stacks outside of Londo Heathrow EGLL

Airplane or airplanes Aircraft (single and plural eg. there are many aircraft ..not aircrafts

Course Track

Ramp Apron

Deplane Disembark

Go Ahead Pass your message

Point Decimal

Airport Aerodrome

How do you hear me? How do you read me? I read you 5 (Loud and Clear)

Traffic no factor Clear of traffic

Descend at pilot’s discretion Descend when ready

Leaving Passing Leaving 2,300 for 5,000

Attn all aircraft Attn all stations

Departing Taking off

Approaching Landing

Make a 360 Make an orbit

Squawk altitude Squawk Charlie

QNH Altimeter

Enter downwind Join downwind

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 PRACTISE ON THE LEARNING PLATFORM

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READ THIS ARTICLE

With the increase in non-human communication, for example CPDLC (Controller Pilot Datalink Communications) will all voice

radio contact become unnecessary in future?

AUTOMATION IN ATC

Pilots and controllers face potential misunderstandings as a natural feature of verbal communication and are URGED to
constantly CHECK, CONFIRM and CLARIFY information. An instruction by a controller should normally be READBACK

Are verbal ATC instructions always necessary?

Systems such as DATALINK are in development and already in use to some degree in Europe. In civil aviation, a data-link system
(known as Controller Pilot Data Link Communications) is used to send information between aircraft and air traffic controllers
when an aircraft is too far from the ATC to make voice radio communication and radar observations possible.

Such systems are used for aircraft crossing the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

This system uses the aircraft's flight management computer (FMC) to send location, speed and altitude information about the
aircraft to the ATC. ATC can then send messages to the aircraft regarding any necessary change of course. Meteorological
updates are sent this way.

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COMMUNICATION Discuss these questions. Try to talk for 30-40 seconds:

What are some of the causes of MISCOMMUNICATION between controllers and pilots?

What are the differences between pilot and ATC read back?

What outcomes could an omitted or incorrect call sign have? Give examples

In what ways have you found that unexpected turns of events make communication more challenging?

What can be done to avoid miscommunication between air traffic controllers and pilots?

How has communication equipment changed over the past 70 years?

In what situations is standard phraseology not sufficient?

How important is clear communication in aviation? Why?

What back-up communication systems are in place, in case the radio fails

What problems can happen if pilots and ATCs don't have a good level of English?

What problems can occur when using navigation aids?

How have navigation and ATC systems improved?

How do you think navigation technology will change in the future?

How will the job of an ATC change over the next 20 years?

What is the job of an ATC?

What is airspace management? How does it work?

Why is it essential for clear communication in ATC?

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Aim: By the end of the lesson students should have built and learnt new vocabulary
through context.
Language focus(Vocabulary)

SUB TOPICS Descriptions

Turn around Interaction between Cabin crew and ground staff

Cabin services Passenger comfort

Replenishment

Consumables—Soap, Pillows, Tissues, Blankets

Catering Meal and beverage services

Unloading (offload)

Loading (uplift)

Meal tray

Trolley

Apron – Ramp services Luggage- offload

Fuel- Uplift

Passengers-offload –disembark-deplane

Pushback- Tractor, pay mover, Tug

Guiding marshalling (MarshallER not marshall)

Towing

Water cart

Air conditioning cart

Air start Cart

Belt Loader –baggage cart

GPU-ground power unit

Passenger stairs (instead of bridge)

Air cargo (cargo dollies and cargo loaders)

Wheel chair lifts

De-icing

Weight and balance sheet (PRINT OUT) Payload and CG Center of gravity

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 Ground Handlers

Ground Personnel

Ground staff

Passenger services Check-in (counter) Jet bridge

Boarding pass, E-ticket Jet way

Gate arrival Loading bridge

Gate departures Aerobridge

Airbridge

Air jetty

Finger

Passenger walkway

Passenger boarding bridge

Nose in parking Visual Docking VDGS

Braking Actions Tyre grip

• De-treaded
• Bald
• Wear (worn)

Skid Skid marks Skid off (skidded off)

Runway excursion

• Overrun (overran)
• Overshot (Overshoot)
• Veer Off (Veered off)

Additional Vocabulary Cargo hold, Rear hold door

Baggage hold

Behind –aft, In front-ahead-rear

Overhead-above

Below-underneath-beneath

Port- Red Nav/Position lights

Starboard- Green Nav/position light

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Match the pictures to the words

Container Pallet Fork-lift truck Hinge Cargo net Cage

a) b)

c) d)

The thing that holds the door to the fuselage

e) f)

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Describe things you may see at an aerodrome; discuss problems with moving of ground traffic; to discuss
passenger facilities
Look at the pictures of ground vehicles. Match them to a name, and then match the name to the action. Use
“used for + ing”.

A B

C D

E F

G H

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I J

Answers

1. aircraft de-icer 2. bus 3. fire engine

4. flat-bed truck 5. fuel tanker 6. heavy plant

7. maintenance truck 8. push-back tug 9. snowplough

10. sweeper

Used for - to

a. transport passengers

b. spray icy wings

c. transport construction materials

d. reverse planes

e. repair flat tyres

f. put out fires

g. gets rid of compacted ice

h. deliver kerosene

i. clear debris

j. carry cargo.

