SAFETY REGULATION DIVISION

Transcription

1 Air Traffic Controller Training Approval Manual TP ATM 01 1 st Edition July 2013 SAFETY REGULATION DIVISION

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3 RECORD OF AMENDMENTS Amendment No. Subject Source Section affected Entered by (Date) Effective Date - Initial issue July Bilateral approval agreements for foreign Training Organisations ICAO Doc 9841, 2 nd Edition Joseph G. Lajoie (25 October 2013) 25 October 2013 Training Organisation s suitability SAR-ATCL 61 & UK CAP Facilities, equipment and accommodation SAR-ATCL 61 & UK CAP Staffing Assessment procedure Appeal procedure Quality Management System English Language Proficiency Test Service application procedure SAR-ATCL 61 & ICAO Doc Final score for test-takers Application for approval SAR-ATCL 61 & ICAO Doc Joseph G. Lajoie (01 April 2015) 01 April 2015 Enforcement measures by the Authority SAR-ATCL ii

4 FOREWORD The Seychelles, as a member of the International Civil Aviation Organisation and signatory to the Chicago Convention, complies as far as possible with the standards published in the Annexes to the Convention on International Civil Aviation. The Civil Aviation Act 2005 (Act 4, Part II) empowers the Seychelles to implement the Chicago Convention and any Annex thereto relating to international standards and recommended practices. This manual complies with the ICAO Annex 1 SARPs in respect of the issuance of approval and continued validity of the approval of training organisations and the air traffic service provider to provide training as applicable. Safety Regulation Division (SRD) regulates air traffic controller training organisations and the air traffic service provider under powers granted to it by the Civil Aviation Act, 2005 (Act 5) and in accordance with SAR-ATCL 61. Air Traffic Standards (ATStd) is responsible for: a) establishing national training standards while ensuring compliance, where appropriate, with ICAO Annex 1 SARPs and SAR-ATCL 61 regulatory requirements; b) undertaking the approval of air traffic controller training organisations, approval of air traffic controller training courses, unit training plans, continuation training plan and ongoing regulatory oversight to ensure ongoing compliance with requirements. The latest version of this manual is available in electronic format on the Authority website at or on request from the Air Navigation Standards Inspectorate at the below. The content of this manual is controlled by an approved amendment system and is not to be removed and used in any other format where it may be outside the control of the amendment system. All amendments will be in the form of a complete electronic update of the manual by individual page replacement. The ANS Inspector (ATS&AIS) is responsible for amendments to this manual. Readers should forward advice of errors, inconsistencies or suggestions for improvement to the ANS Inspector at the address below. ANS Inspector (ATS/AIS) Safety Regulation Division Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority P. O. Box 181 Victoria Tel: / Fax: ANSI@scaa.sc iii

5 Table of Contents iv Pages Chapter 1. Introduction Purpose of the manual Structure of the manual Definitions and terminologies... 1 Chapter 2. General approval administration Introduction General guidance for the approval of training organisations Administrative procedures for the approval of training organisation... 3 Chapter 3. Approval of training organisations Application for approval Continued compliance Enforcement measures by the Authority Renewal of approval Bilateral approval agreements for foreign training organisations... 5 Chapter 4. Initial training Approval of initial training courses Application for initial training Training organisation suitability Facilities, equipment and accommodation Staffing Assessment procedures Appeal procedure Quality Management System Record keeping Document confidentiality... 8 Chapter 5. Assessment for Previous Competence Requirement for APC APC at approved training organisations APC at the ATSTU... 9 Chapter 6. English Language Proficiency Test Scheme Design and construct Validity and reliability Rating Administration Security Record keeping Organisational information and infrastructure Team qualification Chapter 7. Unit training Unit training plan Phases of unit training Transitional training Pre-on-the-job training On-the-job training Administrative procedures Content of a UTP Instruction Assessment Examination Chapter 8. Continuation training Continuation training proposals... 18

