Aviation English language proficiency

You must meet English language requirements to use an aeronautical radio. The aviation English language proficiency (AELP) assesses your verbal proficiency in English and aviation terminology.

Requirements to hold an AELP

You will need to hold a current AELP to get your:

  • recreational pilot licence (RPL) with a flight radio endorsement
  • private pilot licence (PPL)
  • commercial pilot licence (CPL)
  • air transport pilot licence (ATPL)
  • flight engineer licence (FEL)
  • air traffic controller (ATC) licence.

You will also need an AELP if you're:

  • transferring an overseas licence (unless you hold an ICAO ELP assessment on your foreign licence)
  • applying for an Australian licence based on an Australian military flight crew qualification.

Applying for your AELP assessment

  1. Step 1: Find an approved assessor

    You can find someone to assess your AELP by by talking to your local flight training school or using an approved testing centre. Assessors include:

    • Aspeq* (if you have been assessed in New Zealand you will need to provide us with a certified copy of your NZ licence which shows the ELP level on it)
    • Aviation Australia*
    • My Aviation English*
    • Oz Aviation English*
    • Lenguax - for AELP Assessor training and AELP assessment solutions
    • a CASA delegate
    • a flight examiner with an ELP approval
    • a person approved to conduct AELP assessments.

    *Specialist assessors are assessors who may conduct AELP assessments at all levels.

  2. Step 2: Get tested

    Allow 20 to 30 minutes. You will be assessed on:

    • pronunciation
    • structure
    • vocabulary
    • fluency
    • comprehension
    • interactions.

    You will be scored between 1 and 6. The overall rating will be the lowest of these scores.

    If you don't receive a score of 6 you will need to attend a specialist assessor. You must score a minimum level of 4.

    Your AELP may need to be reassessed:

    • Level 4: every 3 years
    • Level 5: every 6 years
    • Level 6: no expiry.

    You must be reassessed before the end of this period to continue to exercise the privileges of your licence.

  3. Step 3: Assessor notification

    Make sure your assessor has your full name and aviation reference number. The assessor will make this notification to us.

    Assessors will need to notify us of the outcome of AELP assessments.

    If assessors have an Instrument of Approval or have an approval on their FER to conduct AELP assessments, they can complete the AELP notification online via myCASA.

    If assessors don't have an instrument of Approval to conduct an AELP assessment, they will need to fill in a Notification of English Language Proficiency (ELP) (PDF, 307.13 KB).

Last updated:
30 Sep 2022
Online version available at: https://www.casa.gov.au//licences-and-certificates/english-language-standards-flight-crew/aviation-english-language-proficiency
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