How to prepare for the NEW CX ICAO ENGLISH TEST

Advice about how to prepare for an ICAO English test from Aviation English Asia.

Article written by Michael Egerton

In this article I’m going to give you advice about how to prepare for the new CX ICAO English test. The test changed recently and for a very good reason – the old test was frankly… not very good.

So the changes to the CX ICAO test are a very good thing. We support all those who have helped implement these changes to bring credibility to the test.

In this article I will answer the following questions.

1. What is the format of the new CX ICAO English Test ?
2. Are there any past papers?
3. What can I do to prepare?

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FORMAT OF THE NEW CX ICAO ELT –

CATHAY PACIFIC ICAO ENGLISH TEST

Expect the following:

1. Some personal questions
2. Some listening comprehension in an aviation context
3. Describe a picture
4. Answer questions about a video
5. Some more questions about aviation.

If you think that the above isn’t very specific you are right. The old test had specific answers and didn’t vary very much so candidates were able to memorise the answers. Now you have to actually have genuine proficiency in Aviation English. Luckily the possible content of the test is very well covered in our Aviation English courses.

Are there any past papers?

No this is a speaking and listening test. It’s not supposed to be assessed the way that tests like IELTS are assessed. But there is an example of the test in development. So here’s our advice…

Past papers and mock tests are pointless apart from to settle your nerves. Past questions encourage many candidates to focus on remembering specific answers. The truth is, the answer to a question is not that important, it’s how well you answer it. It’s your pronunciation, use of correct grammatical structure, range of vocabulary, fluency and lack of hesitation and appropriateness of your answers too. We can show you an example of the test but really you shouldn’t focus on the test. The new test is dynamic and the assessor will ask you questions based on your previous answers so you will need to respond appropriately too.

For a rough idea some questions are like the activities on our Facebook page http://Facebook.com/aviationenglish

Expect many different versions of the test so asking your mate for the answers won’t help, but attending AVIATION ENGLISH ASIA COURSES WILL HELP.

What should I do to prepare for the new CX ICAO ENGLISH TEST?

The old test was riddled with problems because there was no real standard that had to be achieved. There was very little content that was related to flight operations and Cathay provided candidates no information about how to prepare for the test – Luckily many smart candidates followed our advice and ignored preparing for the previous test completely.

Free Resources to help you prepare for the ICAO English Test

Aviation English Asia Ltd has created some excellent free resources to help candidates prepare for the ICAO English test.

There are some excellent articles on this blog Aviation English Asia Blog,

There are some interesting news stories on the Learning Zone section of our main website Aviation English Learning Zone  and there are many opportunities to interact with other learners on the Aviation English Facebook Page

These free resources are all packed with great information about how to prepare for the new CX ICAO English test. But most candidates will need professional help to prepare for the test.

Here is our Top Ten ways to prepare for the New CX ICAO English Language Test

1. You should improve your Aviation English. Aviation English (also known as English for Aviation Purposes) comprises of 3 parts, 1. radiotelephony, 2. technical vocabulary and  most importantly 3. the plain English that is used in an aviation context. We can tell you which areas you most need to focus on.
2. You should focus on expanding your proficiency in talking intelligently and concisely about aviation. For example try and interact with other pilots using the activities on the Aviation English Facebook Page or ideally our current students.
3. You should learn how to describe a picture – then contact us to get feedback because its the feedback that is most important if you want to improve. If you practice without reflection and feedback you are not actually learning.
4. You should be realistic about your expectations. Preparing far in advance is good. You should expect to need between 3-6 months to get from mid ICAO level 3 to low ICAO level 4. And to be honest ICAO level 4 isn’t very good – really you should aim for ICAO level 5 or above. Treat learning English as a lifelong activity. Learn English for the job, not for the test.
5. You should also get professional advice and feedback from Aviation English Asia teachers.  Value your time and invest in yourself by talking with aviation English professionals rather than candidates who don’t value language skills enough to pay for professional instruction.  Free study groups and chatting with your friends may be effective as a supplementary activity – but really most candidates will need professional instruction. Practice doesn’t make perfect – perfect practice makes perfect.
6. You should contact us for a free consultation before starting a training programme.
7. You should watch tv series like Air Crash Investigations and listen to LiveATC.net regularly in order to become familiar with what actually happens during flight operations.
8. You should talk to aviation professionals – like our students. Our students have varied backgrounds and are happy to share experiences. Make friends with them and practice giving personal information. You can find some tips in this article.
9. You should do an Aviation English course with Aviation English Asia. We are the only credible Aviation English training organisation in Hong Kong. We are also an ethical organisation and are members of the College of Teachers. Our teaching staff includes  a senior captain with Cathay Pacific and we are friends with a lot of  reputable Aviation English teachers worldwide. We have a reputation for high standards.
10. Although we need to assess each candidates suitability first, most candidates in Hong Kong will benefit from attending this course http://www.aviationenglish.com/english-for-pilots-and-atcos/icao-level-5-for-cadets.html as it’s graded specifically for candidates in Hong Kong and it is proven to be effective. There is no magic pill for learning English but this course offers you what you need and is great value.