Assessing the language needs of L2 English student pilots preparing for flight training in English-speaking countries

After COVID-19, pent-up demand for worldwide travel is driving recruitment of commercial pilots from non-English-speaking backgrounds who need to speak English as the language of international aviation. However, within aviation training environments, organisations delivering flight training programs to student pilots often use English language tests not designed to target their specific needs. Therefore, this study offers an investigation into the language training needs of English L2 student pilots about to undertake practical flight training in an English-speaking country. A quantitative survey collected data from 56 student pilots while semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 subject-matter experts. Findings revealed that the language proficiency required by the student pilots should be situated within the specific communicative events of this target language use (TLU) domain. This investigation enabled the creation of diagnostic language tests, tailored to this specialised context. As such, the study contributes to an understanding of the test tasks that could be incorporated by ESP specialists into their assessment of student pilots undertaking practical flight training. It also sheds light on the linguistic specificity of the aviation training environment and its challenges, made more complex by attitudinal and cultural influences, which impact ESP teaching and learning within this domain. • There is a need for language tests that more validly represent ab initio training environments. • Strong listening comprehension is vital for safe, practical flight training. • Ab initio pilots need strategies to ask questions and declare non-comprehension. • A lack of aviation-related vocabulary negatively impacts listening & speaking skills. • Attitude and culture affect interactional competence, learning and teaching.