What is on this page and how to use it
This page holds 40 ICAO English practice items written by TalkDrill, each with the examiner's or the other station's reply, a model answer at Level 5 and an examiner note. They are grouped the way the approved tests group them: 10 interview questions about your work, 8 picture descriptions, 9 non-routine role-plays for pilots, 7 for controllers, and 6 listening and read-back drills. There is no official ICAO question bank; each approved test writes its own tasks against the ICAO rating scale, so the right way to prepare is to practise the task shapes until a new situation does not frighten you. Per ICAO Annex 1 (icao.int could not be fetched this week), six criteria are rated, pronunciation, structure, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension and interactions, and your overall level is the lowest of the six. Level 4 is the operational minimum.
- Read the prompt. Cover the counterpart and the model.
- Start a recorder on your phone. Speak as you would in the test room or on the radio.
- Uncover the counterpart. Respond to it out loud, without pausing to prepare.
- Stop the recorder. Read the model, then the examiner note.
- Listen back once and score yourself on the six-criteria sheet. Write the lowest score next to the item number.
Do not memorise the models. Memorised language is easy to hear, and a memorised answer collapses the moment the examiner asks a follow-up you did not expect. The counterpart lines exist for exactly that reason: every item has a second turn so you practise responding, not reciting. The rating scale page explains each criterion in detail; this page gives you the material to apply it to.
How the test runs at TEA and ELPAC
You do not usually choose your test; your regulator or your school does. TEA and ELPAC are the two tests whose official pages we could read this week, and the items on this page map to both. The figures below are from the TEA page at aviation-english.com and the ELPAC site, both read on 21 October 2026. Other tests exist, such as RELTA, EALTS and Versant Aviation; we could not read their official pages this week, and the tests compared page covers them.
| TEA (Mayflower College) | ELPAC (EUROCONTROL) | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 25 to 30 minutes, 3 parts, face to face with 1 examiner (TEA page) | Two papers; the ELPAC about page gives Paper 2 as about 20 minutes with three tasks |
| Part 1 | Introduction and experience-related interview, 7 to 8 minutes: your role and one aviation topic, "no right or wrong answers" | Paper 1: listening, 45 items, computer-marked, separate ATC and pilot versions |
| Part 2 | Interactive comprehension, 8 to 12 minutes: 2A six recordings of non-routine situations, report the message and say pilot or controller; 2B four longer recordings, take notes and report the details; 2C three short recordings, then 20 seconds to ask the speaker questions, then advice; recordings play once unless you ask for a repeat, never a third time | Paper 2: live speaking rated by two accredited assessors, an English language expert and an operational expert (a current or former controller or pilot) |
| Part 3 | Picture description and discussion, 10 minutes: two connected pictures, 30 seconds for the first description, then discussion of general aviation topics | Paper 2 tasks: standard phraseology and an unusual situation on the frequency; picture description with hypothesising and problem-solving; a conversation about aviation topics (ELPAC about page) |
| Scale | ICAO rating scale; "not a test of aviation phraseology", "not a test of operational knowledge" | ICAO Levels 3 to 6; no compensatory marking; the level is the lowest rating across the six criteria from both assessors; a third assessor decides if the two disagree |
| Recognition | Meets the ICAO requirements; approved by the UK CAA (TEA page) | EUROCONTROL with ZHAW and ENOVATE; recognised by ICAO under AELTS, with the current recognition valid through the end of 2026 (ELPAC site) |
| Dates | No fixed dates on the TEA page; you arrange the test with a TEA test centre | No fixed dates on the ELPAC site; your organisation's ELPAC test administrator schedules you |
Three things follow for your practice. First, at TEA you are alone with one examiner for half an hour, so the interview and the picture are as important as the radio situations; do not spend all your time on emergencies. Second, the TEA Part 2 is listening with a spoken response, not a multiple-choice paper: you hear a recording once and must report, ask or advise. The listening items on this page are built for that. Third, at ELPAC one of your two raters is an operational person; a fluent answer that is operationally silly will be noticed, so keep your role-play decisions realistic. In India the DGCA lists ELP Training and Testing Service Providers on its portal; the DGCA ELP page walks through that route, and we state no fee because none was read on an official page.
The six-criteria self-rating sheet
Use this after every recorded item. The descriptors are a plain-English condensation of the ICAO rating scale as the ELPAC site reproduces it (the scale is in ICAO Annex 1 and Doc 9835; icao.int could not be fetched this week; the rating scale page gives the fuller version). Score each criterion 3, 4 or 5. Your item score is the lowest of the six, because that is the ICAO rule, and the ELPAC site states it as no compensatory marking.
| Criterion | Sounds like a 3 | Sounds like a 4 (minimum) | Sounds like a 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | Accent frequently interferes; the listener has to work to follow numbers and key words | Accent is noticeable but only sometimes interferes with ease of understanding | Accent rarely interferes |
| Structure | Basic structures not always well controlled, even in predictable situations; errors frequently interfere with meaning | Basic structures used creatively and usually well controlled; errors occur in unusual situations but rarely change the meaning | Basic structures consistently well controlled; complex structures attempted with some errors |
| Vocabulary | Range limited and word choice often inappropriate; often unable to paraphrase when a word is missing | Usually sufficient for common, concrete and work-related topics; can often paraphrase in unusual situations | Sufficient for work topics; paraphrases consistently and successfully; sometimes idiomatic |
| Fluency | Stretches of language with frequent long pauses; fillers distract | Stretches at an appropriate tempo; some loss of fluency when moving from rehearsed to spontaneous speech, but not enough to prevent communication | Speaks at length with relative ease on familiar topics; uses discourse markers effectively |
| Comprehension | Often accurate on common topics; may fail to understand a linguistic or situational turn of events | Mostly accurate on common, concrete and work-related topics; may need clarification when there is a linguistic or situational complication | Accurate on common topics and mostly accurate when the complication is unexpected |
| Interactions | Responses only sometimes immediate, appropriate and informative; generally inadequate when the situation takes an unexpected turn | Responses are usually immediate, appropriate and informative; initiates and maintains exchanges even in an unexpected turn; deals adequately with misunderstandings by checking, confirming or clarifying | Responses are immediate and informative; manages the exchange effectively |
How to score honestly (TalkDrill method)
Listen back twice. On the first pass, score only pronunciation and fluency: count the places where you would have asked yourself to say again, and the pauses longer than three seconds. On the second pass, score structure, vocabulary, comprehension and interactions: did you answer the question that was asked, did you respond to the counterpart line, did you use the past tense when the event was in the past. Write the six numbers in a row, circle the lowest, and put that one on your tracking sheet. After ten items you will see which criterion keeps setting your level. That criterion is your preparation, and the 30-day roadmap tells you what to do with it.
Which items train which part of the test
| Group on this page | TEA part | ELPAC paper | Criteria most exposed | Minutes per item |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interview (I01 to I10) | Part 1, 7 to 8 minutes | Paper 2 | Structure, fluency, vocabulary | 2 |
| Picture description (P01 to P08) | Part 3, 10 minutes | Paper 2 | Vocabulary, fluency, comprehension of the follow-up | 3 |
| Pilot role-plays (R01 to R09) | Part 2 content; Part 3 discussion | Paper 2, pilot version | Interactions, structure, comprehension | 3 |
| Controller role-plays (C01 to C07) | Part 2 content; Part 3 discussion | Paper 2, ATC version | Interactions, fluency, comprehension | 3 |
| Listening and read-back (L01 to L06) | Part 2A, 2B, 2C | Paper 1 (listening), Paper 2 | Comprehension, pronunciation of numbers | 2 |
If you are a pilot, do the controller role-plays too, and the reverse. The TEA Part 2A asks you to say whether the speaker is a pilot or a controller, and the best way to hear the difference is to have spoken both sides. The role-plays here are the short form; the non-routine situations page has 25 scenarios with the standard phraseology, the plain-English bridge and the read-back for each.