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In non-routine, unusual or abnormal situations, there will be a need for plain language to clarify, paraphrase or
provide additional information, for example, to describe a system failure, a passenger’s state of health, or an
obstacle on the runway ICAO Circular 323 Guidelines for Aviation English Training Programs

ICAO Exam Focus

Please give me some examples of non routine, unusual or abnormal situations on the ground?

1. Collision with ground handling vehicles and other aircraft;

2. Fuel and oil spillage;
3. Loading incorrect baggage or cargo;
4. Misdirected passengers causing delays;
5. Bad weather causing flights to be diverted and causing congestion;
6. Bomb threats (warning);
7. Unscheduled aircraft maintenance; Pronunciation Skeduled Sheduled
8. Aircraft directed to an incorrect stand; What is a “stand”? What equipment is needed at a stand to offload
pax?
9. Flight crew misunderstanding their taxiing or stand instructions;
10. Inappropriate ground equipment for a particular aircraft type;
11. Relief crew being delayed;
12. Crew members being ill;
13. Crew exceeding their legal duty times;
14. Flights running into quiet hours when movements are restricted; what are “quiet hours”?
15. Delayed boarding due to cleaners not being available; Ask questions…where are the cleaners, how long
etc?
16. Departure delayed due to incomplete catering; Have you spoken to catering, how long will the delay be?
17. Baggage being offloaded due to a missing passenger; Where is and how long will it take to find the bag?
18. Need to return for de-icing because of a delay in departure;
19. Fuel truck missing or late
20. Problem with pay mover –tug Have you advised the pax to sit down until we are stopped and at the gate?
21. Planes waiting on taxiways in peak hours, waiting for a slot - Pronunciation S L O T not S L U T !

ICAO Exam Focus - What system failures might a flight crew experience during turnaround?

• Aircraft system failures on the ground – hydraulic and fuel leaks;

• Low engine oil level;
• Missing static dischargers;
• Worn or damaged tyres;
• Damaged wing and engine air intake leading edges;
• Engine foreign object damage;
• APU unserviceable;
• Computer failures and line replacement unit (LRU) removal and replacement,
• Incorrect fault messages;
• Incorrect inertial navigation system coordinates, all Minimum Equipment List (MEL) no-go items, impact
damage to the fuselage;
• Inadvertent slide/chute deployment;
• Short circuits.

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ICAO EXAM FOCUS - What sort of obstacles could you find on the runway?

As well as people, animals, vehicles planes - Metal DEBRIS from other aircraft due to tail skidding or incorrectly
attached parts. Pilots are under an OBLIGATION to REPORT any such obstacles because the POTENTIAL
IMPACTS on SAFETY are great

GROUND HANDLING PROBLEMS

Describe the problems you can see in the following pictures

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COMMUNICATION ON THE GROUND

• What is turnaround time

• What personnel are involved in turnaround operation

• Which is the most dangerous phase of turnaround?

• What can cause the biggest impact on turnaround times?

• Which people do you think are most affected by delays?

• How do diversions affect aircraft operations?

• In your experience, how can difficulties in communication be made more serious by bad weather
conditions, congested airports, diverted flights and delays?

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VOCABULARY

Types of Weather – Descriptor Adjectives…Light Moderate Heavy

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Weather Symbols Simbolos meteorologicos

A Hail Granizo

AP Small Hail Granizo pequeňo

E Sleet Agua nieve

I Ice Hielo

T Thunderstorm Tormenta

T+ Heavy Thunderstorm Tormenta fuerte

EW Sleet showers Chubascos de aguanieve

IC Ice crystal Aguajas de hielo

L Drizzle Llovizna

R Rain Lluvia

RW Rain showers Chubascos

SW Snow showers Chubascos de nieve

ZL Freezing drizzle Llovizna engelante

ZR Freezing rain Lluvia engelante

Lightning Thunderstorm Tormenta con relampagos

BD Blowing dust Rafagas de polvo

BS Blowing snow Ragagas de nieve

BR Mist Neblina

BY Blowing spray Rafagas de agua

K Smoke Humo

H Haze Calima

D Dust Polvo

GF Ground Fog Niebla baja

IF Ice Fog Neibla Helada

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Additional Weather Words more commonly used in ICAO exams

Glare bright reflected or refracted light. In the cockpit we use a “glareshield”

Gust sudden rush of wind – ráfaga de viento

Hail Precipitation in the form of compacted ice and snow granizo

Radome a conical protective cover over the weather radar antenna and forming the nose of the aircraft

Shift Change in wind direction cortantes de viento

Fumes Chemical, industrial, engine exhaust gases humo

Fog mist a thin fog with condensation near the ground niebla

Fog droplets of water vapor suspended in the air near the ground.

'Fog' es más espeso que 'mist'. Por lo tanto, quizás 'fog' sería niebla y 'mist', neblina.

