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U.S. Department
of Transportation
Federal Aviation
Administration
Advisory
Circular
AC
60-28
DATE: 12/26/95
ADVISORY CIRCULAR
AC No: 60-28
Date: 09/23/97
Initiated
by: AFS-630
Change:
Subject:
English Language Skill Standards
1. PURPOSE.
This advisory circular (AC) provides
guidance for airman applicants, training
organizations,
designated examiners, and aviation safety inspectors in determining English
language skills required for airman
certification under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR)
parts 6 1, 63, and 65.
2. BACKGROUND.
There are distinct regulatory English
language requirements in 14 CFR part 6 I for pilots, and flight
and ground instructors; part 63, for flight navigators and flight engineers;
and part 65, for dispatchers,
mechanics, repairmen, and parachute riggers.
a.
Part 61 requires that pilots, and flight and
ground instructors must be able to
read, write, speak,
and
understand
the English language. If the applicant cannot
meet these requirements of English fluency, an airman
certificate cannot be issued. For medical reasons, an appropriate limitation
may be placed on the certificate.
b.
Parts 63 and 65 require that if a flight
navigator, mechanic, repairman, or parachute rigger cannot read, write, speak,
or understand the English language, an appropriate limitation may be placed
on the certificate.
c. Sections
63.3 l(b), flight engineers; and 65.53(b), aircraft dispatchers,
requirements differ slightly. The applicant must
be able to read, speak,
and
understand
the English language. If unable, an appropriate limitation may be
placed on the certificate.
3. COMPETENCY
GUIDANCE. When there is a question
of an applicant meeting the English language
requirements, the examiner will determine the applicant’s ability to read,
speak, write, and understand the
English language. The examiner will evaluate the applicant’s speech and
accent, if any, relative to sentence
patterns, sentence structure, spelling of written text, and in the case of
an air traffic control clearance,
use of standard clearance terminology.
a.
For all certification testing, applicants will
be required to read a section of a technical manual, and then write and
explain their interpretation of that reading. An appropriate technical
manual in
this sense means an airplane
flight manual, a maintenance manual, or other publications as appropriate
for the certificate or
rating sought.
b.
For practical tests involving airport tower
services and Flight Service Station (FSS) en route services, examiners
will simulate typical communications and require the applicant to copy and
read back the communication.
c. For
practical tests requiring the receiving and acknowledgment of air traffic
control instrument flight rule
clearances, examiners will simulate typical clearance deliveries and require
the applicant to copy and read back the
clearances.
d. If
applicants can demonstrate the ability to write and explain the intent of a
selected reading, and read back simulated
communications with little or no hesitation and/or misunderstanding, they
will have satisfactorily met
the intent of the English language requirement. Airman applicants, whose English language skills are
still in question, shall be referred to the local Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) for evaluation by an
aviation safety inspector.
4. RESPONSIBILITY.
It is important that all airman applicants demonstrate their ability to
read, speak, write, and
understand the English language. Each applicant must demonstrate an ability
to mentally grasp critical
information which often must be read and understood while conducting a variety of aviation operations. The
responsibility for ensuring applicants meet the English language requirements is shared by flight and ground
instructors, aviation schools, designated examiners, and aviation safety
inspectors. Ultimately, the
designated examiner and the aviation safety inspector are required to
evaluate each applicant’s
eligibility, including English fluency, prior to beginning the practical
test or accepting an application for an
airman certificate or rating.
Thomas E. Stuckey
Acting Director,
Flight Standards Service
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U.S. Deportment
of Transportation |
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