Interview: 10 questions about your work
The TEA Part 1 is 7 to 8 minutes about your role and one aviation topic, with no right or wrong answers per the TEA page. The examiner is listening for structure (can you tell a past event in the past tense), fluency (can you keep going without rehearsed chunks) and vocabulary (can you name what you do). Every question below has a follow-up or a pushback, because the follow-up is where Level 3 and Level 4 separate.
I01: Describe your current job and a normal duty day
Examiner: "Tell me about your current role. What does a normal duty day look like for you, from the moment you arrive until you finish?"
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Examiner follow-up: "You said the briefing is the most important part. Why is that? What happens if it is rushed?"
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
I am a first officer on a narrow-body jet, flying domestic sectors and a few short international routes. A normal day starts about ninety minutes before departure. I check the weather, the NOTAMs and the fuel plan, then I meet the captain and the cabin crew for the briefing. In the briefing we agree who is flying, which runway and departure we expect, and what we will do if something goes wrong early, for example an engine problem after take-off. After that we do the walk-around, set up the cockpit and board. Most days we fly two or four sectors. Between flights we have about forty minutes on the ground. The briefing matters because it is the only moment when the whole crew shares the same plan. If it is rushed, people make different assumptions, and that is when small mistakes start.
Examiner note: Tests structure and fluency on familiar ground. A Level 3 answer is a list of nouns in present tense with long pauses ("Briefing. Then walk-around. Then fly.") and no linking of cause and effect. Level 4 needs complete sentences with past, present and future used correctly, even if slowly.
I02: Describe your aircraft or your sector and what is difficult about it
Examiner: "Describe the aircraft you fly, or the airspace you control. What is the most demanding thing about it?"
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Examiner follow-up: "Give me a specific example of a day when that difficulty caused a problem. What did you do?"
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
I control the approach sector for a busy single-runway airport. The sector is small, about forty miles across, and we have arrivals from three directions merging onto one final approach. The demanding part is sequencing when the weather is bad. If there is a thunderstorm on the approach path, every aircraft wants to deviate a different way, and my neat sequence disappears in two minutes. Last month a cell sat right on the final for an hour. I had six aircraft holding, two of them low on fuel, and the first one asked to divert while I was giving a heading to another. What I did was slow down my speech, deal with the fuel aircraft first, give the others expected approach times, and ask the tower to open the second holding pattern. The key is to tell every pilot what to expect, so nobody calls me twice.
Examiner note: Tests vocabulary and structure. Level 3 speakers run out of words for the specific problem ("the weather is problem, very problem") and fall back on gesture or repetition. At Level 4 the vocabulary covers the work situation with some circumlocution; at Level 5 the example is concrete and ordered.
I03: A time the weather changed your plan
Examiner: "Tell me about an occasion when the weather forced you to change your plan. What was the situation, what did you decide, and how did it end?"
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Examiner follow-up: "Looking back, would you make the same decision today? Why or why not?"
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
Two winters ago I was flying into a northern Indian airport in December, and the visibility was dropping faster than the forecast. The TAF had said 800 metres by morning, but at ten in the evening the tower was already reporting 400 metres in fog. We were about forty minutes out with fuel for one approach and the alternate. The captain and I discussed it and decided not to wait. We asked for the latest RVR, and when it was below our minimum we told the controller we were diverting to our alternate, which was clear. We landed there with the planned reserve. The passengers were unhappy, but nobody was in danger. Today I would decide the same way, and I would probably decide it five minutes earlier, because waiting for the fog to lift rarely works at that time of year.
Examiner note: Tests structure, especially past tenses and sequencing, and fluency. The common Level 3 failure is a narrative told entirely in present tense with "then, then, then", which leaves the listener unsure what has already happened. Mark the past clearly: "was dropping", "had said", "decided".
I04: The most difficult phase of flight, and why
Examiner: "In your opinion, which phase of flight is the most difficult for a pilot or a controller, and why?"
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Examiner pushback: "Many people say the approach. You said departure. Convince me."
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
For me the departure is harder than the approach, and I will explain why. On approach the aircraft is slowing down, the plan is set, and everyone on the frequency expects you to land. On departure the aircraft is heavy, the engines are at high power, and the first two minutes are when an engine failure has the smallest margins. At the same time the frequency is busy, you are changing from tower to departure control, and the standard instrument departure may have a turn at low height. If something fails, you must fly the aircraft, follow the engine-out procedure, and tell the controller in plain English what you need, all at once. On approach you usually have time to prepare for a problem. On departure the problem arrives before you have finished the checklist. That is why I say departure.
Examiner note: Tests interactions and structure: an opinion question followed by a challenge. Level 3 candidates repeat the first answer louder when pushed. Level 4 and above respond to the challenge directly ("I understand why people say that, but ...") and give a reason.
I05: A transmission you misunderstood
Examiner: "Tell me about a time you misunderstood a radio transmission, or someone misunderstood you. What happened and what did you learn?"
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Examiner follow-up: "What exactly do you say now when you are not sure what you heard?"
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
Early in my career I was taxiing at a large airport with a controller who spoke very fast. He gave me a taxi route with four taxiways and a hold short instruction. I read back what I thought I heard, and he said "correct", but I had actually confused two taxiways with similar names, Kilo and Delta. We turned onto the wrong one. He stopped us immediately and gave us a new route. Nothing happened, but it frightened me. What I learned is that a read-back is not enough if I am not sure. Now, when I have any doubt, I say "say again the taxiway after Alpha" or "confirm hold short of runway two seven". I ask before I move. I also write the route down before I read it back, which slows me down in a good way.
Examiner note: Tests comprehension and interactions through self-report, and the follow-up checks whether the candidate actually owns the clarification phrases. A Level 3 failure is "I ask again" with no specific words; Level 4 names the phrases and uses them correctly.
I06: Your training, and what you would change
Examiner: "How were you trained for your job? If you could change one thing about that training, what would it be?"
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Examiner follow-up: "Who should pay for that change, the school or the airline? Why?"
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
I did my commercial licence at a flying school in Maharashtra over about two years, then a type rating paid for by my first airline. The flying training was good. The part I would change is the radio training. We practised standard phraseology until it was automatic, but almost nobody made us talk about things going wrong in plain English. The first time I had to tell a controller about a sick passenger, I knew the phrases for a routine flight and not the words for "unconscious" or "breathing with difficulty". I would add one hour a week of non-routine situations, where an instructor plays the controller and the student must explain a problem without a script. The school should pay for it, because the licence itself requires Level 4, and a student who cannot do this is not ready for the licence, whichever airline hires them.
Examiner note: Tests vocabulary range and structure with a conditional ("if you could change"). Level 3 speakers cannot form the conditional and answer a different, easier question. Level 5 handles the hypothetical and the follow-up on cost without losing the thread.
I07: The hour before a flight or before you take position
Examiner: "Describe what you do in the hour before a flight, or before you take over a control position. Why do you do it in that order?"
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Examiner follow-up: "What would make you refuse to take the position or the flight?"
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
Before I take over the tower position I arrive about twenty minutes early. First I read the position log and the NOTAMs, because they change least often and I want them in my head before the live picture. Then I stand behind the controller on duty for five to ten minutes and listen. I watch the strips, the runway in use, the wind, and any aircraft with a problem. The handover briefing itself is short: traffic, runway, weather, equipment, anything unusual. I repeat the key points back before I say "I have control". I do it in that order because the written information is static and the traffic is moving, so I want the static part finished first. I would refuse the position if I had not slept enough, if the handover was incomplete, or if the radar or the radio was degraded and nobody had told me the backup procedure.
Examiner note: Tests structure (sequencing, reasons) and comprehension of a two-part question. The usual Level 3 loss is answering only the first half and ignoring "why in that order". At Level 4 both halves are answered, even briefly.
I08: A non-standard request you had to handle
Examiner: "Tell me about a non-standard request you received from a passenger, a crew member or an aircraft. How did you deal with it?"
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Examiner follow-up: "Was there a rule for that situation? If not, how did you decide?"