Bank of Fog banco de niebla

había niebla~ it was foggy un día de niebla ~ a foggy day había mucha niebla, it was very foggy

Readbacks

1. The airport was shrouded in fog un velo de niebla envolvía la areopuerto

Shroud / Shrouded / a thing that envelops or obscures: a shroud of mist.

2. The heavy fog kept us from arriving on time, la densa niebla nos impidió llegar a tiempo

3. The fog is just lifting. Se levanta la niebla

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WIND DESCIPTORS

Northerly

West Bound Westerly East Bound/ Easterly

South Bound / Southerly

Readback. Northbound traffic is passing underneath the Hold. Southbound traffic above.

Use this website to find out the sound and meaning of word

Recommendations: Should the pilot encounter icing

In addition to using NACELLE anti-icing and wing anti-icing according to procedures, the pilot should keep an eye on the icing
process: accretion rate, type of cloud.

When rapid icing is encountered in stratiform cloud, a moderate change of altitude will significantly reduce the accumulation
rate. ATC is obliged to allow a level change if the pilot notifies an operational requirement.

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Ground De Icing Systems

Aircraft are de-iced on the ground by de-icing vehicles or gantries. ATC provide flight crews up to the minute weather briefings
in addition to regular ATIS recordings and have to take into account delays caused by aircraft going through a ground de-icing
cycle.

Note “gantry” / the platform on the crane (grua) where de-icing equipment is

ACCRETION RATE refers to the speed at which ice is accumulating.

ICING

• What are the main problems for aircraft flying in extremely low temperatures?

• In which conditions do flights most often encounter icing?

• What methods can a pilot use to manage known or forecast icing conditions in flight?

• What precautions can be taken against ice build-up in flight and on the ground?
VOLCANIC ASH

ICAO EXAM FOCUS

How can volcanic ash clouds disrupt aviation?

How did the Iceland volcanic ash disruption affect aviation in Europe?

What measures would you take to avoid volcanic ash? What is an ASHTAM?

Ash clouds from erupting volcanoes can cause major disruption to aviation.

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Choose the CORRECT ADJECTIVE for each noun

o Thick / Heavy / Severe SMOKE

o Bright / Scattered/ Hard CLOUD

o Overcast / Low / Heavy RAIN

o Deep / Thin / Severe TURBULENCE

o High / deep / Long STANDING WATER

o High / Bright / Weak GLARE

o Poor / Short / Light VISIBILITY

o Drifting / Strong / Heavy WIND

o Weak / Scattered / High SHOWERS

o Thick / Few / Strong FOG

LANGUAGE FOCUS – Changing Conditions

The wind is strengthening/increasing weakening/decreasing

The wind is veering (clockwise) backing (counter clockwise)

The wind is gusting to __ Kts

The temperature is increasing/ rising decreasing/dropping/ falling

The fog is thickening lifting

The precipitation is intensifying lessening

The visibility is increasing decreasing

The cloud cover is extending/increasing receding/decreasing

The weather is improving deteriorating/ worsening

Note – we can also use weakening-deteriorating-worsening to also describe the medical condition of PAX. It is important to
always get an UPDATE to CHANGING weather or PAX Medical conditions

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Complete the sentences 1-8 which describe changing weather situations, with the words in the box.

Increasing Heavier Scattered Thicker Weakening Lift Veering Gusting

1. The fog is getting___________________and the RVR is decreasing

2. The wind is_________________to the south-west.
3. Visibility is________________and we’ll soon be in VMC conditions
4. The wind speed is 14 knots, _________________to 21 knots.
5. The rain is getting________________
6. The fog should _________________later in the morning
7. The headwinds are ___________________and we are making better progress.
8. With rising pressure and strengthening winds, there are only__________clouds.

Complete the sentences (1-8) which give cause or reason, with the words in the box

Because of (2) Due Resulted in So Because of Force Has made caused

1. All flights were grounded_______________volcanic ash cloud.

2. Runway 23R is closed___________maintenance being carried out.
3. The heavy weather build up will_________the crew to change course.
4. The strong headwinds_______________the flight being behind schedule.
5. It is raining heavily______________the braking action is poor.
6. The adverse weather_______________traffic slow.
7. We are unable to accept FL390 __________to our weight.
8. The damage to the leading edges was_________by a hailstorm.

Due to, caused by, because of debido a

The flight was delayed due to bad weather. Se vuelo el inicio del partido debido al mal tiempo.

Fluency -Think how you would answer the following questions:

1) How does the weather affect you in your job?

2) Why are thunderstorms dangerous for aircraft?

3) What technology helps you to maintain safety during poor weather?

ICAO LANGUAGE FOCUS WEATHER

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Difficult weather or environmental conditions are one of the circumstances in which PLAIN ENGLISH will often be
required. See 2nd Edn DOC 9835 Circular 323 (2009)

WEATHER

• What is the importance of weather in aviation?

• Why do you think it is important to have a good weather report when planning a flight?

• How does stormy weather affect general and commercial aviation differently?

• Why must pilots and ATCOs have frequently updated weather reports -What information do these reports
need to contain?

• How can weather avoidance affect a controller’s workload? What do you do if you detect thunderstorms
en route?

• What is a PIREP? When would you use a PIREP?

• What are the worst weather conditions you have experienced when flying?