6 8.1 Procedures for continuation training Specific continuation training courses Training in Unusual and Emergency Situations (TRUES) Objective Requirement Content of TRUES plans Programme of training Conduct of training Persons authorised to assess TRUES Assessment Air traffic controllers assessed as not competent Counting of items towards TRUES Air traffic controller hours and fatigue Records to be kept Appendix 1 Records to be retained by training organisations providing initial training Appendix 2 Suggested content of the Course Design Document and Organisation Exposition A. Course Design Document B. Training Organisation Exposition Appendix 3 Suggested content of a Unit Training Plan Appendix 4 Criteria for the use of simulators in ATM Training Appendix 5 Training organisation course application documents A. Application form B. Certificate for ATCO Training Organisations C. ATCO Training Organisation SAR-ATCL 61 Compliance Questionnaire Appendix 6 ELPT Service Provider documents A. Application form B. Suggested content of an ELP Certificate Appendix 7 Recommended syllabuses for specific continuation training A. On-The-Job Training Instructor Course B. Air Traffic Services Instructor Course C. ATC Examiner Course D. Assessment for Previous Competence Course v

7 ACRONYMS ANO ATC ATM ATO ATS ATSI ATSP ATStd ATSTU CDD CTP ELP ELPT ITP HANSI OE OJT OJTI PLO SRD TRUES UCS UTP Air Navigation Order Air Traffic Control Air Traffic Management Approved Training Organisation Air Traffic Services Air Traffic Services Instructor Air Traffic Services Provider Air Traffic Standards Air Traffic Services Training Unit Course Design Document Continuation Training Programme English Language Proficiency English Language Proficiency Test Initial Training Plan Head of Air Navigation Standard Inspectorate Organisation Exposition On-the-Job Training On-the-Job Training Instructor Personnel Licensing Office Safety Regulation Division Training in Unusual and Emergency Situation Unit Competency Scheme Unit Training Plan vi

8 Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION 1.0 Purpose of this manual This manual provides ATStd with the process and guidance to support the implementation of safety oversight arrangements consistently with the safety oversight regulations set out in the Seychelles ANO (as amended), in the approval scheme to recognise the capability of training organisations to provide air traffic controller initial and specific continuation training to student air traffic controllers and approval of the ATSP to provide unit and continuation training The contents of this manual are intended to support the approval of training organisations against the requirements set out in SUBPART D, Appendix 3, A and C, as applicable, of SAR- ATCL 61 and approval of unit and continuation training provided by the ATSP against the requirements set out in Appendix 3, B and C, as applicable, of SAR-ATCL Structure of this manual This manual sets out the Authority s training provision and course approval procedures including the roles and responsibilities of those involved in the process and, where appropriate, additional guidance. 1.2 Definitions and terminologies Assessment. The process for making judgements about performance. ATC Examiner. A rated air traffic controller with an air traffic controller licence authorised by the Authority to carry out examinations in the operational environment for which the rating is issued. ATS Instructor. A rated air traffic controller with an air traffic controller licence authorised by the Authority to carry out theoretical and practical simulation instructions based on the environment for which the rating is issued. Authority. For the purpose of this manual, is the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority. Competence. The appropriate knowledge, skills and experience to provide the valid air traffic control services stated in an air traffic controller licence. Course Design Document. For the purposes of this manual, a course design document is a submission from a training organisation seeking approval to conduct a course of ATCO training. Initial Training. Training conducted by approved training organisations on courses approved by the Authority. Initial training comprises basic training and rating training. The object of initial training is to prepare a student for unit training. Language Endorsement. The authorisation entered on and forming part of a licence, indicating the language proficiency of the holder. On-the-Job Training. The integration in practice of previously acquired job related routines and skills under the supervision of a qualified On-the-Job Training Instructor in a live traffic situation. On-the-Job Training Instructor. A rated air traffic controller with an air traffic control licence endorsed with a current qualification that permits the holder to carry out instruction in the operational environment for which the rating is issued. Operational Position. A position provided and equipped for the purpose of providing an aerodrome control, approach control procedural, approach control surveillance, area control procedural or area control surveillance service. Performance Objectives. These are established by the ATSP and describe the actions of the air traffic controller that demonstrate the correct performance in specific areas of the topics of the training. Pre On-the-Job-Training. The phase of locally based training during which extensive use of simulation, using site specific facilities, will enhance the development of previously acquired routines and abilities to the required performance level. 1