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
Last year a pilot on my frequency asked to fly a wide circle over the city at low level because a passenger was celebrating a birthday and wanted a view. There is no phrase for that, and there is no rule that says yes or no. I asked him to stand by, checked the traffic and the noise restrictions, and then told him in plain words: "Unable low level over the city because of noise rules, but I can offer you a right-hand orbit at four thousand feet over the coast for about five minutes." He accepted. The decision came from three questions I ask for anything unusual: is it safe, is it legal, and does it delay anyone else. If all three are fine, I try to help. If any one is not, I say no and explain briefly why, so the pilot does not argue.
Examiner note: Tests interactions and vocabulary beyond phraseology. Level 3 speakers can only say "not possible" and cannot explain or offer an alternative. Level 4 explains; Level 5 explains and negotiates.
I09: Fatigue and how you manage it
Examiner: "How does fatigue affect your work, and what do you personally do about it?"
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Examiner pushback: "Some pilots say fatigue rules are too strict and cost airlines money. What do you think?"
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
Fatigue affects me in two ways. The obvious one is slow reactions late at night. The dangerous one is that I stop checking things. When I am tired I read a checklist item and my eyes move but my brain does not confirm it. I have caught myself doing that on the fourth sector of a day. What I do about it is simple. I sleep before early duties even when I do not feel tired, I avoid heavy food during night flights, and I tell the captain plainly when I am below my best so we can share the work differently. On the question of rules, I think strict limits are cheaper than one accident. Airlines lose money when a crew goes out of hours, but they lose far more when a tired crew makes a mistake, and the passengers do not get a vote.
Examiner note: Tests fluency and interactions under a mild challenge. The Level 3 pattern is a general statement ("fatigue is dangerous") with no personal detail and no engagement with the opposing view. Level 5 gives concrete examples and takes a position.
I10: Advice to a cadet about English on the radio
Examiner: "A new cadet asks you how to get better at English on the radio. What would you tell them?"
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Examiner follow-up: "You mentioned listening. Listening to what, exactly, and how often?"
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
I would tell them three things. First, standard phraseology is the floor, not the ceiling. You must know it cold, but the day you need English is the day something goes wrong, and then you need ordinary words: smoke, smell, passenger, sick, unable, request. Second, listen to live air traffic control every day for fifteen minutes. Pick a busy airport with many foreign crews, because that is where you hear misunderstandings and how controllers repair them. Write down the clarification phrases you hear. Third, speak aloud about problems. Describe a picture of an incident for one minute, explain what you would do, record it, and listen back. Most cadets can read about a bird strike but cannot say three sentences about one. Fifteen minutes of listening and five minutes of speaking, every day, will do more than a weekend course.
Examiner note: Tests structure and vocabulary in an advice-giving frame. Level 3 answers are a single idea repeated. Level 4 uses "would", sequences the advice, and handles the specific follow-up on listening without hesitation.
Picture description: 8 prompts
At TEA, Part 3 gives you two connected pictures, 30 seconds for the first description, then a discussion (TEA page). We describe each picture in words because this page carries no images; in practice, open any aviation incident photograph and use the same prompt. The method that works: say what you see (three or four concrete things), say what you think has happened, say what should happen next. Then the follow-up, which usually asks you to take a role.
P01: Aircraft on a flooded apron in heavy rain
Examiner: "Look at this picture for a moment. Describe what you see, then tell me what you think has happened and what the people in the picture should do." (Picture: a narrow-body aircraft parked at a stand; the apron is covered with standing water; two ground staff in high-visibility jackets stand near the nose gear in heavy rain; a baggage cart is partly submerged.)
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Examiner follow-up: "What problems could this cause for the next departure from that stand, and who needs to be told?"
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
The picture shows a single-aisle jet parked at a gate in very heavy rain. The whole apron is flooded; the water looks a few centimetres deep and it is up to the wheels of a baggage cart on the left. Two ground staff in orange jackets are standing near the nose gear, and one of them seems to be pointing at the water. The jet bridge is attached, so passengers may be on board. I think a storm has overwhelmed the drainage, probably during the monsoon. The ground crew should stop loading until the water drops, because wet baggage and slipping staff are both risks, and they should check that no water has entered the cargo hold or the wheel wells. For the next departure, the problems are brake and wheel-well contamination, delayed loading, and possibly reduced visibility on taxi. The ramp supervisor, the crew and the airport operations desk all need to know.
Examiner note: Tests vocabulary (apron, stand, nose gear, drainage, contamination) and fluency over an extended turn. Level 3 speakers describe three objects and stop. At Level 4 the description continues into cause and action with only occasional searching for words.
P02: Birds near the threshold with an aircraft on short final
Examiner: "Describe this picture, then tell me what the crew and the controller should do." (Picture: a large flock of birds rising from grass beside the runway threshold; an aircraft is on short final with landing gear down; a bird-control vehicle is parked at the side.)
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Examiner follow-up: "The crew decide to go around. What should the pilot say, and what could go wrong during the go-around itself?"
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
In this picture an aircraft is about to land. It is low, maybe two hundred feet, with the gear down and flaps extended. Just in front of it, on the grass to the right of the threshold, a large flock of birds is lifting off, perhaps fifty or more. There is a yellow bird-control truck parked near the runway edge, but it is not moving. The risk is obvious: the aircraft may fly through the flock at low speed and low height. If I were the controller I would tell the crew immediately, "flock of birds rising right of the threshold", and let them decide. If I were the pilot I would go around, because an engine strike at that height is much safer with power already applied. During the go-around the danger is that the birds are also climbing, so the crew should expect strikes, keep the configuration changes gentle, and tell the controller what they have hit.
Examiner note: Tests comprehension of a visual situation and vocabulary for actions (go around, threshold, strike). The Level 3 failure is naming the birds and the aircraft without any statement of risk or action. Level 5 anticipates what happens next.
P03: Flight deck, both pilots wearing oxygen masks
Examiner: "Describe this picture and tell me what you think is happening." (Picture: two pilots in a jet cockpit wearing oxygen masks and smoke goggles; the cabin altitude warning light is visible; one pilot has a hand on the thrust levers; it is daylight.)
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Examiner follow-up: "The crew now need to tell the controller. What information must be in that first call, in what order?"
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
This is a cockpit in daylight. Both pilots have their oxygen masks on and goggles over their eyes, which they would only do for smoke or a loss of pressurisation. The amber light on the panel looks like a cabin altitude warning. The pilot on the left has a hand on the thrust levers and the other on the control column, so I think the aircraft is beginning an emergency descent. The pilot on the right is probably running the checklist. If it is a depressurisation, the crew will descend quickly to an altitude where people can breathe without oxygen, or to the minimum safe altitude if that is higher. Their first call to the controller should be "MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY" with the call sign, the problem, which is cabin depressurisation, and the intention, which is an emergency descent to a stated level, then the position and heading. Everything else, like passenger oxygen and the diversion, comes after the aircraft is under control.
Examiner note: Tests vocabulary and structure in an inferential task. Level 3 speakers can say "masks, emergency" but cannot build the inference chain (masks, therefore smoke or pressurisation, therefore descent). The follow-up checks whether the candidate can order the information.
P04: Passenger on the cabin floor, crew with a first-aid kit
Examiner: "Describe what you see and what should happen next." (Picture: an aisle in an economy cabin; an older man lies on the floor; one cabin crew member kneels beside him with an open first-aid kit; a second crew member is on the interphone; passengers are standing and watching.)
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Examiner follow-up: "The purser calls the flight deck. You are the captain. What questions do you ask her before you speak to ATC?"
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
The picture shows a medical situation in the cabin. An elderly man is lying on the floor in the aisle. He is not moving, and his face looks pale. A crew member is kneeling next to him with the first-aid kit open, and it looks as if she is checking his breathing. Behind her, a second crew member is speaking on the interphone, probably to the flight deck or to the purser. Several passengers are standing up to look, which is not helpful. The next steps are to ask whether there is a doctor on board, move the standing passengers away, and start first aid or CPR if he is not breathing. As the captain, before I call ATC I would ask: is he conscious, is he breathing, is a doctor helping, what do they think it is, and does the doctor want us to land as soon as possible. Those answers decide whether this is a diversion or a request for an ambulance at destination.
