'A study of EL2 pilots’ radio communication in the General Aviation environment

Estival, Dominique; Molesworth, Brett · 2009 · Crossref

DOI: 10.2104/aral0924

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Summary

This paper presents the preliminary findings of a three-part study investigating radio communication challenges in General Aviation, specifically focusing on pilots whose native language is not English (EL2). Motivated by the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) mandate for English proficiency testing and historical accidents linked to miscommunication, the authors aim to determine whether EL2 proficiency significantly impacts communication effectiveness and safety. The study challenges the assumption that communication failures are primarily due to EL2 pilots’ production errors, suggesting instead that comprehension difficulties affect both native speakers and EL2 pilots due to factors like rapid speech, lack of prosody, and noise. The researchers conducted a survey at flight training organizations in Bankstown, Australia, distributing questionnaires to 36 pilots of varying experience levels and language backgrounds (24 native English speakers and 12 EL2 speakers). Participants reported self-experienced instances of miscommunication with Air Traffic Control (ATC) and other pilots, identified the flight stages where these issues occurred, and ranked the difficulty of five specific radio communication tasks: remembering, saying, understanding ATC, understanding other pilots, and reading back. Statistical analyses, including Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Tests and Kruskal-Wallis tests, were employed to examine task difficulty rankings and determine if native language or pilot qualification level influenced these perceptions. The results revealed that both native speakers and EL2 pilots ranked “understanding other pilots” as the most challenging communication task, followed by “remembering what you have to say.” Conversely, “understanding ATC” was ranked as the least difficult task. Statistical analysis showed no significant differences in task difficulty rankings based on native language or pilot license type. Furthermore, a majority of pilots from both groups reported instances where they failed to understand ATC or were asked by ATC to repeat their transmissions. These misunderstandings frequently involved unexpected messages, such as clearance changes or call signs, rather than routine instructions. The data indicated that communication problems are not exclusive to EL2 pilots but are a universal challenge in the aviation environment. The study concludes that communication difficulties in General Aviation cannot be attributed solely to the language proficiency of EL2 pilots. Instead, the findings suggest that comprehension issues arise from broader factors, including the lack of visual cues, rapid delivery of instructions, and operator expectations. The authors argue that current training focuses too heavily on standard phraseology while neglecting comprehension strategies. They propose that future interventions should include training ATC to use clearer communication strategies, such as appropriate pausing, and developing computer-based tools to identify potentially confusing messages. This research highlights the need for a more comprehensive approach to aviation communication safety that addresses the challenges faced by all pilots, regardless of language background.

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