9 Quality Management System. A management system to direct and control an organisation with regard to the degree to which a set of characteristics fulfills a need or expectation that is stated, generally implied or obligatory. Rating. An authorisation entered on or associated with a licence and forming part thereof, stating specific conditions, privileges or limitations pertaining to such licence. Rating Endorsement. The authorisation entered on and forming part of a licence, indicating the specific conditions, privileges or limitations pertaining to the relevant rating. Sector. A part of a control area and/or part of a flight information region/upper region. Simulator. Equipment used to simulate all or part of a specific or generic operational environment. Successful Completion. For the purposes of this manual, this term, or its variant 'successfully completed' is used to indicate that all required parts of training, training courses, associated examinations or assessments or other assessments or examinations have been completed to a satisfactory standard. Training. The entirety of theoretical courses, practical exercises, including simulation, and on-the-job training required in order to acquire and maintain the skills to deliver safe, high quality air traffic control services. It consists of: a) initial training, providing basic and rating training leading to the grant of a student air traffic controller licence; b) unit training, including transitional training prior to on-the-job training, leading to the grant of an air traffic controller licence; c) continuation training, keeping the endorsements of the licence valid; d) training of on-the-job training instructors, leading to the grant of the instructor endorsement; e) training of ATC Examiners. Training Organisation. An organisation which has been certified by the Authority to provide one or more types of training. Transitional Training Phase. The stage following initial training during which site specific theoretical knowledge and understanding will be transferred to the student air traffic controller using a variety of methods and during which skills will be developed through the use of site specific simulations. Unit Competence Scheme. An approved scheme indicating the method by which the unit maintains the competence of its licence holders. Unit Endorsement. The authorisation entered on and forming part of a licence, indicating the ICAO location indicator and the sectors and/or working positions where the holder of the licence is competent to work. Unit Training Plan. An approved plan detailing the processes and timing required to allow the unit procedures to be applied to the local area under the supervision of an on-the-job training instructor. Valid Rating. A rating permitting an air traffic controller to exercise the privileges of the rating in accordance with the endorsements included in the air traffic controller licence. 2

10 Chapter 2 GENERAL APPROVAL ADMINISTRATION 2.0 Introduction In order to discharge its responsibilities, the Authority specifies in this manual the requirement for air traffic controller training organisations to be approved in order to provide initial training courses and unit training and specific continuation training. The Authority shall grant a certificate which will state the type(s) of training courses approved and which confirms that a training organisation complies with the requirements set out in SUBPART D of SAR-ATCL Air traffic controller training must adequately prepare student air traffic controllers for the grant of an air traffic controller licence and/or associated rating(s). Such training must provide the necessary skills and knowledge to an appropriate level of competence to enable a student air traffic controller to provide an air traffic control service while operating under the supervision of an on-the-job training instructor Initial air traffic controller training courses must provide student air traffic controllers with the necessary skills and knowledge to a level of competence upon having satisfactorily achieved the performance objectives of the initial training plan that will prepare them for unit training Unit training must provide student air traffic controllers with the necessary skills and knowledge to a level of competence upon having satisfactorily achieved the performance objectives of the unit training plan that ensures that they are able provide safely an air traffic control service at a particular operational unit under the supervision of an on-the-job training instructor Continuation training must provide air traffic controllers with the necessary skills and knowledge to continue to maintain that level of competence through refresher courses, emergency training and, where appropriate, linguistic training and advance their skills and knowledge through OJTI ATC Examiner and ATS Instructor training courses. 2.1 General guidance for the approval of training organisations Training organisations will be considered for approval on the basis of information provided by them to ATStd, who may choose to undertake an audit of the organisation in order to evaluate the proposals A training organisation providing initial training will not be approved unless it has also received provisional approval for at least one course of initial training. 2.2 Administrative procedures for the approval of training organisations The Authority requires training organisations to apply for approval and a training organisation may not provide air traffic controller training until it has received the Authority approval to do so Subject to the provision of all appropriate information to the satisfaction of ATStd, and where deemed necessary by ATStd, a satisfactory audit, a training organisation will be approved Provisional approval or approval will be subject to the satisfactory implementation of any requirements specified by ATStd Any or all provisional approvals or approvals for air traffic controller training courses may be suspended or revoked if it is found that any specified terms and conditions are not being satisfied An audit plan, detailing its objectives, scope and audit members, will be produced by ATStd prior to auditing a training organisation. The purpose of the plan is for all parties to prepare and agree dates, personnel and arrangements for the audit Audits will be carried out by an audit team from ATStd Any communication with the Authority should be directed to the ANS Inspector. 3

