presentation communication across borders

8/8/2019 Presentation Communication Across Borders

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Aviation English:

Communication Across Borders

Kitty Campbell Laird

Purdue University

University Aviation AssociationFall Education Conference

Toronto, Ontario, Canada9 October, 2004


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My Background

Pilot

Musician

Sociolinguist

ESL/EFL/ESP Instructor


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Status of Aviation Communication

radiotelephony limitations

(analog/simplex)

communication protocol(expected turns and sequence)

restricted phraseology(purpose built vs. natural language)


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History of Aviation Communication

English was not designated as an officiallanguage for aviation communication

English-only was not mandated for aviationcommunication on a global scale

English became the predominant

lingua franca of aviation

prescribed restricted phraseology of aviationEnglish was similar to maritime Seaspeak


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Aviation Organizations

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)(United Nations Organization with 188 Member

States, promotes standards in civil aviation)

Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)

(each country's regulatory agency, in the U.S.the Federal Aviation Administration or FAA)


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Major Language Related Accidents

March 27, 1977: Tenerife (KLM/Pan Am)

January 25, 1991: Cove Neck, NY (Avianca)

December 20, 1997: Cali, Columbia(American)


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Concerns with Current System

need for minimum English proficiency beyondrestricted aviation phraseology

cultural awareness regarding differences invarieties of English

complications in negotiation of meaning due to

regional & local variation/accent & dialect

special consideration of bilingual/multilingualairspace due to lack of situational awareness


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ICAO Initiatives

use of fair reproducable phraseology

rating scale for English proficiency

holistic descriptors for language performance

proposed implementation by 2008

review of timeline feasibility in 2006


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Aviation English Proficency Metrics

(proposed, but not yet established)

ESP Aviation English test

communicative competency test

inter-rater reliability training


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Technical System Improvements

Controller/Pilot DataLink (CPDLC)

real-time speech recognizer/translator

FANS (Future Air Navigation System)


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Current Technical Considerations

Air Navigation Service (ANS)(under government or private control)

Air Traffic Management (ATM) system(implementation of standardized procedures)

Air Traffic Services (ATS)

(dispatch & weather/airline, state, or private)

Airborne Collision Avoidance System (ACAS)(conflict management)


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Conclusions

Aviation communication depends upon:cooperation between aviationindustry & regulatory entities

consensus in aviation communicationand language policies

wise implementation and

standardization of technology

global sensitivity to theinternational aviation community


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Discussion Questions:What barriers does the U.S. face to realisticallyimplement the new ICAO language policies?

resistance to change from pilots/ATC

different culture, chain of command, andunions for pilots and ATC

FAA phraseology sometimes incompatible with

ICAO phraseology

plain English based on which variety ofEnglish (undefined accent/dialect desired)


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Discussion Questions:What challenges does ICAO face

in assisting Member States to implementnew language policies?

lack of standardization of training and testingmaterials between MemberStates

Lack of resources for some MemberStates todevelop materials and/or comply with policies

MemberStates may have higher prioritiesfor available funding

commercial entities may not address needs


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Discussion Questions:

Do the new holistic descriptors and ICAOlanguage proficiency scale offer good

benchmarks for oral English performance?

What audio samples are needed tooperationalize levels for stakeholders?

What types of training and testing materials willbe needed and what resources will benecessary to produce these materials?


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Are there examples of other ICAO SARPs that

lack compliance or are ignored in practice?

Do CivilAviation Athorities typically regulateICAO SARPs or do SARPs merely exist as

guidelines which go ignored unless non-compliance is called into question?


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Is English-only for aviation communication thebest sollution for situational awareness?

Should a sterile cockpit be expanded toinclude English-only communications?

In what instances might the use of more thanone language be beneficial in countries with

bilingual or multilingual airspace?


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Discussion Questions:How will the success of implementation of

ICAO language policies impact communicationin other areas of the aviation industry?

maintenance

flight attendants

ramp personnel & baggage handlers

airline dispatch & weather service providers

ticketing agents & customer service


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Discussion Questions:What can UAA do as educators to help facilitate

a smooth transition during the implementationphase of new ICAO language policies?

encourage collaboration between countries

and aviation organizations

discourage resistance to changefrom the aviation industry

promote discussion about resourcesand possible sollutions


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Questions or Comments?

Kitty Campbell LairdPurdue University

e-mail: [email protected]

presentation communication across borders

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