• Why is wind shear such a threat for aircraft in the final phase of flight?

• Have you ever been affected by wind Shear? Describe the situation?

• What provisions do commercial aircraft have on board to detect Microburst and Wind Shear?

ENVIROMENTAL THREATS - VOLCANIC ASH

• How can volcanic ash clouds disrupt aviation? How can Volcanic Ash pose a threat to Aviation?

• How did the recent volcanic ash disruption in Europe affect aviation?

• What measures would you take to avoid volcanic ash?

• What is a SIGMET? What is its implication?

GROUND OPS - WEATHER

• How can weather conditions influence breaking distance for aircraft?

• Which is more dangerous, landing on very wet runway or a snow covered one? (Why?)

• What advice would you give to new or inexperienced pilots unused to operating in winter conditions?

• What is a NOTAM? When is a NOTAM normally issued and by who?

The following verbs can be used to describe the weather. Some are irregular.

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What are the past simple and participle forms?

Present Past simple Present Perfect

blow has/have

increase/decrease

skid has/have

slide

is/are (flooded, stuck) has/have

dry up

get (wet) has/have

rise

fall has/have

ice up

freeze froze has frozen

feel

see has/have

strike has struck

experience has/have

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HEALTH AND MEDICAL EMERGENCY

Make sure that you:

1. Know some basic first aid vocabulary.

2. Can use structures to give basic first aid advice.

3. Can recommend how to stay healthy in flight.

4. Know parts of the body and verbs of the senses.

5. Can ask questions using verbs of the senses.

Fluency

Think how you would answer the following questions:

1) Is good health necessary for a pilot or ATC? Why?

2) How do you stay healthy?

3) How can passengers stay healthy when they fly?

4) Why is flying sometimes not good for a person’s health?

With the increase in BUDGET and LEISURE travel and particularly LONG-HAUL travel by ELDERLY passengers the
LIKELIHOOD of a medical emergency during flight is on the increase.

What is a budget airline?

What is long haul travel?

What does the word “elderly” mean?

What does the word “likelihood” mean?

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Language focus(Vocabulary)

SUB TOPICS Descriptions

Emergencies • An allergic reaction = Anaphylactic shock

• A diabetic episode = Hypoglycemic episode
• Air rage = An agitated or violent passenger
• An asthma attack = Breathing problems
• A fracture = A broken bone
• Premature Childbirth = Early labor
• A heart attack = Cardiac arrest
• A fit = A seizure
Symptoms (Intensity) • Acute stomachache
• Upset stomach
• Terrible headache/migraine
• Serious injuries
• Minor cuts
• Several Bruises
• Bleeding heavily, badly
• Coughing blood intensely
• Severe chest pain
• Respiratory distress
• Extreme dehydration
• Uncontrolled seizures/fits

Procedures • Request/Call/Look for a doctor on board

• Request medical assistance on arrival
• Contact MedLink/MedAire
• Clarify if life threatening
• Declare a medical emergency
• Descent immediately
• Divert to the alternate
• Go to the nearest airport/aerodrome
• Give/Receive first aid
• Give CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation)
• Monitor/Check vital signs
First Aid Kit • Bandage
• Defibrillator
• EpiPen
• Inhaler
• Plaster (Band Aid)
• Insulin Pen
• Splint

Additional Vocabulary A passenger/Someone/The Captain is…

• Dizzy
• Nauseous
• Sick/ill
• Unwell

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 • In great pain
• Unconscious
• Losing consciousness
• Having nasal congestion
• Vomiting
• Very pale
• Turning red/purple/blue
• Having a fit
• Having a stroke
• Coughing blood
• Feeling
• Having trouble breathing
• Not breathing
• Shaking
• Twitching
• Shivering
• Sweating

Condition Symptoms Actions

Chest Pains, difficulty breathing, sudden Vasodilator Spray, CPR, Cardiac Monitor Contact
Heart Attack collapse MEDLINK

Hypoglycaemic episode Sweating, dizziness, disorientation Glucose Injections

Fractured Limb Jolted during turbulence, severe pain Bandages to stabilize, splint for limbs, painkillers
Head Injury

Severe Allergic
Reaction Breathing problems, turning red, scratching adrenaline, antihistimine use EPIPEN

MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

Match the Medical Emergencies 1-7 with their synonyms A-G

1. An allergic reaction A. A broken bone

2. A diabetic episode B. Early Labour (Child Birth)
3. Air rage C. Hypoglycaemic episode
4. An asthma attack D. Cardiac arrest
5. A fracture E. An agitated or violent passenger
6. Premature Childbirth F. Breathing problems
7. A heart attack G. Anaphylactic shock

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Complete the sentences with an item from each box.