11 Chapter 3 APPROVAL OF TRAINING ORGANISATIONS 3.0 Application for approval Applications for approval, for both local and foreign training organisations, shall be submitted to ATStd at least 3 months before the anticipated start of any proposed training in form prescribed in Appendix 5, A, Form SCAA TO/ATM The application form can be obtained from the Authority website or by request to ANSI@scaa.sc. Foreign training organisation applications for Initial Training shall be considered only if they are Approved Training Organisations in their State of registry On receipt of an application, ATStd will issue a training organisation a SAR-ATCL 61 compliance questionnaire in the form prescribed in Appendix 5, C, of this manual, which the applicant will be required to complete. The completed compliance questionnaire will indicate to ATStd any areas that need to be addressed by the applicant to achieve compliance with the requirements set out in SUBPART D, Appendix 3, A and C, as applicable, of SAR-ATCL The applicant shall be required to complete compliance questionnaires for the following types of training: a) Initial training (Chapter 4); and b) Continuation training (Chapter 8) Should the completed compliance questionnaire indicate that the applicant is likely to achieve compliance, an audit of the applicant will be arranged An interim audit report will be sent to the applicant within 28 working days of completion of the audit. The applicant will be allowed 15 working days to raise any factual inaccuracies contained in the audit report. ATStd will review the applicant's response and amend the report where considered appropriate If necessary, a subsequent meeting may be arranged with the applicant organisation by the ANS Inspector The final audit report and any recommendations will be sent within 28 working days of resolution of any issues identified in the interim audit report Following satisfactory resolution of any audit recommendations, ATStd will consider all aspects and will advise the applicant of the Authority s decision to grant or deny approval Where approval is granted, the Authority shall issue an Approved Training Organisation Certificate (ATOC) in the form prescribed in Appendix 5, B A review meeting will be held 6 months after any approval has been issued. The review will seek to confirm that the Approved Training Organisation (ATO) is operating in accordance with the conditions contained within the letter or certificate. 3.1 Continued compliance A master copy of the compliance questionnaire showing all changes incorporated and the reasons for them shall be maintained and retained by the ATO. It shall be possible to trace the developments within ATOs from the questionnaire The ATO must notify the ATStd of any proposed changes to the organisation that affect the approval before any such change takes place, to enable the ATStd to determine continued compliance with the applicable requirements and to amend, if necessary, the approval ATStd may prescribe the conditions under which the ATO may operate during such changes unless the ATStd determines that the approval should be suspended ATStd will audit every ATO at least once every 2 years following approval. This audit will seek to confirm that the ATO is operating in accordance with the requirements for approval ATStd shall monitor compliance with the requirements and conditions attached to the approval ATStd may conduct an audit where changes to the organisational structure of the ATO, its quality assurance processes, its training facilities or its CDD if so required. 4

12 3.1.7 ATStd may elect to audit, at any time, any areas of an ATO's operations which are subject to the requirements of SUBPART D of SAR-ATCL Enforcement measures by the Authority If ATStd finds that an ATO no longer satisfies the requirements or conditions of an ATO certificate, it shall immediately provide the information needed to the HANSI, based upon objective evidence obtained during the audit, who will take appropriate enforcement measures Depending upon the case, the enforcement measures may include the determination of corrective actions to be implemented by the ANSP in a specific period of time, the limitation, suspension or revocation of the ATO Certificate Non-conformities shall be classed into two basic categories associated with levels of safety significance as follows: a) Category Level 1 shall include any non-compliance with the applicable regulatory requirements which lowers the safety standard and is significantly hazardous to the safety of air traffic; and b) Category Level 2 shall include any non-compliance with the applicable safety regulatory requirements which lowers the safety standard and may possibly be hazardous to the safety of air traffic Immediate action will be taken by the Authority without waiting for the audit report where a Level 1 non-conformity is revealed. The ANS Inspector will need to immediately report the situation to the HANSI who will decide on the enforcement measure to be taken and notify the ATO in writing For Level 2 non-conformities, the normal corrective action process must always be followed and therefore, the Authority must not interfere with the determination of corrective actions by the ATO Only Authority inspectors can exceptionally act as representatives of the Authority beyond their audit responsibilities if a serious safety issue is revealed in an audit. This should not be possible if the audit is conducted by recognised organisations Upon surrender or revocation, an ATO Certificate shall be returned to the Authority. 3.3 Renewal of an approval Three months prior to the expiry of an approval, the ATO shall submit an application for renewal and provide ATStd with up-to-date compliance questionnaire as appropriate to the type(s) of training provided The Authority will issue a new approval, subject to a satisfactory review of the compliance questionnaire and of any audits that have taken place since the issue of the previous approval. 3.4 Bilateral approval agreements for foreign training organisations Following the initial issuance of a foreign training organisation approval, the Authority will embark on a bilateral approval agreement with the ATO s host Authority and shall set up a jointly agreedto procedure to minimize the likelihood of imposing undue burden on its oversight programme with the duplication of an approval activity which is already carried out by the ATO s host Authority The bilateral approval agreement shall only be undertaken after the Authority has compared its approval process with that of the ATO s host Authority and entering into shared best practices for a mutually beneficial ongoing oversight programme of the ATO The issue of a new approval of the foreign ATO by the Authority shall henceforth be subject to the ongoing approval process of the ATO s host Authority. The ATOC issued by the host Authority after each approval process cycle shall be recognised by the Authority as being equivalent to its own ATO Certificate Where changes to the foreign ATO which will affect the approval are necessary, to of the preceding page shall apply. 5

