Preparing for the ICAO English exam: the most common mistakes of Polish pilots

As a distributor of aviation equipment, simulators and aircraft, I work on a daily basis with training organizations, operators and pilots across the country. I observe how many fleet projects and operational decisions are indirectly dependent on the language level of crews. The ICAO English exam – that is, the Aeronautical English proficiency test – is one of the most important thresholds in a professional pilot’s career, and at the same time an area where Polish pilots make repeated, characteristic mistakes.

In this article, I discuss the most common pitfalls encountered by Polish candidates preparing for the ICAO English exam. I focus on the practical aspects: what causes difficulties in terms of pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary and radio interaction, and how these mistakes translate into the grade and score. I address the article to pilots preparing for the exam, instructors supporting preparation, and flight operations managers who are planning language training in their organizations.

Why ICAO English is crucial for flight operations

ICAO English is a standardized system for assessing the language proficiency of pilots and air traffic controllers, as defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The exam assesses six areas: pronunciation (pronunciation), language structure (structure), vocabulary (vocabulary), fluency (fluency), comprehension (comprehension) and interaction (interaction). To obtain an occupational license or an international space rating, a pilot must achieve at least level 4 on the ICAO scale (levels 1 through 6).

In practice, this means that pilots must be able to communicate clearly and safely in standard and non-standard situations – whether in the context of radios or in the event of an emergency, changes in weather conditions or unplanned events. I see how operators and ATOs plan their fleet and training programs: without adequate language competence of crews, it is impossible to effectively use modern aircraft such as the Cessna Grand Caravan for commercial operations or the Citation Latitude for business transport in Europe and beyond. Aviation English is not an add-on, but the foundation of safe operations.

The most common mistakes of Polish pilots: pronunciation and accent

Polish pilots often struggle with English pronunciation, especially for sounds that do not occur in Polish. The most common problems are:

• Sound “th” ([θ] and [ð]): Polish candidates often replace it with “t”, “d” or “s” (“tree” instead of “three”, “dat” instead of “that”). In an aviation context, this can lead to confusion, especially with high-speed radio.

• Long and short vowels: in Polish, we don’t have a vowel length distinction the way it works in English. Incorrectly distinguishing “ship” from “sheep” or “live” from “leave” can change the meaning of the instructions.

• Word accent: Polish pilots often transfer the Polish accent pattern (penultimate syllable) to English, which reduces the intelligibility of speech. In aviation, where precision and speed of communication matter, an incorrect accent can delay a controller’s response.

• Sentence intonation: monotonous, flat intonation typical of Polish can make it difficult to understand the speaker’s intent (question, request, statement).

ICAO examiners assess whether a candidate’s accent “rarely interferes with easy understanding” (level 4) or “never interferes” (levels 5 and 6). Polish pilots often receive a reduced score in the pronunciation category precisely because of the aforementioned phonetic habits.

Errors in language structure and grammar

The second area where I observe recurring difficulties is language structure. Polish candidates make characteristic grammatical errors that affect the grade in the structure category:

• Grammatical tenses: the tenses of the perfects (present perfect, past perfect) and the difference between simple past and present perfect are particularly difficult. Pilots often say “I flew to Warsaw yesterday” instead of “I flew to Warsaw yesterday” or “I already land” instead of “I have already landed.”

• Word formation in questions: the Polish formation is flexible, the English one is rigid. Common mistake: “Do you have the weather information?” instead of “Do you have the weather information?”.

• Prepositions: the Polish cases have no direct equivalents in English, leading to errors like “I wait for the clearance” (correctly: “I am waiting for clearance” or “I am waiting for the clearance”).

• Prepositions (a, an, the): Polish has no prepositions, so using them is intuitively difficult. Pilots say “I have a problem with the engine” instead of “I have a problem with the engine.”

• Modal verbs: confusing “must”, “should”, “have to”, “need to” in the context of urgency and duty.

ICAO requires that at Level 4, the structure must be “generally well controlled” and allow for effective communication of intent. Repeated grammatical errors lower the rating and signal the risk of misunderstanding in critical situations.

Aeronautical vocabulary: too narrow in scope and language calques

The vocabulary category assesses not only knowledge of aviation terminology, but also the ability to paraphrase and communicate in non-standard situations. The most common mistakes of Polish pilots:

• Too narrow a vocabulary: candidates focus only on standard radio phrases (phraseology), forgetting that the ICAO English exam also requires so-called plain English – colloquial language to describe an unplanned situation (“The passenger is feeling unwell,” “We have smoke in the cockpit”).

• Linguistic calques from Polish: literal translations of Polish phrases, such as “I have a duty to inform” instead of “I need to inform” or “We make a circle” instead of “We are entering a holding pattern” or “We are orbiting.”

• Confusion of technical terms: e.g., “altitude” and “height,” “cleared” and “approved,” “wilco” and “roger,” “mayday” and “pan-pan.”

• Limited paraphrasing skills: if a pilot doesn’t know the word “turbulence,” he should be able to say “rough air” or “bumpy conditions.” Polish candidates often block themselves by looking for one “correct” term.

Working with operators, I see how important it is for pilots to be able to communicate flexibly in emergency or non-standard situations – for example, when operating in difficult terrain with a Cessna Stationair, or in complex weather conditions when flying a Citation CJ4 Gen2. The ICAO exam reflects these needs by requiring a broad, flexible vocabulary.