Examiner note: Tests vocabulary for the human body and medicine in plain English (conscious, breathing, pale, CPR) and interactions in the follow-up. Level 3 speakers say "passenger is problem, sick" and cannot ask the questions that lead to a decision.
P05: Fuel truck at the stand, liquid on the ground
Examiner: "Describe this picture. What has gone wrong, and who is at risk?" (Picture: a fuel bowser connected to the wing of a parked aircraft; a dark pool of liquid spreads on the concrete under the wing; a mechanic is walking towards it; passengers are visible boarding by stairs at the front.)
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Examiner follow-up: "You are the captain and you see this from the cockpit window. What do you do first, and what do you tell the passengers?"
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
This picture shows refuelling going wrong. A fuel truck is connected to the right wing of a parked aircraft, and under the wing there is a large dark pool spreading on the concrete. It is almost certainly fuel, either from a leaking coupling or an overflow from the vent. A mechanic in overalls is walking towards it, and at the front of the aircraft passengers are climbing the stairs to board. The people at risk are the mechanic, the fuelling operator and the passengers, because jet fuel vapour near hot brakes or any spark can ignite. As the captain, the first thing I would do is stop the refuelling and stop boarding, then call the ramp and the fire service. I would tell the passengers plainly that there is a small fuel spill, that it is being cleaned up, and that boarding will restart in a few minutes. I would not use the word fire on the public address.
Examiner note: Tests vocabulary (bowser, coupling, vapour, ignite) and fluency in explaining risk. Level 3 speakers identify "fuel, danger" and stop. Level 5 orders the actions and chooses words for the passengers deliberately.
P06: Snow-covered runway and a de-icing vehicle
Examiner: "Describe the picture and the operational problems it shows." (Picture: a runway seen from the holding point, partly covered in snow with tyre marks down the centre; a de-icing truck sprays the tail of an aircraft at a remote pad; visibility is poor.)
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Examiner follow-up: "The controller tells you braking action is medium to poor. What does that change for your take-off or landing?"
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
This is a winter operation. From the holding point I can see a runway partly covered in snow. The centre has been cleared, and there are dark tyre marks, but both edges are white, so the usable width is reduced. Visibility is poor; I cannot see the far end. On the right, at a remote pad, a de-icing truck is spraying fluid on the tail of a jet. Three problems come to mind. The runway surface is contaminated, so stopping distances are longer and directional control on landing is harder. The holdover time of the de-icing fluid is limited, so if we wait too long at the holding point we may have to be treated again. And the low visibility may put us into low-visibility procedures with bigger spacing. With medium to poor braking action I would recalculate the landing or take-off performance, use maximum reverse and autobrake, and consider whether the crosswind limit for a contaminated runway is still met.
Examiner note: Tests vocabulary for winter operations and structure. The typical Level 3 loss is a description that never reaches "operational problems", the second half of the question. Level 4 addresses both, even with pauses.
P07: Tower view: two aircraft close on crossing runways
Examiner: "Describe this picture from the controller's point of view. What has happened and what should happen now?" (Picture: a view from a control tower; one aircraft is on its take-off roll on runway 09; a second aircraft has just landed on runway 14 and is rolling towards the intersection; a controller's hand holds a microphone in the foreground.)
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Examiner follow-up: "Which aircraft do you speak to first, and what exact words do you use?"
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
I am looking out of a tower cab. Two runways cross in front of me. On the left, an aircraft is accelerating on runway 09 for take-off; I can see the heat haze behind the engines. On the right, another aircraft has just landed on runway 14 and is still rolling fast towards the intersection with its reversers open. The controller's hand is holding the microphone, so I think they have just seen the conflict. This is a runway incursion in progress. Someone has cleared one aircraft to land and another to take off on crossing runways without protecting the intersection. What must happen now is an immediate instruction to whichever aircraft can still stop or avoid. I would speak to the landing aircraft first if it can stop short of the intersection: "Sapphire 311, STOP IMMEDIATELY, hold short of runway 09." If it cannot, I would tell the departing aircraft to stop, if it is early in the roll.
Examiner note: Tests comprehension of a safety-critical picture and interactions under pressure in the follow-up. Level 3 candidates describe two aeroplanes and a man, without seeing the conflict. Level 5 names the conflict, chooses an aircraft, and gives the words.
P08: Evacuation by slides on the runway
Examiner: "Describe this picture. What went right and what went wrong?" (Picture: a widebody stopped on a runway; emergency slides deployed at the forward doors; passengers sliding down, several holding cabin bags; fire vehicles approaching; smoke from one engine.)
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Examiner follow-up: "You are the controller watching this. What do you need to do for the other traffic in the next five minutes?"
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
A widebody aircraft has stopped on the runway and the crew have ordered an evacuation. The slides at the front doors are out and passengers are coming down. I can see smoke from the engine on the left side, which is probably why they evacuated. Fire trucks are driving towards the aircraft from the right. Several things went right: the aircraft stopped on the runway, the crew used the doors away from the smoke, and the fire service is already close. What went wrong is that at least five passengers are carrying cabin bags, which slows the people behind them and can tear the slides. Someone is also standing at the bottom of a slide instead of moving away. As the controller, in the next five minutes I would close that runway, send all arrivals around or into the hold, stop departures from any taxiway that crosses it, keep the frequency clear for the fire service, and tell the approach controller to expect long delays or diversions.
Examiner note: Tests fluency and comprehension across a two-part evaluation question (right and wrong). Level 3 speakers can only narrate; evaluating needs structures like "should have", "instead of". Level 5 does both and then handles the controller follow-up in sequence.
Non-routine role-plays for pilots: 9 situations
These are the situations the ICAO scale was written for: something has gone wrong, the phraseology runs out, and you must say in plain English what is wrong, what you need and what you intend. The examiner or the AI plays the controller and will ask for the things controllers actually need: nature of the problem, intentions, persons on board, fuel endurance. Give them without being asked twice. Call signs, places and figures are invented for practice.
R01: Sick passenger: request priority and an ambulance
You are the pilot of Indus 452 at FL350, forty minutes from destination. The purser reports a passenger, a man of about sixty, with chest pain and difficulty breathing. A doctor on board is helping and advises landing as soon as possible. Call the controller. The examiner plays the controller.
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Controller: "Indus 452, roger. Say the nature of the medical problem and whether you require diversion or will continue to destination. Report number of persons on board and fuel endurance."
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
PAN PAN, PAN PAN, PAN PAN, Mumbai Control, Indus 452, FL350, we have a medical situation on board. A male passenger, about sixty years old, with chest pain and difficulty breathing. A doctor is assisting and advises landing as soon as possible. Request priority handling and direct routing to destination, and request an ambulance and medical team on arrival. Then, to the follow-up: Indus 452, the problem is suspected cardiac, the passenger is conscious but in pain. We will continue to destination because it is the nearest suitable airport with hospital facilities, estimated arrival in thirty-five minutes. Persons on board one hundred and sixty-two, fuel endurance two hours ten minutes. Request descent when able and a straight-in approach. We will report any change in the passenger's condition. Indus 452.
Examiner note: Tests structure of an urgency call and interactions: answering every item the controller asks, in order. The Level 3 failure is a call that says "passenger sick, request landing" and then cannot supply the nature, intentions, persons on board and endurance without three prompts.
R02: Bird strike after take-off, vibration on the left engine
You are the pilot of Kaveri 88, just airborne from runway 27, passing 1,500 feet. You flew through a flock of birds. There is strong vibration on the left engine and the EGT is rising. The engine is still running. Tell the tower what has happened and what you want. The examiner plays the tower.
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Tower: "Kaveri 88, roger. Say intentions. Are you able to maintain altitude? Do you require the fire service? Runway 27 is available for landing, surface wind two five zero degrees, eight knots."
