English for Pilots

Introduction

English for Pilots is an online course, consisting of 56 units of English, and providing approximately 60 hours of study for students.

Course aims

To give students at Intermediate, CEFR B1/Upper Intermediate B2 level practice in general and business-oriented language required for business contexts at this level, specifically tailored towards the specialisation of commercial flying. The course blends grammatical structures necessary for this level, with vocabulary, reading, listening, writing, speaking and pronunciation.

Grammar

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

  • Use reported speech to report what someone else has said
  • Correctly use adverbs to describe degree and time
  • Use articles correctly
  • Compare adjectives and adverbs using comparative and superlative forms
  • Use indirect questions to increase formality and politeness of speech
  • Distinguish and be able to correctly describe countable and uncountable nouns

Vocabulary

By the end of the course students will have learnt approximately 200 expressions used in commercial flying.

Skills

By the end of the course students will have had exposure to and practice in reading and hearing formal and informal English from a variety of accents and commercial flying contexts.

Unit Summary

Module 1

  • Grammar: Adverbs of degree
  • Vocabulary: Parts of an aeroplane
  • Reading: Air Traffic Control
  • Listening: Flight plans
  • Writing: Aviation terminology
  • Speaking: Flight deck variations
  • Pronunciation: Anxious and Chess + connected speech

Module 2

  • Grammar: Adverbs of time
  • Vocabulary: Cockpit and flight instruments
  • Reading: Weather conditions
  • Listening: Pre-flight check
  • Writing: Radio contact
  • Speaking: Pilot and ATC Communication
  • Pronunciation: Bet and But + connected speech

Module 3

  • Grammar: Articles
  • Vocabulary: Radio equipment and terminology
  • Reading: Weather reports
  • Listening: Taxiing
  • Writing: Interpreting TAFs
  • Speaking: Flying in bad weather
  • Pronunciation: Bok and But + connected speech

Module 4

  • Grammar: Comparatives and superlatives
  • Vocabulary: Describing flight
  • Reading: Take-off
  • Listening: Climbing
  • Writing: Navigational charts
  • Speaking: Planning flight routes
  • Pronunciation: Cat and Cut + connected speech

Module 5

  • Grammar: Countable and uncountable nouns
  • Vocabulary: Types of airliners
  • Reading: Control systems
  • Listening: Cruising
  • Writing: Airway systems, waypoints, and flight levels
  • Speaking: Dealing with storms
  • Pronunciation: Fine and Vine + connected speech

Module 6

  • Grammar: Indirect questions
  • Vocabulary: Parts of an airport
  • Reading: Instrument scan
  • Listening: Traffic in the skies
  • Writing: Crisis management
  • Speaking: Emergency situations
  • Pronunciation: Heart and Hat + connected speech

Module 7

  • Grammar: Reported statements
  • Vocabulary: Types of airspace
  • Reading: Descent
  • Listening: Pilot skills
  • Writing: Communicating across different jurisdictions
  • Speaking: Respecting cultural differences
  • Pronunciation: Stove and Strobe + connected speech

Module 8

  • Grammar: Passive
  • Vocabulary: Parts of an airport
  • Reading: Landing
  • Listening: Approach
  • Writing: Non-verbal communication
  • Speaking: Teamwork
  • Pronunciation: Pressure and Treasure + connected speech

Follow-up

Students completing the English for Pilots course should feel confident in tackling any upper intermediate course, including our Upper Intermediate Business Power course.

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