Give Open Up Stabilise Inject Struggling Go restart

Airways labour Limb CPR Breathe Insulin heart

1. In the case of a broken leg, the first thing to do is stabilise the imb
2. Women in late pregnancy are discouraged from flying in case they______into______
3. Diabetics have to_____________themselves with _____________to control their blood sugar levels
4. Cabin crew are trained to____________________ __________________ in case of an emergency.
5. A defibrillator can be used to___________________the____________ it stops beating.
6. Asthma sufferers can carry an inhaler to______________the_________________if they have an attack.
7. An oxygen mask will help a passenger who is________________to _________________

Give some advice:

1) A passenger has a nosebleed:

2) A passenger has broken his arm:

3) A passenger can’t breathe:

4) The co-pilot has a headache:

Think how you would answer the following questions:

1) Is good health necessary for a pilot or ATC? Why?

2) How do you stay healthy?

3) How can passengers stay healthy when they fly?

4) Why is flying sometimes not good for a person’s health?

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FIRE – SMOKE

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VOCABULARY FIRE

CAUSES OF FIRE ON BOARD

Read the following incidents where a fire started, or smoke was detected on board. Make sure you understand the
vocabulary in BOLD

1. An ATR 42 was en-route to the Isle of Man when an AFT SMK warning was triggered on the flight deck,
indicating there was smoke in the toilet compartment at the rear of the aircraft. The cabin crew member carried
out the fire fighting procedure and the smoke cleared. The cover on the illuminated RETURN TO SEAT sign in the
toilet had overheated and the bulb filaments had failed, producing smoke.

What was the cause of the smoke / fire?

What action did the pilot-cabin crew take?

2. During taxi to Runway 27R, a wheel fire on a Boeing 747 was seen by the crew of another aircraft who reported
it to ATC. The commander of Boeing 747 brought it to a stop and requested the assistance of the fire service.
When the fire service arrived, they saw smoke coming from the No 7 wheel but no fire. The wheel was removed
and the aircraft towed to a stand where the passengers disembarked. The cause of the fire was attributed to a
failure of the outer bearing in the wheel; this resulted in a loss of support and caused the rotating wheel hub to
rub against the axle.

What was the cause of the smoke / fire?

What action did the pilot-cabin crew take?

3. During cruising flight at Flight Level (FL) 330, the crew of a Beech King Air 350 reported an electrical burning
smell and smoke in the cockpit, and diverted to Cardiff Airport. The cause was subsequently found to have been
caused by electrical shorting due to moisture ingress into the right circuit breaker panel, located directly below
the direct vision (DV) panel in co-pilot’s side window. Before the flight, the aircraft had been parked outside for
two days at Galway, during which time it had rained.

Prior to the flight the aircraft was de-iced due to snow accumulation. During a ‘No Engine Bleed Air Takeoff’, in
which APU bleed air was in use, fumes and smoke entered the cockpit and cabin causing some passengers to suffer
from eye and throat irritation. After isolating the APU bleed air and selecting engine bleed air the fumes
dissipated. The aircraft returned to Newcastle and the passengers were offered medical attention. The fumes
were as a result of de-icing fluid entering the APU air inlet during the initial climb out.

What was the cause of the smoke / fire?

What action did the pilot-cabin crew take?

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UNLAWFUL – ILLEGAL INTERFERENCE

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 AVIATION SAFETY

• How can pilots (and ATCs) be PROACTIVE?

• What things do you look for in a walk around inspection?

• Please define situational awareness and what it means for you?

• What can cause you to lose situational awareness, for example, instrument failure?

• What is CRM? How does good CRM improve decision making?

• How important is teamwork between flight crews?

• Many people think that being a pilot is a dangerous job. What do you think?

• Most people in the aviation industry believe that flying is the safest means of travel. ¿Do you share the
same belief? Why?

• Airline passengers are always asking whether a particular airline is safe or not. Are some airlines safer
than others?
• According to investigators, some aircraft accidents and incidents were caused by pilot error due to
stress. In your opinion is there such a thing as pilot stress?

• Most fatal accidents are attributed to human error, do you agree?

• Do you think it is advisable for pilots to read reports about aircraft accidents? Why or why not?

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 ICAO REVIEW – EMERGENCY SITUATIONS

The Flight crew are responsible for the safety of the flight, the passengers and cabin crew.

Anything that puts the flight, crew or passengers in danger or potential danger can be defined as an
emergency or urgency situation

What are the indications of a potential emergency?

Emergencies usually start with a statement of a problem and a request to standby. A period of diagnosis by the flight crew
will then follow. Once the situation and its implications are understood, a PAN/ MAYDAY may be declared. Crew not
responding to ATC transmissions could indicate they are preoccupied. A request to ‘standby’ could be an indication of a
problem or that a checklist is being completed. Note: Voice pitch/tone does not necessarily reflect the seriousness of the
situation or the level of flight deck activity.

How can a technical malfunction affect a flight and ATC management?

A technical malfunction on the aircraft: on the ground, or while the aircraft is in flight is one of the most common
“unexpected events” which can cause much additional communication in PLAIN ENGLISH between the flight crew and the
controllers, first describing the malfunction, then discussing its consequences and agreeing on a solution.

Most technical failures are unexpected and so cause a certain amount of stress and require time for the flight crew to
assess them and respond to them. In ALL cases, the crew needs to PRIORITISE FLYING the aircraft. They made need
different types of assistance from ATC: Changes in flight plan – alternate-diversion? Level, Destination, Modifications to
their planned type of approach; Technical support on the ground; And emergency services.