Speech fluency and interaction: psychological barriers

Fluency and interaction are categories in which Polish pilots often lose points not due to lack of knowledge, but through psychological factors and communication habits:

• Long pauses and hesitations: Polish candidates often think in Polish and then translate into English, resulting in unnatural pauses in speech. At Level 4, ICAO requires speech to be “relatively fluent,” with pauses resulting only from word searches and not from the construction of the entire sentence.

• Speech rate: speech that is too slow signals a lack of automaticity and lowers fluency ratings. On the other hand, speaking too fast with poor pronunciation lowers intelligibility.

• Poor interaction: Polish pilots often give minimal answers (“yes”, “no”, “roger”) instead of full sentences that the examiner can evaluate. In the ICAO exam, it is important for the candidate to actively answer, question, explain and check understanding (check-back, read-back).

• Lack of initiative in communication: in non-standard situations, the pilot should initiate communication himself, report a problem, ask for help or clarification. Polish candidates often wait for the examiner to ask a question instead of actively pursuing a conversation.

During my visits to training organizations, I observe that the effectiveness of language training depends on exposure to real communication scenarios – in a simulator, in flight, in radio exercises. Modern simulation devices, such as Alsim, Frasca, ELITE and Simnest, allow training not only in piloting skills, but also in communication skills in a controlled but realistic environment.

Practical strategies for exam preparation

Based on my market observations and conversations with instructors and pilots, I recommend some practical steps to help Polish candidates avoid the most common mistakes:

• Regular exposure to English: daily listening to aviation podcasts (e.g., LiveATC), watching training materials in English, reading aircraft technical documentation (e.g., Pilot’s Operating Handbook for the Cessna Skyhawk or Citation M2 Gen2).

• Training with a native speaker or qualified examiner: one-on-one lessons with an instructor who is familiar with the specifics of ICAO English and can identify areas for improvement.

• Practice non-standard scenarios: preparing for emergency situations, technical problems, weather changes, communication with passengers. The ICAO exam deliberately tests the ability to deal beyond standard phraseology.

• Recording and analyzing one’s speech: many people are not aware of their phonetic or grammatical errors until they hear a recording. Regular recording and analysis helps identify habits.

• Simulator training with a communications component: use of FNPT II, FTD or FFS simulators (e.g., EDDA Systems or Elite solutions) to practice procedures and simultaneous radio communication in English. This integrates piloting and language skills.

Preparing for the ICAO English exam is not a matter of a few weeks of learning “ahead of schedule,” but a long-term process of building language competence that should accompany the entire path of pilot training – from PPL to CPL to ATPL to regular refresher and upgrade.

How language level affects fleet operations and decisions

From a distributor’s perspective, I see how the language level of crews affects investment and operational decisions. Operators planning to expand their fleets with modern business aircraft (e.g., Citation Latitude, Citation Longitude) or multi-role turboprops (e.g., MD 600N) must consider the language competency of their pilots. International operations, flights into complex airspace (e.g., London, Paris, Frankfurt), cooperation with foreign controllers – all require not only Level 4, but realistically Level 5 or higher.

A low language level limits operational flexibility, increases communication time, increases the risk of misunderstandings and – as a result – reduces the value of the investment in the fleet. An operator who plans to purchase a Citation CJ3+ to fly in Europe, but whose pilots barely meet ICAO English Level 4 requirements, will be limited in their ability to exploit the aircraft’s potential.

For the same reason, training organizations (ATOs) investing in modern training aircraft (e.g., PS-28 Cruiser with glass cockpit) or advanced simulators (Alsim AL250, Frasca RTD) should simultaneously invest in language training infrastructure. Integrating language training with technical and operational training is the key to raising the standard of preparation of future pilots – and to competitiveness in the European market.

The role of simulators and modern training tools

Modern aviation simulators allow not only the training of piloting procedures and skills, but also the integration of language training in a realistic context. Solutions such as Alsim (e.g., AL42, AL250), Frasca (RTD), ELITE (S923 series, iGATE), Simnest or EDDA Systems offer environments in which pilots practice control, procedures, navigation and radio communication simultaneously.

In such an environment, the pilot:

• learns to respond to controller instructions in real time,

• practices communication in emergency situations (e.g., engine remoteness, fire, sudden deterioration of weather),

• builds language automaticity, making speech more fluent,

• works on interaction – asking questions, checking understanding, reporting problems.

Organizations that integrate simulator training with language training achieve significantly better exam results for their pilots. The recommendation is simple: aeronautical English should be practiced not in isolation (as “language lessons”), but in the context of actual flight tasks.

Summary: The most important lessons for Polish pilots

• Pronunciation and accent: Polish pilots need to consciously work on “th” sounds, long and short vowels, word accent and intonation – these elements most often lower the score in the pronunciation category.

• Grammar and structure: repeated errors in grammatical tenses, word order, prepositions and prepositions signal the need for systematic study of language structure, not just vocabulary.

• A wide range of vocabulary: knowing standard phraseology is not enough – the ICAO English exam requires the ability to paraphrase and communicate in non-standard situations using plain English.

• Fluency and interaction: long pauses, lack of initiative in communication and minimal responses lower the grade – the candidate should actively engage in dialogue, check for understanding and clarify intentions.

• Long-term preparation: effective preparation for the exam is not a few weeks of a course, but systematic exposure to English, training with an instructor and practicing in a simulator throughout the pilot’s training path.

• Integration of training: modern training organizations and operators should integrate language training with technical and operational training, using the capabilities of simulators and realistic communication scenarios.

• Impact on operations: the language level of crews directly affects operational flexibility, safety and return on fleet investment – especially in international and business operations.

Preparing for the ICAO English exam is an investment in pilot safety, professionalism and career development – and in the efficiency and competitiveness of an aviation organization.