About the ELPACst Test

As student controllers have to meet the EU language proficiency requirements before May 17th 2010 the ELPACst  test release is planned for the end of 2009.

The EU Directive on a Common ATC Licence adopted the ICAO Rating Scale and Holistic Descriptors for language proficiency, and thus the language proficiency of student air traffic controllers has to be tested in a work-related context. The test should resemble the work related context as much as possible but avoid testing of the abilities to control air traffic. In order to meet the requirements a specific purpose language proficiency test (ELPACst) is being developed.

The EU requirements specify that the language proficiency of student controllers has to be tested before they receive their Student Air Traffic Controller Licence, in other words before they commence on-the-job training (OJT).

The ELPACst test comprises two test papers: an internet based test of Listening Comprehension (Paper 1) and an interactive test utilising visual and non-visual communication (Paper 2 Oral Interaction).