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY, Tower, Kaveri 88, bird strike on departure, severe vibration on the left engine, engine still running at reduced power. We are maintaining 1,500 feet, heading 270, and we are able to climb slowly. Request an immediate return for landing on runway 27 and request the fire service on standby. Then, to the follow-up: Kaveri 88, affirm, able to maintain altitude. We will run the engine checklist and may need to shut the left engine down. Request a right-hand circuit and a ten-mile final to give us time. Persons on board ninety-four, fuel endurance three hours. We will report when ready for the approach. Please keep the runway clear of other traffic and check it for bird remains after we land. Kaveri 88.
Examiner note: Tests fluency and vocabulary under pressure: the words "vibration", "reduced power", "shut down", "circuit", "final" must come without searching. A Level 3 pilot says "engine problem, bird" and then goes silent for twenty seconds while the controller waits.
R03: Minimum fuel, then a fuel emergency
You are the pilot of Godavari 207 holding at 8,000 feet in bad weather. You have been given a fourth turn in the hold. Your fuel is now such that any further delay means you will land below final reserve. Tell the controller what this means and what you need. The examiner plays the controller.
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Controller: "Godavari 207, roger your minimum fuel. Expect further delay of fifteen minutes due to a runway inspection. Are you able to accept this or do you wish to divert?" (If the pilot declares MAYDAY FUEL, the controller gives a direct vector and asks for persons on board.)
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
Approach, Godavari 207, MINIMUM FUEL. We can accept no further delay. If we do not start the approach now we will land below final reserve. Request the next approach or an immediate diversion. Then, to the follow-up: Godavari 207, negative, unable to accept fifteen minutes. The alternate is twenty minutes away and the weather there is marginal, so a diversion does not solve the problem. MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY, Approach, Godavari 207, MAYDAY FUEL, fuel remaining twenty-five minutes, which is below our final reserve on landing. Request immediate vectors for an approach to runway 09 and priority landing. Persons on board one hundred and forty, no dangerous goods. We will accept a reduced runway length if the inspection has cleared part of it. Godavari 207.
Examiner note: Tests interactions and comprehension: understanding that "minimum fuel" is advisory and that the controller has offered a choice, then escalating correctly. Level 3 candidates either declare an emergency with no information or accept the delay because they did not understand the offer.
R04: Weather diversion: destination below minima
You are the pilot of Gulf Star 19, inbound to destination where the latest report is RVR 300 metres in fog, below your minimum of 550. You have fuel for thirty minutes of holding plus the alternate. Explain your options to the controller and make a decision. The examiner plays the controller.
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Controller: "Gulf Star 19, latest RVR runway 25, touchdown 300, midpoint 350, stop end 400 metres, trend steady. Your alternate is reporting visibility 5 kilometres. Say intentions."
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
Control, Gulf Star 19, we have received the RVR of 300 metres. Our minimum for runway 25 is 550 metres, so we are unable to commence the approach. We have fuel to hold for thirty minutes and then proceed to our alternate. Request the forecast trend for the next thirty minutes, and request confirmation that the alternate weather is holding. Then, to the follow-up: Gulf Star 19, copied RVR steady at 300 and alternate 5 kilometres. With a steady trend and no sign of improvement, we will not hold. Request diversion to our alternate now, routing direct if available, and request descent at pilot's discretion. Persons on board one hundred and eighty, fuel endurance one hour forty minutes. Please advise the alternate that we will need a parking stand and handling for a diverted flight. Gulf Star 19.
Examiner note: Tests comprehension of numbers (RVR in three parts, visibility, trend) and structure in explaining a decision. The common Level 3 failure is mishearing "steady" or "midpoint", then reasoning from the wrong number. Read back the numbers you are using.
R05: Radio contact regained after ten minutes of silence
You are the pilot of Tamil Air 630. You lost radio contact with control for about ten minutes after a frequency change was misheard. You squawked 7600 and continued on the cleared route. You have now found the correct frequency. Explain to the controller what happened and confirm your present position and intentions. The examiner plays the controller.
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Controller: "Tamil Air 630, radar contact. We were calling you on 128.1 and on guard. Confirm you are maintaining FL310 on the filed route and say the reason for the loss of contact."
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
Control, Tamil Air 630, we are back in contact, apologies. We lost communication about ten minutes ago. We were given a frequency change and we believe we set the wrong frequency; we heard nothing on it, tried the previous frequency and guard, and received no reply, so we squawked 7600 and continued on the cleared route at FL310. We have now found you on 128.1. Present position forty miles west of Point BUBKO, FL310, heading 085. Then, to the follow-up: Tamil Air 630, affirm, maintaining FL310 on the filed route. The reason was a misheard frequency during the handover; we read back 128.1 but set 126.1. We have reset both radios and we are ready for further instructions. Request confirmation of our next clearance limit. Tamil Air 630.
Examiner note: Tests structure, especially the past perfect and sequence of past events ("we were given", "we believe we set", "we have now found"), and interactions in admitting the error clearly. Level 3 narratives are a jumble of present-tense fragments that leave the controller unsure what was done.
R06: Go-around because of a vehicle on the runway
You are the pilot of Konkan 15 on short final. You see a vehicle crossing the runway ahead. You go around. Tell the tower what you are doing and why, then handle the controller's questions. The examiner plays the tower.
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Tower: "Konkan 15, roger, going around. Climb to 3,000 feet, runway heading. Say the type of vehicle and where on the runway you saw it. Do you require another approach immediately?"
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
Tower, Konkan 15, going around, vehicle on the runway. Climbing runway heading. Then, to the follow-up: Konkan 15, climbing to 3,000 feet, runway heading. The vehicle was a white pick-up truck with a yellow light, crossing from left to right about halfway down the runway, near taxiway Charlie. It did not stop. We went around from about 200 feet. The aircraft is normal, we have fuel for another approach and holding, so we would like radar vectors for another approach to the same runway when you have confirmed the runway is clear. Persons on board seventy-two. Please let us know if you need us to hold while you investigate. Konkan 15.
Examiner note: Tests fluency and vocabulary for describing what was seen (type, colour, direction, position) and interactions in giving the controller exactly what is asked. Level 3 pilots say "car on runway" and cannot give the position or direction in words the controller can act on.
R07: Smoke in the cabin, request immediate descent
You are the pilot of Malabar 302 at FL370. The purser reports a smell of burning and light smoke near the rear galley; the source is not yet found. Call the controller, state the problem and what you need. The examiner plays the controller.
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Controller: "Malabar 302, roger. Descend FL150, turn left heading 180, nearest suitable airport is Hyderabad, sixty miles. Confirm you are declaring an emergency and say persons on board."
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
PAN PAN, PAN PAN, PAN PAN, Control, Malabar 302, FL370, smoke in the cabin. Light smoke and a burning smell near the rear galley, source not yet identified, crew are investigating. Request immediate descent and request routing to the nearest suitable airport. Then, to the follow-up: Malabar 302, leaving FL370 for FL150, left heading 180. For now we are declaring urgency, PAN PAN, not MAYDAY; if the smoke increases we will upgrade. Hyderabad is acceptable, request vectors for the nearest approach and the fire service on arrival. Persons on board one hundred and fifty-eight, fuel endurance two hours thirty. We may need to land overweight. We will report the source of the smoke when the crew find it. Malabar 302.
Examiner note: Tests interactions, in particular choosing and explaining the level of urgency, and structure in a read-back under stress. The usual Level 3 loss is a call with the problem but no request, then a read-back that omits the heading or the level.
R08: Unlawful interference: you cannot speak freely
You are the pilot of Dune 777. A person has forced the cockpit door and is demanding a change of destination. You have set transponder code 7500. The controller is asking you to confirm. Respond in a way that tells the controller the truth without provoking the person beside you. The examiner plays the controller.
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Controller: "Dune 777, confirm squawking 7500." (After the pilot confirms, the controller continues: "Dune 777, roger. Say your requested destination and whether you are able to maintain your present level. All other traffic is being moved.")
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
Control, Dune 777, affirm, squawking 7500. Then, carefully and in a normal voice: Dune 777, we have a passenger in the cockpit who is requesting a change of destination to the north. We are presently able to maintain FL330 and heading 020. Request routing in that direction for now, and request that you keep the frequency as quiet as possible. We will tell you any change of intentions as soon as we can. Persons on board two hundred and twelve. Please confirm you have understood that we are not in a position to answer detailed questions. If we do not reply to a call, continue to protect the route ahead of us. Dune 777.