13 Chapter 4 INITIAL TRAINING 4.0 Approval of initial training courses Training organisations wishing to offer courses of air traffic controller initial training towards the grant of a rating or rating endorsement are required to apply for approval of their courses by the Authority Training organisations shall submit, in the form of a CDD, their proposed training courses to the ATStd. The CDD will contain a statement from the accountable manager confirming that the course meets the requirements of SAR-ATCL The CDD shall be submitted at least 3 months before the training organisation intends to conduct the first course along with the Form SCAA TO/ATM The CDD structure is shown in Appendix 2, A, of this manual When satisfied with the proposed initial training course, ATStd shall grant provisional approval of the course, valid for 6 months, to the training organisation before the conduct of the first course. The conduct of the first course will be subject to audit by ATStd and, if satisfactory, ATStd will grant full approval of the course to the training organisation Until such time as approval is granted, any promotional material or reference to the training organisation, its training centre(s) and training courses must clearly state that the Authority approval has not yet been granted Training organisations are advised not to embark upon any contractual arrangements until provisional approval of the relevant courses has been obtained. 4.1 Initial training application A training organisation seeking approval shall follow the procedures laid down in Chapters 2 and 3 of this manual The first application for training organisation approval and course approval shall be made concurrently. 4.2 Training organisation suitability Determination of an organisation's suitability to provide initial training will be by evaluation of the Organisation Exposition (OE) submitted to ATStd as explained in Appendix 2, B, of this manual The training organisation will be required to nominate the accountable manager who has overall corporate authority for ensuring that all training commitments can be financed and carried out to the standards required by the Authority and shall nominate a person to be the focal point for communication with the Authority The OE shall include an organisational chart and shall document individual accountabilities and responsibilities The training organisation must demonstrate that it has sufficient competent staff to plan and carry out theoretical and practical training and associated assessments The training organisation shall have a procedure by which students may appeal against the conduct of an assessment. 4.3 Facilities, equipment and accommodation The training organisation shall provide adequate classroom, simulator, office and rest accommodation in order to satisfactorily carry out and support all planned training courses Simulators shall be subject to approval, according to the criteria published in Appendix 5 of this manual Secure storage facilities must be provided for training and assessment records. The storage environment must be such that documents remain in good condition. If documents are held in electronic format, the training organisation shall demonstrate that it has adequate 6

14 provisions in place to ensure the security and safety of such documents. The storage facilities and office accommodation may be combined, subject to adequate security A library must be provided containing all current training material appropriate to the scope and level of training undertaken. This should include the list of documents published in the Manual of Air Traffic Management under Publications. If the library provides training material in electronic format, there must be adequate facilities allowing for the production of printed copies of part or all of any document used by either students or instructors. Any copyright arrangements required to comply with this requirement shall be the responsibility of the training provider. 4.4 Staffing Instructional and assessment staff shall meet the required performance objectives established by the Authority. The training organisation shall have procedures by which staff involved in training may achieve, maintain and, if appropriate, regain competence. As appropriate, the procedures shall also specify the training requirements for classroom and simulator training and for assessment and verification duties. The processes by which such training will be assessed shall be described. These procedures shall be contained in the training organisation's Unit Training Plan (UTP), which shall be approved by the Authority Procedures contained in the UTP shall include requirements for simulator instructors and simulator input staff to: a) complete a minimum specified number of practical simulator hours each month on the rating(s) for which they are competent; and b) be subject to an assessment of their continuing competence by continuous assessment, by a dedicated competence check, or by a combination of both Simulator instructors and simulator input staff who fail to comply with the requirements of paragraph a) or who are assessed as unsatisfactory shall be withdrawn immediately from instructional duties, as appropriate, until they have been assessed as satisfactory. 4.5 Assessment procedures The training organisation shall have course assessment procedures acceptable to the Authority. Written, practical and verbal assessment procedures shall be documented Assessment procedures shall ensure that students are kept aware of their progress during the course, including any areas where improvement is required and the goals they must achieve to successfully complete the course Assessment exercise reports shall only be completed by suitably trained instructors Students shall sign all summative reports to acknowledge their content All assessments shall be carried out by qualified assessors. 4.6 Appeal procedure Training organisations shall establish and publish an internal appeal procedure for use by any student who believes he/she has been disadvantaged by the conduct of an assessment or summative report Records shall be maintained which show that students have acknowledged receipt of the appeal procedure. 4.7 Quality Management System (QMS) The training organisation shall design, operate and maintain a QMS, which shall include processes by which it will manage, develop, deliver and maintain training in accordance with the requirements prescribed in SAR-ATCL The QMS shall be a process based system and shall specify the training organisation's processes with respect to its management structure, course design and conduct, the assessment scheme and the competence of instructional and assessment staff The QMS should include a requirement for an independent audit by an external organisation to monitor training standards, the integrity of theory and practical assessments and 7

