The aims of the CAA International EALTS

The aims of the CAAi EALTS may be stated as follows: 1

  • To provide a valid, reliable and practical assessment of a candidate’s ability to operate in English in the context of aeronautical radio-telephony communications in international civil aviation
  • To provide a means of assessment of English language proficiency in the context of aviation reflecting actual language use
  • To provide a means of assessment of English language proficiency in the context of aviation acceptable to pilots and air traffic controllers and other primary test users
  • To provide a means of assessment of English language proficiency in the context of aviation in a manner acceptable to national regulatory/licensing authorities, professional registration bodies and employers
  • To provide an internationally recognised certification of English language proficiency in the context of aviation in a manner acceptable to national regulatory/licensing authorities, professional registration bodies and employers for licence endorsement purposes
  • To have a positive and beneficial impact on aviation operational communications techniques and the content and delivery of English for Aviation training and test preparation programmes
  • To provide a testing system appropriate to the high stakes testing of English for aviation for licence endorsement purposes
  • To provide a testing system and quality of service delivered to an international standard
  • To provide a testing system that is fair to all candidates
  • To provide reliable test results which will allow all test stakeholders (national regulatory/licensing authorities, professional registration bodies and employers) to make effective comparisons with other recognised qualifications and assessments linked to the ICAO Language Proficiency Rating Scale and ICAO Holistic Descriptors of operational language proficiency. 2

1 c.f. ICAO Cir 318-AN/180 Ch.1 Section 3.2 High Stakes and Ch.2 Test Design and Construct 1.1.1 / 1.2

2 ICAO Doc 9835 6.3.6 defines stakeholders as test developers, administrators, and providers, in particular, are accountable to the stakeholders: to the pilots and controllers taking their tests; to the airlines and air navigation service providers contracting for the testing, and to the passengers relying on the individual language skills of the airline pilots and air traffic controllers.