Examiner note: Tests interactions and comprehension at the highest level: understanding the controller's coded question and answering it truthfully with the minimum that keeps everyone safe. A Level 3 pilot either does not understand "confirm squawking 7500" or blurts out the whole situation. Plain, calm, short sentences.
R09: You crossed a runway without clearance
You are the pilot of Coastal 44 taxiing out. You have just realised you crossed runway 14 without a crossing clearance; you were cleared to hold short. The tower calls you. Explain what happened, confirm your position and follow the controller's instructions. The examiner plays the tower.
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Tower: "Coastal 44, you crossed runway 14 without clearance. Confirm your position now. Hold position. There was landing traffic at two miles which has gone around. Say the reason for the crossing."
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
Tower, Coastal 44, holding position on taxiway Bravo, north side of runway 14, we are clear of the runway. We apologise; we understand we crossed without clearance. Then, to the follow-up: Coastal 44, holding position. The reason: we read back "hold short of runway 14" correctly, but during the taxi we were completing the before take-off checklist, both pilots were heads down for a moment, and the first officer thought the crossing was included in the taxi clearance. We did not see the landing traffic. We are aware this is a serious error and we will file a report. Request further taxi instructions when you are ready, and please confirm the runway is now clear behind us. Coastal 44.
Examiner note: Tests interactions and structure: taking responsibility, giving a position the controller can use, and explaining a sequence of past events clearly. Level 3 candidates argue ("you said cross") or produce an explanation nobody can follow. Honest, ordered, short.
Non-routine role-plays for controllers: 7 situations
For controllers the test turns the same situations round: a pilot with a problem, often with limited English, and a frequency full of other traffic. The criterion most exposed is interactions, which the ICAO scale at Level 4 describes as responses that are usually immediate, appropriate and informative, with checking, confirming and clarifying when there is a misunderstanding. Instruction first, explanation second, and one item at a time to a pilot who is struggling.
C01: Pilot reports a sick passenger while you have a busy sequence
You are the approach controller. You have six aircraft in the arrival sequence. The pilot of Orient 221, number five in the sequence, reports a passenger who has collapsed and asks for priority. Find out what you need to know and tell the pilot what you will do. The examiner plays the pilot.
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Pilot: "Orient 221, the passenger is a woman of about forty, she fainted and is now awake but very weak, a nurse is with her. We would like to land as soon as possible and we need an ambulance." (If asked, fuel endurance is one hour and persons on board one hundred and ten.)
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
Orient 221, roger, priority approved. Say the condition of the passenger: is she conscious and breathing, and is anyone with medical training helping? Then, after the pilot answers: Orient 221, copied, conscious, weak, nurse assisting. You are now number one in the sequence. Turn right heading 160, descend to 4,000 feet, vectors for the ILS runway 27, expect a ten-mile final. An ambulance and medical team will meet you on the stand, and I will pass the passenger's condition to the airport medical service. Confirm persons on board and fuel endurance, and tell me if the condition changes. Then, to the rest of the sequence: Zephyr 14, reduce speed 180 knots, you are now number two, expect a slight delay for a medical priority ahead.
Examiner note: Tests interactions (asking the right questions, closing the loop) and fluency in switching between the emergency and the rest of the traffic. A Level 3 controller says "roger, standby" and gives no information, so the pilot calls again and the sequence collapses.
C02: Pilot declares a fuel emergency with limited English
You are the area controller. The pilot of a foreign-registered cargo flight, Box Cargo 9, calls "MAYDAY fuel" and then says something you cannot understand clearly. Establish what the pilot needs, using plain, simple English, and arrange priority. The examiner plays the pilot with limited English.
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Pilot (limited English): "Box Cargo 9, MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY, fuel, fuel, we need land, maybe twenty minute." (Answers simple questions slowly; does not understand long sentences.)
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
Box Cargo 9, MAYDAY acknowledged. Roger your fuel emergency. Speak slowly, I will help you. Question one: how many minutes of fuel do you have? Then: Box Cargo 9, copied, twenty minutes of fuel. Nearest airport is Nagpur, thirty miles ahead of you. Turn left heading 090, descend to 5,000 feet, for a straight-in approach runway 09. Read back the heading and the altitude. Then, after the read-back: Box Cargo 9, correct. Runway 09 is clear for you, all other traffic is moved. Fire service is standing by. How many persons on board? Then: Box Cargo 9, copied, three persons on board. When you are ready, tell me "ready for approach". If you do not understand me, say "say again" and I will repeat slowly. Box Cargo 9, you are number one.
Examiner note: Tests interactions, which the ICAO scale at Level 4 describes as dealing with misunderstandings by checking, confirming or clarifying: short questions, one item at a time, checking understanding. A Level 3 controller delivers a normal-speed clearance with five items and then blames the pilot for not reading it back.
C03: Pilot asks for weather at three alternates
You are the area controller. The pilot of Viet Sky 710 asks for the latest weather at three possible diversion airports because of thunderstorms at destination. You have the reports in front of you. Give the information in a way the pilot can write down and use. The examiner plays the pilot.
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Pilot: "Viet Sky 710, say again the second one, the wind and the visibility. And is there any convective activity at the first?"
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
Viet Sky 710, roger, stand by for weather at three airports. Then: Viet Sky 710, weather follows, three airports, advise when ready to copy. Then: Number one, Chennai, time 1130, wind 240 degrees 12 knots, visibility 6 kilometres, light rain, cloud broken 1,500 feet, temperature 28. Number two, Bengaluru, time 1130, wind 270 degrees 18 knots gusting 28, visibility 4 kilometres, thunderstorm with rain, cloud broken 1,200 feet, cumulonimbus. Number three, Coimbatore, time 1120, wind 250 degrees 8 knots, visibility 10 kilometres, few clouds 2,500 feet. Then, to the follow-up: Viet Sky 710, I say again number two, Bengaluru, wind 270 degrees 18 knots gusting 28, visibility 4 kilometres. Chennai, number one, no thunderstorm reported, light rain only. Advise your choice when ready.
Examiner note: Tests structure and pronunciation of numbers under load, and interactions when the pilot asks for a repeat. A Level 3 controller reads the reports too fast in one block; a Level 5 controller numbers the airports, pauses between them, and repeats only the part that was asked for.
C04: An aircraft stops answering, then comes back
You are the area controller. Lanka 405 has not answered three calls in ten minutes, has not squawked 7600, and is still on its cleared route. You have asked another aircraft to relay. Now Lanka 405 calls you. Establish what happened, confirm its level and route, and re-establish normal control. The examiner plays the pilot.
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Pilot: "Lanka 405, sorry, we had a problem with the audio panel, we could hear nothing for some minutes. We are at FL350 on the airway." (If asked, the pilot is not sure whether transmissions were made.)
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
Lanka 405, radar contact, good to hear you. Confirm maintaining FL350 on airway Whisky 20, and say the reason for no contact. Then: Lanka 405, copied, audio panel problem, now resolved. For your information, we called you three times on this frequency and once on guard, and asked Air Mountain 2 to relay. Did you transmit anything in the last ten minutes? Then: Lanka 405, roger. Confirm both radios are now serviceable and that you are monitoring guard 121.5 on the second box. If you lose contact again, squawk 7600 and continue as cleared. Next, descend when ready to FL290, report leaving. Lanka 405, read back.
Examiner note: Tests comprehension of a pilot explanation that is itself imperfect, and interactions in rebuilding the picture without blame. Level 3 controllers either accept "sorry" and move on with no questions, or lecture. Level 5 asks the two questions that matter and resets the contingency.
C05: Vehicle on the runway after you cleared an aircraft to land
You are the tower controller. You cleared Sunbird 16 to land. On the ground radar you now see a maintenance vehicle entering the runway at the far end without permission. Sunbird 16 is at one mile. Act, then explain to the pilot. The examiner plays the pilot.