15 compliance with and adequacy of procedures. The management of the quality system should include feedback from the independent audit findings to the accountable manager to ensure, where necessary, corrective action is taken. 4.8 Record keeping Records to be retained by an initial ATO are shown in Appendix 1 of this manual The ATO shall inform ATStd of the nominal roll and results for all training courses on Form SR ATCL 1418 which is available on the Authority website or by request to ANSI@scaa.sc. 4.9 Document confidentiality All documents and information received by the ATStd relating to the approval process shall be subject to protection from disclosure in accordance with applicable national legislation. 8

16 5.0.1 APC are required: SAFETY REGULATION DIVISION Chapter 5 ASSESSMENTS FOR PREVIOUS COMPETENCE (APC) 5.0 Requirement for APC a) when a student air traffic controller does not commence unit training within 6 months of completing an approved course of initial training; b) when an air traffic controller will be commencing unit training in a particular rating or rating endorsement, the privileges of which he/she has not exercised for 4 years or more; and c) when an air traffic controller s ability to provide a safe air traffic control service is in doubt. d) when specifically required by the Authority The assessment may be conducted either: a) at an ATO; or b) at the ATSP where the air traffic controller will undergo unit training, provided the unit has been approved by the Authority to conduct such assessments The ATO or ATSP must notify the Authority in writing of the student or air traffic controller who is required to undertake an APC and of the schedule for the assessment at least 28 days before each assessment takes place. The Authority may require the ANS Inspector to be present at the assessment The ATO or ATSP shall submit to the ATStd a report of the assessment showing the areas covered and the result of the assessment. Where it is establishes there is a requirement for further training, the report shall include recommendations on those areas in need of additional training. 5.1 APC at Approved Training Organisations ATOs offering initial training and wishing to conduct APC shall submit their proposals to the Authority for approval Where so approved, ATOs shall conduct APC for: a) air traffic controllers who have not exercised the privileges of a particular rating or rating endorsement for more than 4 years; b) air traffic controllers who are specifically required by the Authority to undertake an assessment for previous competence; c) student air traffic controllers who have not commenced unit training within 6 months of completing an approved initial training course Proposals for assessments for previous competence should include: a) details of the assessments to be used; and b) nomination of the examiners who will conduct the assessments ATOs shall inform the Authority prior to each assessment taking place. 5.2 APC at the ATS Training Unit To be considered for approval by the Authority to conduct APC, the ATSTU must have an approved UTP The ATSTU shall submit its proposal to Authority for approval if it wishes to assess air traffic controllers for previous competence. Approval will be considered only if the ATSTU has appropriate simulation facilities. The unit s proposal to assess for previous competence must include: a) details of the assessments to be used; and 9

17 b) nomination of the ATC Examiners who will conduct the assessments Prior to conducting any APC, the ATSTU shall inform the ANS Inspector who may wish to be present at the assessment The ATSTU may apply for approval to assess the competence of: a) air traffic controllers who have not exercised the privileges of a particular rating and rating endorsement (if any) for the more than 4 years; b) student air traffic controllers who have not commenced unit training within 6 months of completing an approved initial training course A separate assessment must be made for each rating and associated rating endorsement (if any) An air traffic controller whose competence is assessed at an ATSTU may only commence unit training at that unit. Should an air traffic controller not be granted a unit endorsement at a particular ATS unit, he/she may commence unit training for another ATS unit without the need for a further assessment provided that the period between ending training at the first unit and commencing training at the second unit is not greater than 6 months An air traffic controller who is to undertake an APC at an ATS unit may commence unit training, but only that part of the unit training that is designed to prepare him/her for the APC. Following the APC, the air traffic controller shall be required to satisfactorily complete any training to satisfy deficiencies in his/her knowledge, skill or competence identified by the APC, and undertake any further assessments required. 10

