Developing and Validating a Diagnostic Language Test for Ab Initio Cadet Pilots - March 2023

This project won the 2023 Jacqueline Ross TOEFL Dissertation Award.

Date:  30 March 2023

Presenter: Dr Maria Treadaway

Summary

This presentation provides an account of the development and validation of the Overseas Flight Training Preparation Test (OFTPT). The OFTPT was created in response to calls from within the aviation training sector for a standardised measurement tool to support the critical importance of language in ensuring safety in aviation. The test is tailored to the linguistic needs of ab initio pilots and aligned to the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) rating scale, creating the first research-based benchmark for entry into flight training.