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Pilot: "Sunbird 16, going around. Say the reason, and what do you want us to do? We have fuel for about twenty minutes more." (If asked, persons on board eighty-five.)
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
Sunbird 16, GO AROUND, I say again, GO AROUND, vehicle on the runway. Then, to the vehicle: Maintenance 3, vacate the runway immediately, you have entered without clearance, aircraft going around overhead. Then, to the pilot: Sunbird 16, climb to 3,000 feet, runway heading, then left turn heading 180, vectors for another approach. The reason was a maintenance vehicle entering runway 27 at the far end without clearance. It is now vacating. Expect a six-mile final, about eight minutes. Confirm your fuel is sufficient for that, otherwise tell me and you will have the runway as soon as the vehicle is clear. Then: Sunbird 16, roger, copied twenty minutes of fuel. The runway is now clear. Turn left heading 090, descend 2,000 feet, cleared ILS approach runway 27, report established.
Examiner note: Tests fluency and interactions under the strictest time pressure. The Level 3 failure is hesitating over the English of the go-around call, or explaining the reason before giving the instruction. Instruction first, explanation second, then a plan the pilot can accept or reject.
C06: Laser attack on final, pilot asks to deviate
You are the approach controller at night. The pilot of Emerald 55 on an eight-mile final reports a green laser aimed at the cockpit and says the first officer cannot see well. The pilot asks for a different runway or a delay. Respond and gather what the police will need. The examiner plays the pilot.
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Pilot: "Emerald 55, the laser came from the left, maybe two miles before the threshold, near a highway. The first officer has spots in his vision. The captain is flying and is OK. We would prefer to break off and come back in ten minutes."
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
Emerald 55, roger, laser illumination copied. Turn left heading 300, climb to 3,000 feet, you will have vectors back for a longer final. Say the position of the laser, its colour, and whether either pilot is unable to continue. Then: Emerald 55, copied: green laser, left side, about two miles from the threshold near the highway, first officer affected, captain flying and fit. I will inform the police and the airport authority now. For your approach, I can offer runway 09 instead, which brings you in from the other side and away from that area. Advise which you prefer. Then: Emerald 55, roger, runway 09. Expect a twelve-mile final. If the first officer's vision does not recover, tell me and we will arrange medical assistance on arrival. Report ready for approach.
Examiner note: Tests vocabulary outside phraseology (laser, illumination, vision, spots, highway) and interactions in offering options rather than only acknowledging. Level 3 controllers say "roger" to the laser report and give no alternative, leaving the decision entirely to a crew with one impaired pilot.
C07: Pilot hints at unlawful interference without saying so
You are the area controller. The pilot of Northern 9 says in a flat voice: "Northern 9, we have a, ah, situation on board, requesting routing to a different destination, will advise." The transponder still shows the assigned code. Find out, carefully, whether this is unlawful interference and give the pilot a way to tell you. The examiner plays the pilot.
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Pilot: "Northern 9, affirm." (The pilot can only give short answers and may go silent for a while.)
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
Northern 9, roger, routing to a different destination is approved for now, maintain present heading and level. Northern 9, confirm this is a security situation on board. Then, after "affirm": Northern 9, understood. If able, squawk 7500. If you cannot, that is understood. I will keep this frequency quiet and move other traffic away from you. When you can, tell me the destination the person is demanding, and I will route you towards it. You do not need to read back my instructions unless you are able to. Then, after a silence: Northern 9, Control, no reply required, you are cleared direct to BIKEN, maintain FL340, all traffic ahead is clear. I am listening. Then, on the other frequency, to a different aircraft: Golden 2, turn right heading 240 immediately, traffic, I will explain later.
Examiner note: Tests comprehension of indirect language and interactions at Level 5 and above: hearing what is not said, asking yes-or-no questions, and releasing the pilot from normal read-back. A Level 3 controller asks "say again the situation" three times and forces the pilot to talk.
Listening and read-back: 6 drills
TEA Part 2 is listening with a spoken response: report the message and identify the speaker (2A), take notes on a longer recording and report the details (2B), ask the speaker questions within 20 seconds and offer advice (2C), per the TEA page. ELPAC Paper 1 is a 45-item listening paper with pilot and ATC versions. A partner reads each recording once at normal speed, with the hesitations and non-standard order written in. Ask for one repeat only when you truly missed something: the TEA page says recordings are played once unless you ask for repetition, never a third time, and that regular repetition suggests slower comprehension and may affect your Comprehension score. Practise asking for a repeat of the specific part ("say again the fuel figure"), not the whole message.
L01: A long route clearance, read back and corrected
Listen (examiner reads once, at normal speed): "Western 320, cleared to Delhi via the BUBKO 2 Charlie departure, flight planned route, climb initially 5,000 feet, expect FL350 ten minutes after departure, squawk 4621, departure frequency 121.35." Read it back. The examiner will correct one item.
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Examiner (after the read-back): "Western 320, negative, squawk 4612, I say again, squawk 4612. Departure frequency correct." Then: "Why do you think that error happened?"
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
Western 320, cleared to Delhi via the BUBKO 2 Charlie departure, flight planned route, climb initially 5,000 feet, expect FL350 ten minutes after departure, squawk 4621, departure 121.35. Then, after the correction: Squawk 4612, Western 320. Then, to the question: I think the error happened because 4621 and 4612 contain the same four digits in a different order, and I was writing while listening. Pairs like that are a known trap, like 121.35 and 123.15. What I should do is slow down on the squawk, say each digit separately with a small pause, and look at the transponder as I read it back. On the real flight I would also check the code on the transponder display before take-off, because a wrong squawk means the controller may lose my label.
Examiner note: Tests comprehension and pronunciation of numbers: digit by digit, with ICAO number pronunciation (tree, fife, niner where used by the candidate's regulator). A Level 3 read-back drops the squawk or the frequency, or runs the digits together so the examiner cannot tell what was said.
L02: Report the message: who is speaking and what do they want?
Listen (examiner reads once): "Ah, Control, this is Blue Ridge 7, we have a passenger who has collapsed in the aisle, cabin crew are doing CPR, we have a doctor, we need the nearest airport with a hospital, we are at FL360 and we are starting a descent now, please advise." Say who the speaker is, pilot or controller, and report the message in your own words.
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Examiner follow-up: "What single piece of information is missing from that call that a controller would need straight away?"
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
The speaker is a pilot, Blue Ridge 7. The message is that a passenger has collapsed in the aisle and the cabin crew are giving CPR. There is a doctor on board helping. The pilot is at flight level 360 and has already started to descend without waiting for a clearance. He is asking for the nearest airport that has a hospital, and he wants the controller to advise him. Then, to the follow-up: the missing piece is a clear statement of the pilot's intentions in terms a controller can protect: the level he is descending to and the heading or direction. He said "starting a descent now" but not to what level, and other traffic may be below him. The controller's first reply should give a level and heading and confirm the pilot is accepting them.
Examiner note: Tests comprehension of a message delivered with hesitation and non-standard order, and vocabulary to report it. The Level 3 failure is repeating three words heard ("passenger, doctor, descent") without the relationship between them, or getting the speaker wrong.
L03: Conditional clearance with a landing aircraft
Listen (examiner reads once): "Everest 41, behind the landing Airbus A320 on short final, line up runway 32 behind. Be ready for immediate departure, traffic on a four-mile final." Read it back correctly, then explain in plain English what you will do and when.
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Examiner follow-up: "You line up and the A320 is slow to vacate. The controller says nothing. What do you say?"
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
Behind the landing Airbus A320 on short final, lining up runway 32 behind, ready for immediate departure, Everest 41. In plain English: I will wait at the holding point until I see the A320 pass in front of me and touch down. Only then will I enter the runway and line up behind it. I must identify the A320 myself and be sure it is the one on short final, not another aircraft. Once I am lined up I will be ready to go as soon as I receive the take-off clearance, because there is traffic four miles behind. Then, to the follow-up: Everest 41, lined up runway 32, ready for departure, the landing A320 is still on the runway near taxiway Delta. I will not begin the take-off roll without a clearance, and I want the controller to know I can see the runway is still occupied.