18 Chapter 6 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY TEST (ELPT) 6.0 Schemes Tests of the ICAO ELP Rating Scale in Appendix 3 of SAR-ATCL 61 shall be undertaken by approved Test Service Provider (TSP) raters; a) during a student's first initial training course; b) when an ELP Endorsement at Level 4 or Level 5 held by an air traffic controller licence holder is due for a renewal; or c) when specifically required by the Authority. 6.1 Application for ELP TSP approval Application for ELP TSP approval shall be submitted to ATStd at least 2 months before the anticipated start of any proposed ELP test in form prescribed in Appendix 6, A, Form SCAA TSP The application form is available on the Authority website or by request to ANSI@scaa.sc The applicant shall submit a sample of its ELP test for the proposed test services to ATStd along with the application. The ELP test sample shall include the following: a) candidate documents (paper instructions, screen display, etc.); b) interlocutor instructions or prompts; c) rater documentation (answer key, rating scale, instructions); d) one complete sample of audio recordings (for listening sections or semi-direct prompts); and e) a demonstration of candidate/interlocutor interaction When satisfied with the ELP test sample, the Authority shall grant provisional approval of the test services before the conduct of the first ELPT Until such time as approval is granted, any promotional material or reference to the test service provider must clearly state that the Authority approval has not yet been granted An ELP TSP is advised not to embark upon any contractual arrangements until provisional approval of the relevant ELP test has been obtained The conduct of the first ELP test will be subject to audit by ATStd. Should the audit prove satisfactory, the Authority will grant full approval of the ELP test to the TSP and an Approved TSP Certificate will be issued ATStd will audit ELP TSPs at least once every 3 years following approval. This audit will seek to confirm continuous compliance with the requirements and conditions of the approval. 6.2 Design and construct The ELP test should be designed to assess speaking and listening proficiency in accordance with each component of the holistic descriptor requirements set out in SAR-ATCL (c) and ICAO ELP Rating Scale and not to assess the technical knowledge of operations A definition of the ELP test purpose that describes the aims of the ELP test, the target population description and rationale for ELP test construct and how it corresponds to the SAR-ATCL 61 ELP requirements should be accessible to all decision-makers in plain, layperson language The ELP test should: a) be specific to aviation operations; b) comply with principles of good practice and a code of ethics which should be documented and the organisation should be able to provide evidence of adherence to that code; c) use face-to-face communication in some phases of the delivery and should also include a component devoting time to voice-only interaction; 11

19 d) elicit plain language proficiency in the aviation context and not assess phraseology though it may contain a scripted task in which phraseology is included. If phraseology is included in a test, care should be taken that it is used appropriately and that it is consistent with ICAO standardised phraseology Should comprehension be assessed through a specific listening section with individual items, it should not be done to the detriment of assessing interaction The ELP test should not focus on: a) discrete-point items in that it should test individual, specific features of the language thought to underlie language skills; b) on grammar explicitly; or c) on discrete vocabulary items The ELP test must be capable of differentiating between Levels 3, 4, 5 and 6 and must enable evaluation and recording against each of all six elements being Pronunciation, Structure, Vocabulary, Fluency, Comprehension and Interaction of the ICAO ELP Rating Scale If, during an ELP test, a candidate does not demonstrate language proficiency at the Expert Level 6 of the ICAO ELP Rating Scale, a further ELP test must be undertaken to determine the language proficiency level of the candidate The ELP test should be conducted in part on a simulator or in a simulated environment The final score for each candidate should not be the average or aggregate of the ratings in each of the six SAR-ATCL 61 language proficiency skills, but the lowest of these six ratings. 6.3 Validity and reliability A statement of evidence for ELP test validity and reliability should be accessible to all decisionmakers, in plain, layperson language A description of the development process that includes a summary of the development calendar and a report on each development phase should be accessible to all decision-makers An appraisal of expected effect the ELP test has on training or on candidates behavior should be accessible to all decision-makers. The appraisal should demonstrate that the ELP test will have a positive effect on training and that it will not encourage training that focuses on memorisation and ELP test preparation rather than on building proficiency. 6.4 Rating Whether a rating is conducted live during the ELP test, or after the ELP test using recordings of the ELP test performance, the rating process should be documented The ELP test must be conducted by two qualified English Language raters/assessors who have been approved by the Authority to conduct such ELP tests, one of which must be the holder of an air traffic controller licence issued or recognised by the Authority. A third rater/assessor may be consulted in the case of divergent scores of the two raters/assessors Initial and recurrent rater/assessor training should be documented. The rater/assessor training records should be maintained and audits of raters/assessor should be conducted and documented periodically If the rating is conducted using new technology, including speech recognition technology, then the correspondence of such rating to human rating, on all aspects of the ICAO ELP Rating Scale, should be clearly demonstrated, in layperson language, and be accessible to all decision-makers. 6.5 Administration The ELP test rating process and instructions to the candidate, ELP test administration team and raters/assessors should be documented and the documentation should include instructions on the extent and nature of evidence that raters/assessors should collect. The equipment, human resources and facilities necessary for the ELP test should be included in the instructions The ELP test location should offer moderate comfort, privacy and quiet. 12