Airplane electrics, what do they run off and what would happen if they failed? What would happen if an
aircraft equipped with fly-by-wire systems experienced a total electric failure?

There are usually many backups and redundancies found in the aircraft systems. The Boeing 777 is a good example of a
safe, third generation airplane. It uses the fly-by-wire technology where electrical wires have replaced the long and heavy
cables that used to move the flight controls before. In the 777 there are 5 main electrical power sources in this airplane – 2
main generators, one auxiliary power unit generator (APU) and two backup generators. Over and above these five
generators, there is another standby source from the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) that automatically deploys when it senses
both engine have failed. While these unlikely events (simultaneous engine failures) are happening, the APU generator
automatically starts without any human intervention!

What are some of the possible causes of cabin depressurisation or sudden depressurisation?

Some of the possible causes can be bird strike / puncture of fuselage, breaking cockpit window, Hail Stones / adverse
weather puncture of fuselage/breaking cockpit window; Failure to secure cabin door; Failure to set cabin pressurisation
switch to Auto (Athens 2005 737 / 115 dead); and Metal Fatigue/ Corrosion/ Poor Maintenance. (Aloha 737 / Hawaii)

Is cabin depressurisation a manageable failure?

Cabin depressurisation is a perfectly manageable failure, but will result in the passenger oxygen masks being deployed,
also an unscheduled (emergency) descent, poor communication as the crew will be wearing their oxygen masks and
possibly injuries (concussion, broken ribs, bruises and cuts) among the passengers and cabin crew who did NOT have their
SEAT BELTS FASTENED

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 What problems can partial or total hydraulic failure cause?

PARTIAL OR TOTAL HYDRAULIC FAILURE can also cause problems with the LANDING GEAR. Even if the pilot CANNOT
EXTEND the landing gear, A SAFE LANDING can usually be performed but it won’t be COMFORTABLE for the passengers and
may cause major damage to the aircraft.

What is the number one hazard on board an aircraft?

Both smoke and fire remain # 1 hazard on board aircraft. Response time is critical. The crew’s priority is to land ASAP while
DEPLOYING fire EXTINGUISHING, fire CONTAINMENT and smoke PROTECTION. The flight crew will be working under A LOT
OF STRESS. Communication will be less clear as the crew will be wearing OXYGEN MASKS. It will be necessary to make an
EMERGENCY EVACUATION using the ESCAPE SLIDES as soon as the aircraft is on the ground.

Why can a fire on board an aircraft be such an extremely dangerous HAZARD?

With powerful engines and the carrying of large quantities of fuel on board, a certain risk certainly exists. Fire outside the
cabin can usually (in the CARGO HOLD or one of the ENGINES) be put out quickly by use of strategically placed FIRE
BOTTLES, controlled from the cockpit. The pilot may DECLARE an EMERGENCY and may need to land as soon as possible
(ASAP). In this case the ATC controller will need to make sure that the FIRE –CRASH-RESCUE SERVICES are standing by on
the ground and that they have as much information as possible about the problem.

What are some of the possible causes of Fire on board an aircraft?

Fires can be started on aircraft from a variety of factors –Passenger (Illegal Smoking), ILLEGAL Flammable or Dangerous
Goods taken on board, by leaking fluid with electricity SHORTING to short-circuit). Fires undetected start by SMOULDERING,
SMOKING, COMBUSTING, IGNITING, EXPLODING. If the fire is NOT CONTAINED or EXTINGUISHED this can cause
catastrophe, especially if the fires SPREADS AND ENGULFS the plane.

Why is the likelihood of a medical emergency on the increase today?

With the increase in BUDGET and LEISURE travel and particularly LONG-HAUL travel by ELDERLY passengers there is a
greater likelihood of a medical problem on board.

When and why will the PIC declare a medical emergency?

Medical emergencies on board are one of the main reasons why an aircraft MAY NEED TO DIVERT if the emergency is
SERIOUS enough and CANNOT be treated within the airplane itself. The final decision as to whether a diversion is necessary
or not rests with the Captain. All aircraft have a medical bag – FIRST AID KIT and cabin crew receive first aid training. A
request may be made for any doctor who happens to be on board to make themselves known to the crew, with a view to a
possible intervention.

When are aircraft most vulnerable to a bird strike- When is it most dangerous?

Jet engines are particularly vulnerable during the take-off phase when the engine is turning at a very high speed and the
plane is at a low altitude where birds are more commonly found. Depending on the damage, aircraft at low altitudes or
during take-off and landing often cannot recover in time, and thus crash, as in the case of US Airways Flight 1549.

How can pilots and ATCs be proactive?

I think pilots and ATCs can be more proactive by constantly updating their information on aviation.

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 What things do you look for in a walk around inspection?

The purpose of a walk around inspection is to check for possible external problems, during a walk around
inspection I look for damages to the aircraft fuselage, leading edges, and deflated tyres and cleared pitot tube.

Please define situational awareness and what it means for you? What can cause you to lose situational
awareness, for example, instrument failure?

