Aviation English is more than just a specialized language; it’s a global standard that keeps pilots, air traffic controllers and aviation personnel connected and safe. At the Worldwide & Online Department of Aviation English, we teach Aviation English as a vital tool for clear, concise and accurate communication in high-stakes environments.
As the world’s recognized language of aviation, English ensures safety and efficiency around the globe. Combining expert language instruction with deep operational knowledge, our programs are designed with real-world aviation in mind.
You’ll strengthen your English language skills while gaining insight into critical safety topics and industry practices. Whether you're preparing for an international career or looking to sharpen your communication skills, our courses help you speak the language of aviation with confidence and clarity.
Pushing the Envelope of Possibility
College Research
Students engage in applied research guided by expert faculty, exploring Aviation English and solving real-world challenges through innovation and collaboration.
Faculty from around the globe bring decades of professional expertise to the field. Their teaching combines research insight with everyday application, preparing graduates to lead and innovate.
In 2018, through the Brazilian Department of Airspace Control (DECEA), I had the privilege of going on a mission to Embry‑Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus to participate in the Aviation English for Air Traffic Controllers training program. That first experience was nothing short of magical, and I remember waking up every day filled with energy and always with a big smile on my face.”
Lucas Miguel de Bail Ribas
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English for Air Traffic Control is a teacher-facilitated Aviation English course designed for ATC organizations or groups of students. This course can be customized for organizations’ specific needs to include up to 200 hours of instruction with a combination of live synchronous sessions and asynchronous homework sessions.
English for Flight Training is a nine-week online course designed to improve the Aviation English language proficiency of future or current student pilots who speak English as a second language.
Each week, you will attend online instructor-led class sessions and complete homework tasks online. The course focuses on developing language and communication skills you’ll need to:
Interact with flight instructors
Comprehend flight training information
Communicate on the radio with ATC during routine VFR flights
Flight training topics are used to increase your basic aviation knowledge as you improve your grammar, pronunciation, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension and interaction skills. By the end of the course, you will be more prepared to successfully complete flight training conducted in English.
The English for Flight Training Assessment
(EFTA) is a 1.5-hour online speaking and listening test. The EFTA helps
determine a prospective flight student’s readiness to successfully
participate in flight training conducted in English.
Frequently Asked Questions
About the Test
The EFTA is designed to give you information about your English language skills specifically related to flight training. Taking the EFTA before you begin flight training will help determine if you need Aviation English training first. By taking the EFTA and Aviation English classes, you can start flight training prepared!
The test includes 13 questions that cover a range of topics. You'll record videos of yourself saying your answers in English. The EFTA is not a test of your aviation knowledge.
The EFTA measures your English language skills. You can prepare by practicing speaking about a variety of general and aviation-related topics.
You will need a laptop or desktop computer, webcam, headphones, microphone and a reliable Internet connection.
Your overall English proficiency takes time and effort to improve significantly. If you want to take the EFTA again, you must wait 3 months. During those 3 months, consider taking an English class or doing self-study to improve your overall proficiency.
If you experience a technical issue, you can use the second attempt. Only answers in your second attempt that were not successfully submitted in your first attempt will be rated.
You must answer 12 out of the 13 questions for your test to be rated.
EFTA Results
Your results will be available within 3 weeks after the date you took the test.
Your results will include information about your proficiency level in each skill, and an overall rating, determined by your lowest skill. Based on the overall rating, the results will include a recommendation about whether to begin flight training.
EFTA results are valid for one year. Results will not be reported or sent by Embry-Riddle after one year.
EFTA results will provide individual proficiency levels for each of the six skills (pronunciation, structure, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension and interaction), as well as an explanation of your proficiency in each skill. You will also receive an overall rating, determined by your lowest skill score. Based on the overall rating, the results will include a recommendation about whether to begin flight training.
Your EFTA results are an indication of how ready you are to begin flight training in English. If your overall rating is Elementary or Developing, it is recommended that you take Aviation English classes before flight training. If your overall rating is Advanced or Prepared, you likely already have the English language skills needed to be successful in flight training.
During the test, you will provide the name of the flight school, and the name and contact information of the administrator at the flight school to whom you want your results sent.
Testing Policies and Procedures
You must submit a photo or a scanned copy of an official identification such as a passport or a government identification card. The identification should include your name and photo. Your identification will not be shared with third parties.
You are not allowed to take notes during the test. You should try to speak spontaneously from your mind.
Mobile devices are not permitted during the test.
If you violate the test rules, Embry-Riddle can cancel your results.
Language and Training in Aviation
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The International Civil Aviation Organization, or ICAO, is a United Nation’s Specialized Agency. ICAO publishes and maintains Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPS) that help ensure the safety of global aviation. ICAO Document 9835, the Guidance Manual on the Implementation of ICAO Language Proficiency Requirements, was published in 2004 and updated in 2010.
What does ICAO recommend about how to teach Aviation English?
ICAO Document 9835 recommends a content-based approach to Aviation English. This approach combines interactive language learning with relevant, interesting content.
What does ICAO recommend about teacher qualifications?
ICAO Document 9835 also recommends “Best Qualifications” for Aviation English teachers:
Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics, and/or
Master’s degree in Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language
For more information about ICAO, explore the following:
When ICAO (the International Civil Aviation Organization) adopted strengthened Language Proficiency Requirements (LPRs) in 2003, it noted that "recent major accident investigations have indicated lack of proficiency and comprehension of the English language by flight crews and air traffic controllers alike as a contributing factor."
According to ICAO, four high-profile accidents accounted for the fact that “between 1976 and 2000, more than 1,100 passengers and crew lost their lives in accidents where language issues played a contributory role.”
1978: Runway collision at Tenerife, Spain
1990: Fuel exhaustion, New York, USA
1995: Controlled flight into terrain, Cali, Colombia
1998: Midair collision, India
In each of these accidents, problematic communications between pilots and air traffic controllers were noted or cited as contributing/latent factors, during the accident investigation.
Understanding Language as a Critical Human Factor in Aviation
The ICAO Language Proficiency Requirements (LPRs) were developed to ensure that aviation professionals possess the English language skills necessary for safe and effective radiotelephony communication. These standards focus solely on spoken communication; they don’t address how language impacts Crew Resource Management (CRM) or cover reading proficiency, even though pilots and maintenance technicians must regularly interpret complex technical documentation written in English.
One of the key benefits of the ICAO LPRs has been the increased awareness across the aviation industry of how language affects safety and operations. Still, a multi-year review of accident reports from 1990 to 2012 revealed that language-related issues are often underreported or overlooked in investigations.
Since the 1970s, the field of aviation human factors has made major strides, leading to practices like Crew Resource Management, Threat and Error Management and greater understanding of fatigue, stress and communication. Yet, even after five decades, language as a human factor remains underexplored compared to other performance-related issues.
At Embry‑Riddle, we believe that developing deeper insight into language use in aviation isn’t just an academic exercise — it’s a crucial part of building safer skies. Our programs are designed to help aviation professionals recognize and navigate these language-related challenges in both spoken and written contexts.
LHUFT at Embry-Riddle
In 2017, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University established the Language as a Human Factor in Aviation Safety (LHUFT) initiative to:
Increase awareness of the role of language in all aspects of aviation safety
Support human factors specialists, accident investigators and safety experts in considering the role of language and communication in aviation operations
Conduct and support meaningful research on language and culture in aviation
For more information about language as a human factor, explore the following:
