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An International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standard requiring demonstrated language proficiency for air traffic controllers and pilots operating i

An International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standard requiring demonstrated language proficiency for air traffic controllers and pilots operating internationally is set to take effect on March 5, but the International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations (IAOPA) has asked ICAO for a delay.

“Inadequate preparation to test pilots and air traffic controllers within many states will thwart the intent of the ICAO standard designed to bring safe, intelligible communications to international civil aviation,” said John Sheehan, secretary general of IAOPA. “Our sampling of states’ testing preparedness indicates few are fully ready to accommodate the hundreds of thousands of aviation personnel that will require certification.”