Situational awareness is being aware of everything that is happening around you that may affect your operation,
is the interaction between human beings and the operational environment. For me, situational awareness means
three key words; look, think, act. I think some causes that could make you lose situational awareness are; system
design, stress and workload, automation, bad weather, heads down and incorrect communication.

What is CRM? How does good CRM improve decision making? How can you apply CRM to solve complex
situations? What are the fundamentals of CRM?

CRM means crew resource management, is about human factors, is about people in their working and living
environment and is about their relationship with equipment and procedures on that environment, objectives,
safety and efficiency.

How has the profile of Passengers changed in recent years?

More flights, cheaper flights, more passengers! Today we are seeing more elderly passengers as the population
is ageing. We are also seeing more budget passengers, taking advantage of charter and cheaper flights.
Budget flights are economical for passengers on package holidays where all-inclusive cheap pricing is
important. Hence the words ‘budget travel’

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REVIEW EMERGENCIES

When is a situation an emergency situation?

When is it appropriate to declare an Emergency?

An emergency situation can be defined as a situation that ENDANGERS the SAFETY of the aircraft and the LIVES
of the passengers and crew.

In EMERGENCY or ABNORMAL in-flight scenarios –the Flight crew NEED to make CRITICAL decisions in a SHORT TIME and under STRESSFUL
conditions.

The use of PAN PAN PAN PAN

It is now more common for commercial airlines to use the words

Standby, we have a problem. ATC will then acknowledge and ask what is required

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ICAO LANGUAGE FOCUS

Breaking down the language barrier for emergency and non-routine situations

1. What is the nature of your problem?

2. Do you require assistance?

3. Have you got hydraulic power?

4. Advise intentions

5. What do you require/want?

6. Is the situation serious?

7. Is this a medical emergency?

8. Is the damage severe?

9. Do you wish to declare an emergency?

10. Did you say…..?

11. Do you mean…..?

12. Say again slowly

13. Say all words twice

14. Describe / Tell me the situation?

15. I’m listening - I’m here

16. Confirm you received my last transmission

17. Ask another crew member

18. Say what you want

19. Say your fuel situation

20. State persons on board

21. I say again (slowly)

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Fluency

Try to imagine how you would answer some questions like these:

1) Do you think aviation will expand in the future? Is this a good thing? Why?

2) What technological developments will become necessary in aviation in future? How likely are we to
find solutions to these needs?

3) Some people predict that we will be able to fly to Australia from Europe in under 4 hours, in 20 years’
time. Is this likely to happen?

4) In what ways does aviation affect your life now (eg, by bringing foreign foods to your local
supermarket). How will this change in future?

5) How can we make the job of a pilot or ATC more attractive to people?

6) How could your working hours be improved?

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INTERVIEW

You will be asked a series of questions related to your role in aviation, and then to a specific aviation-related topic.

There are no right or wrong answers – show you understand the questions by responding to them directly and
fully.

The examiner will ask you further questions, to encourage you to talk more about some of the things you mention
in your responses.

Example Questions

1. Could you tell me about your job?

2. Can you describe what you do at work?

3. Is a pilot’s job important?

4. What’s the difference between a pilot’s role today, compared with the past?

5. How much training is necessary to be a pilot?

Part One Tips!

1. Give full answers. Try to show your fluency. Try to show you can connect ideas and explain your opinions.

2. Listen to the tense of the question. Should you answer in the past tense, present tense, or future?

3. Do not give irrelevant answers. If you do not understand the question, it is much better to ask!

4. Show the examiner what you know! This is not a time to be shy. You are being judged only by the English you
demonstrate during the test. The worst thing is to be silent. If you are not sure about something, tell the examiner
what you do know and what you are not sure about

After asking questions about yourself, the Examiner will ask you questions about General Topics. In these
questions which should include specific, routine aspect of your job or role in aviation, and some non-routine
aspects related to the topic.

E.G. General Topic Weather

1) How does the weather affect you in your job?

2) Why are thunderstorms dangerous for aircraft?

3) What technology helps you to maintain safety during poor weather?

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Why you like being a pilot or why you would like to be a pilot– the positives

The office, the view, 365 x 24

A good salary

The ability to travel

No two days are ever the same, every day is a challenge, and every day is different

Free time

Why you don’t like the job – the negatives

Stress / Pressure

High workload

Being away from family and friends

Fluency

Imagine how you would answer the following questions:

1) What makes a good pilot or air traffic controller?

2) Is a pilot’s job difficult? Why (not)?

3) Which is the most difficult job in aviation, in your opinion?

4) What is a normal day at work for a commercial pilot?

5) What do you do at work?

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To get the best level in an ICAO exam., you will need to show:

- Good pronunciation

- Good control of grammatical structures

- Vocabulary to talk about different aviation topics

- The ability to talk easily

- Good and appropriate responses to situations

And also

- Good understanding of other accents

Our teachers will help you by giving you practice of:

- Saying words correctly if you say them wrong

- Different simple and complex structures

- The topics we may discuss in TEA and the vocabulary you need

- Speaking to the teacher and to your partner as much as possible

- Answering questions

- Listening to foreign accents

But you also need to help yourself by:

- Practising using the structures if you make mistakes

- Finding a good method to learn new vocabulary

- Using every possible chance to speak English to each other

- Trusting your teacher!