Examiner note: Tests comprehension of a conditional clearance, which must be read back with the condition at both ends, and interactions in speaking up when the picture is unsafe. Level 3 candidates read back "line up runway 32" without the condition and then do not know when to move.
L04: Hear-back: catching a read-back error from another aircraft
You are the controller. Listen to this exchange (examiner reads both parts): Controller: "Skyline 672, descend to FL240." Pilot: "Descend to FL240, Skyline 627." Then a second pilot: "Skyline 627 was that for us? We are maintaining FL280." Say what has gone wrong and what you transmit now.
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Examiner follow-up: "What do you do to stop this happening again for the rest of the shift, with both aircraft on your frequency?"
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
Two aircraft with similar call signs, Skyline 672 and Skyline 627, are on the frequency. I gave the descent to 672, but the pilot of 627 read it back, and now 627 has probably begun descending from FL280 while 672 is still at its level. I transmit immediately: "Skyline 627, I say again Skyline 627, negative descent, maintain FL280, the descent was for Skyline 672." Then: "Skyline 672, I say again Skyline 672, descend to FL240, read back with full call sign." Then I check both labels on the radar. For the rest of the shift I tell both aircraft: "Skyline 672 and Skyline 627, similar call signs on frequency, use full call signs on every transmission." I also consider asking one of them to use an alternative call sign for the sector if my unit allows it, and I say the call sign twice in every instruction to them.
Examiner note: Tests comprehension of a fast three-part exchange and interactions in repairing it. A Level 3 controller notices only that "something is wrong" and repeats the original clearance, which does not stop the wrong aircraft descending. Level 5 cancels the wrong action first.
L05: Ask a question within twenty seconds: unclear taxiway message
Listen (examiner reads once, with some words unclear): "All stations, be advised taxiway ... is closed between ... and Golf due to a disabled vehicle, expect routing via ... Papa, work in progress ... the hold short line ..." You have twenty seconds. Ask the question that gets you the information you need to taxi safely, then offer the controller advice.
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Examiner (as controller): "The closed taxiway is Mike, between Echo and Golf. Use Papa instead. The hold short line on Papa at runway 09 has been moved back fifty metres and is marked with cones." Then: "Anything you would add as the pilot?"
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
Ground, Indus 12, say again which taxiway is closed and between which points, and say again the information about the hold short line. Then, after the controller's answer: Indus 12, copied, taxiway Mike closed between Echo and Golf, routing via Papa, hold short line on Papa at runway 09 moved back fifty metres and marked with cones. Request a progressive taxi via Papa, because we are not familiar with the new hold short position at night. As advice: Ground, you may want to add the new hold short position to the ATIS, because crews who heard only the first part of that broadcast will stop at the old line and be too close to the runway. We will also report when we are at the new line so you can confirm we are in the right place.
Examiner note: Tests comprehension when the signal is poor and interactions in asking a precise question quickly. The TEA Part 2C shape gives twenty seconds. A Level 3 candidate says "say again" with nothing after it, which gets the whole unclear message again instead of the missing part.
L06: Take notes and report: hydraulic problem described at length
Listen and take notes (examiner reads once, about forty seconds): "Control, Harbour 505, we have a problem with our hydraulic system. About five minutes ago we got a low pressure warning on system B. Pressure is now near zero. That means we have lost our normal brakes and the nose wheel steering, and the flaps will be slower to extend. We can still fly the aircraft and land, but we will need the full length of the longest runway, we will probably stop on the runway and need a tow, and we would like the fire service standing by. We have two hours of fuel, so there is no rush, and we would prefer to hold for twenty minutes while we run the checklist. Persons on board one hundred and thirty." Report the problem, the consequences and the requests.
Counterpart (examiner or other station): Examiner follow-up: "Which of the pilot's requests would be hardest for a controller to provide at a single-runway airport, and why?"
Level 5 model response (TalkDrill worked example)
Harbour 505 has a hydraulic failure. About five minutes ago they got a low pressure warning on system B, and the pressure is now almost zero. The consequences are that they have lost normal braking and nose wheel steering, and their flaps will extend more slowly than usual. The aircraft is still controllable and they can land. Their requests are: the longest runway available and its full length, the fire service on standby, a tow after landing because they expect to stop on the runway and not be able to taxi, and twenty minutes in a holding pattern to complete the checklist first. They have two hours of fuel, so there is no urgency, and one hundred and thirty people on board. Then, to the follow-up: the hardest request at a single-runway airport is the tow, because the aircraft will block the only runway, so every other arrival must divert or hold until it is moved.
Examiner note: Tests comprehension of a long turn with technical content and structure in reporting it in a logical order (problem, consequences, requests). Level 3 listeners catch the first and last items and lose the middle; Level 4 reports most items with some loss of detail; Level 5 reports all of them in order.
A timed mock in the TEA shape
Once a week, run a full mock using the items above, timed to the TEA structure from the TEA page. You need a partner or the TalkDrill AI for the counterpart lines, a timer, and a recorder. Do not stop between parts.
| Block | Minutes | Items | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1: interview | 8 | Two interview items, both with the follow-up | Partner asks one more unscripted question about your answer |
| Part 2A: report the message | 3 | L02 and one pilot or controller prompt read as a recording | Say pilot or controller first, then the message |
| Part 2B: notes and report | 5 | L06, then one role-play counterpart read at length | Report problem, consequences, requests in that order |
| Part 2C: ask within 20 seconds | 3 | L05 and L03 | One precise question, then advice |
| Part 3: picture and discussion | 10 | One picture item: 30 seconds description, then the follow-up and two more "what would you do" questions | Partner interrupts once with a question you did not expect |
That is 29 minutes, inside the 25 to 30 the TEA page gives. Score the whole mock with the six-criteria sheet and record the lowest score as your mock level. Three mocks at a consistent 4 or better on every criterion is the signal we would want before a real test date; one good mock proves little. ELPAC candidates should add a 45-item listening session from official sample material, and controllers should swap the pilot role-plays for the controller ones. A human mock with an ICAO-trained rater is not on TalkDrill yet, and we say so; the AI mock is what we offer today.
A practice route for the next 30 days
Forty items are enough for a complete preparation if you speak them, record them and score them. Reading them is not practice. This route is the practice strand of the 30-day roadmap, which also carries the listening, pronunciation and renewal planning.
| Days | Items | Focus | How |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 5 | I01 to I05, P01, P02 | The shapes: answer, reason, example; see, infer, act | One item a day on the phone recorder. Score fluency and structure only. |
| 6 to 12 | R01 to R05, C01, C02, L01 | Saying what is wrong, what you need, what you intend; numbers digit by digit | AI controller or pilot on TalkDrill role-play; five minutes of numbers aloud on read-aloud before each session. |
| 13 to 18 | I06 to I10, P03 to P05, L02, L03 | Follow-ups and pushback; conditional clearances | Partner plays the examiner and argues. Score interactions and comprehension. |
| 19 to 24 | R06 to R09, C03 to C07, L04 to L06 | Security, lost comms, hear-back errors, long technical listening | Record and score every item. Work the lowest criterion with the first-language page for your language. |
| 25 to 28 | P06 to P08 plus any six items you scored 3 | Winter and runway pictures; repair the weak items | Two timed mocks on alternate days, scored on all six criteria. |
| 29 to 30 | The two items you found hardest | Taper | Once each, then stop. Sleep before the test. |
Interview practice with an AI examiner is also on TalkDrill mock interview, which is useful for the Part 1 shape if you set the topic to your job. Alongside this bank, read the official descriptions of the test you will sit: the TEA page for the three-part structure and the ELPAC site for the two papers and the no-compensatory-marking rule. Neither the TEA page nor the ELPAC site publishes fixed national test dates; you arrange a session through a test centre or, for ELPAC, your organisation's test administrator. Book when three mocks in a row show a 4 or better on every criterion, not before. The aviation English hub keeps the official links, the validity rules and the dated change log.