LOT POLISH AIRLINES

RELTAImplementation Process

Presentedby

Krzysztof Sysio

RELTA (Australian) – Pilot and ATC streams

The Polish choice for pilots testing

Options available to airlines & ATC providers

• Develop own test and/or training materials using existing capacity (language training resources) - former LOT experiences

• Recruit test developers/teachers to address issues - Internal LOT test developing practices before 1996

• Outsource testing and training to language providers - Solution actually analysed in respect to training

• Form consortium with other airlines/ATC providers to combine resources for joint approach - The solution not concerned

• Start recruiting only proficient pilots- The future requirements already widely accepted

• Most regulators aware of requirements – Polish CAA had analysed the situation carefully and long.Due to time constrain there was no possibility to make assessment of all pilots within the required time frame (before 5 mach 2008). Thus, Polish CAA decided to notify ICAO of non compliance with the requirements.

• Airlines lobbying CAAs to take a soft approach, but not in Poland– There are some groups of pilots worrying about possible threads of new ICAO requirements, not the administration of the LOT Polish Airlines. Remember that the requirements would influence the B787 promotion. At the same time a large group of pilots is approaching the retirement. The 787 delivery delay becomes the factor.

• Implementation of proficiency testing yet to occur on wide scale (expected to occur 2008 +) - RELTA implementation scenario has already accepted by the pilots and it is being implemented

IMPLEMENTATION THREADS

• Validity- There are local pronunciation preferences for spoken English and locally accepted language deficiencies that might influence the final assessment (Australian-Chinese, American-Spanish, Polish-German-French-British i.e. European English in Aviation phraseology), remember the raters are not only native speakers

Reliability

-RELTA test seems to be reliable, however the there were only 107 pilots tested from 14th February 2008 and 7 pilots were below level 4 of only (Pilots with good English declare the will to take the examination now)- 10 LOT pilots took the examination so far, others prepeare and collect information

Authenticity

• there are some comments by pilots to the situations proposed in the tests scenarios, which interpretations or behaviours are not necessarily complying with the experiences of pilots and sometimes with the common sense or SOP patterns and they still should be verified with worldwide airlines experiences

Interactivity

• Only small technical corrections sometimes but rarely required

Fairness in policy

Should the raters’ names be available in the Examination Certificate (Polish legal issues)?

Practicality

- The examiner and rater SOPs presented by RELTA show the great experience of the test designers which, the knowledge, allows the less experienced examiners starting this job to avoid wrong proceedings and possible conflicts- The examiner and rater training principles are well prepared, however the (rater) training should be available online any time.

Need balance

• The difference in professional approach to specific situations and SOPs creates the need to make an introduction to the test by the Examiner – non standard situation might be affected becoming more standard one in the test to be carried.

Listening tests

• Should some of the questions be tricky? Should the questions rather be put straight forward instead of creating a puzzle.

• Questions with four long complex sentences as proposed answers are reported to create stress and time for analysing them is too short.

RELTA meets ICAO requirements (Doc 9835)

• Aviation specific • Speaking and listening• No reading (?) or writing• Language for pilots • Phraseology and Plain English • ICAO criteria• ICAO rating scale (R/T and plain English)! • Computer mediated

• English overall knowledge uncovers deficiencies and life story of a pilot

• Learning English in Aviation by repetition of all subjects covered by modern ATPL programs

The Examined Pilot from inside

• The heritage • The family skills • The education process profile• The national background (the iron curtain)• Political realities and preferences of Airlines• Speaking test Section 3 – conversation

- Practicing English in day-to-day situations - English and pilot’s hobbies - Professional background (the conversation assessment confronting former standards and the present FAA and EASA ATPL standards for learning and training programs).

• Pilot’s individual mentality and emotions

Pilot as RELTA examiner and rater

• The values and design of RELTA test can reduce the threads for a pilot being an examiner or pilot and rater at the same time:- The objective and professional examiner can only help the examined pilot and improve the inter-pilot relation by this professional attitude - the rater assessing the examination is never left alone and unsupervised which helps to create good impression of her/him as an objective and honest person within the pilots’ professional group.

• The former role of a person acting as an Examiner and Rater at the same time was risky and always raised comments

JAR -FCL

• An applicant for an IR(A)[, MPL(A), ATPL(A)] or validation shall have demonstrated the ability to use the English language as set out in Appendix 1 to JAR–FCL 1.200.

• The holder of an IR(A) issued in accordance with Appendix 1 to JAR-FCL 1.200 shall have the PPL(A), CPL(A), MPL(A) or ATPL(A) extended with radiotelephony privileges in English.[Amdt.2, 01.08.02;]

(a) flight:• radio telephony relevant to all phases of flight, including emergency

situations. This item in considered to be fulfilled, if the applicant has passed an IR[, MPL] or ATPL skill test or proficiency check during which the two-way radiotelephony communication is performed in English.

(b) ground:• all information relevant to the accomplishment of a flight, e.g.• * be able to read and demonstrate an understanding of technical manuals

written in English, e.g. an Operations Manual, an Aeroplane Flight Manual, etc.

• * pre-flight planning, weather information collection, NOTAMs, ATC Flight Plan, etc.

• * use of all aeronautical en-route, departure and approach charts and associated documents written in English.

• This item in considered to be fulfilled, if the applicant has graduated from an IR[, MPL] or ATP course given in English or if he has passed the theoretical IR or ATPL examination in English.

(c) communication:• be able to communicate with other crew members in English during all

phases of flight, including flight preparation

PCAO approach

• To fly controlled airspace, international flights both for IFR and VFR flights PCAO requires pilot to prove level 4 of proficiency in English according to new ICAO requirements

LPR for VFR missing?

• RELTA offers light aircraft for only VFR flights

Numbers

• 9600 licenced pilots in Poland• 1700 pilots employed (ATPL,CPL)• 7900 pilots flying light aircraft• 2000 entries to RELTA contracted for 2 years

Thank you