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ICAO Language – Structure Functions

ICAO recommends that all Level 4 pilots or ATCOs can use the following functions.

What do they mean in your language?

Translation

- Give opinion

- Describe

- Compare

- Suggest

- Predict

- Speculate

- Explain

- Reassure

Paraphrase To use alternative ways to bypass a lack of vocabulary

Basic grammar Those structures taught at pre-intermediate level, including past simple,
present continuous, modal verbs and comparatives.

Complex grammar Structures taught at higher levels, including present perfect and conditionals.

Work related topics Questions directly relevant to the operations of pilots and ATCs.

Idioms Language used in colloquial contexts among native speakers of a language that
is not derived from the core vocabulary

Discourse markers Words which help speaker and listener to understand the organization of
thoughts being expressed. Simple examples are and, but and so. Others include
as far as I am concerned, apparently or although.

Fillers Words or sounds which are used to “buy time” during speech, such as well,
umm and you know.

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ICAO Interview Make sure that you:

• Know several different job titles at airports, and what these people do.

• Can describe what you do at work if you are working as a commercial pilot

• Can explain why being a pilot is good or bad, easy or difficult

• Can talk about a normal pilot’s day

• Can describe the qualities of a good ATC or pilot

• Can use structures to make questions in the present simple

Vocabulary:

Know and understand the following Vocabulary

e.g. Baggage handler

Security officer

Dog handler

Customs officer

Check-in assistant

Firefighters

Ground technicians

Flight attendant / cabin attendant / steward (stewardess) / Purser

Can describe yourself and can provide examples

Professional

Responsible

Self-motivated

Able to work in a team

Able to work independently

Intelligent

Well-qualified

Well-trained

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Comprehension 2a 1-6 Samples-examples of ICAO Exam Read backs – What is the message?

1. “I cannot hear what you are saying. Please say each word twice.”

2. “We can smell smoke from the toilets. We think a passenger has a cigarette.”

3. “We’ve just gone through some bad turbulence. We need to check if the passengers are ok.”

4. “The first officer has a severe head injury. Request diversion to the nearest aerodrome.”

5. “There are vehicles close to the runway. Standby for instructions.”

6. The aerodrome is now in sight, we can continue visually

7. We are evacuating because of smoke, call the fire brigade

8. Departure delayed, because one passenger is suffering an injury

9. We had Radio interference, could you repeat the last message

10. Our take off is going to be delayed, because a passenger is receiving first aid

11. Destination airport runway closed because clearing the runway

12. The traffic that just crossed our heading from left to right / was too close / why, what is happening?

13. There is a thunderstorm ahead / you need to turn right on an easterly heading

14. We tried to restart the engine but it’s not responding

15. We have got a pax on board with heart problems, request emergency descent for priority landing

16. There is an airport with a tower 8 miles south of your position, do you have enough fuel?

17. He appears to be concussed and has severe bruising

18. I can see debris on the right-hand side of the runway near the threshold

19. We need to get away before quiet hours

20. The flaps are frozen and need freeing

21. I´ll get the ground crew to wipe the grease off the glass

22. The brake light is blinking on and off, I don´t think the gear locked down either

23. I´m having difficulty veering left, I can only use asymmetrical thrust.

24. I think we are going to be forced to ditch in a field.

25. Adopt landing configuration to control speed and height.

26. We have a drunken passenger on board; we need the police to meet us on arrival

27. We have been hit by hailstones in the last 10 minutes, the wings appear damaged.

28. The runway is cleared for a belly landing – alert the fire and rescue service please

29. The engines are not running smoothly – we are diverting to the nearest airport

30. It’s been raining, and the runway is slippery, we’ll need the longest runway available.

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Samples-examples of ICAO Exam Read backs – Ask Questions?

1. “We have a problem... We cannot move”

2. “We have a problem... there is a man shouting at me.”

3. “We have a problem… one of the passengers is being sick.”

4. “We have a problem…some of the passengers are missing”

5. “We have a problem… a passenger is unconscious”

6. “We have a problem…an alarm has just started”

7. We have a problem, we´re still struggling to get a slot.

8. We have a problem – the brake light is blinking

9. We have a problem – a passenger has had a bag fall on his head

10. We have a problem…a man has just punched a member of the cabin crew

11. We have a problem… a passenger is complaining of acute stomach ache

12. We have a problem, we need medical help

13. We have a problem; we think we have crashed into something

14. “We need some help… we can’t hear anything.”

15. “We need some help… we’re feeling very stressed.”

16. “We need some help… the computer system has gone down.”

17. “We need some help, a man´s bags have been stolen”

18. We need some help; we have a woman here who is very upset

19. We need some help, the passenger is trembling, and coughing and seems to be short of breath

20. We need some help we can’t get the computer to work

21. We need some help; the passenger has lost consciousness and is still bleeding

22. We need some help…the galley floor appears to be very hot

23. We need some help…a passenger has just hit the purser.

24. We need some help… we have skidded off the runway into a ditch

25. We need some help. We have a passenger who is trembling and shaking.

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