20 6.5.3 A full description of ELP test administration policies and procedures should be available to all decision-makers, including information about the following: a) policies and procedures for retaking the ELP test; b) score reporting procedures (who receives the results of ELP tests?); c) record-keeping procedures; and d) plans for quality control, ELP test maintenance, ongoing ELP test development and purchasing conditions, if applicable A documented appeals process should be established, and information about it should be available to candidates and decision-makers at the beginning of the ELP test process. 6.6 Security A full description of security measures required to ensure the integrity of the ELP test process should be documented and available to all decision-makers. Other necessary security measures during ELP test administration should prevent: a) communication between candidates; b) communication between candidates and individuals elsewhere during the ELP test, e.g. by use of a mobile telephone; c) impersonation of others; and d) the use of false identities Security measures should ensure the authenticity of ELP test result data, including databases and certificates In the case of pre-scripted and pre-recorded ELP test prompts, there should be adequate versions to meet the needs of the population to be tested with respect to its size and diversity. A good security measure that ELP test organisations should adopt is to always include at least one completely new prompt or question in every version. A pattern of candidates achieving high scores on most or all ELP test prompts or questions, but failing the new prompt, may indicate a breach in ELP test security ELP test questions and prompts should be held in confidence, and not be published or provided to candidates prior to the ELP test event A documented policy for all aspects of ELP test security should be accessible to all decisionmakers. 6.7 Records keeping All proficiency ELP tests of speaking ability involving interaction between the candidate and interlocutor during the ELP test should be recorded on audio or video media Evaluation sheets and supporting documentation should be filed for a predetermined and documented period of time of sufficient duration to ensure that rating decisions can no longer be appealed The record-keeping process should be adequate for the scope of the ELP test and should be documented The score-reporting process should be documented and scores maintained for the duration of the air traffic controller licence Results of ELP test must be held in strict confidence and released only to candidates, their sponsors or employers and the Authority, unless candidates provide written permission to release their results to another person or organisation. The result must be recorded on a certificate. The certificate must include the items detailed in Appendix 6, B. 6.8 Organisational information and infrastructure The ELP TSP should provide clear information about its organisation and its relationships with other organisations. All associations or links with those organisations should be transparent and documented. 13

21 6.8.2 Where the ELP TSP is also a service provider, there should be a clear and documented separation between the two activities The ELP TSP should employ sufficient numbers of qualified interlocutors and raters/assessors to administer the required tests Documentation on how the test is maintained, including a description of how ongoing test development is conducted, should be provided. 6.9 Team qualification Within an ELP test team, the same person may possess several areas of expertise or play several roles. The team should include ELP test designers and developers, where applicable, administrators, interlocutors and raters/assessors All members of the team should be familiar with the following: a) regulatory requirements set out in SAR-ATCL and the ICAO ELP Rating Scale; b) ICAO Doc 9835; and c) ICAO Rated Speech Samples CD The test design and development team should include individuals with the operational, language test development, and linguistic expertise described below: a) Operational expertise: i) radiotelephony experience as a flight crew member, air traffic controller or aeronautical station operator; and ii) experience in aeronautical operations and procedures and working knowledge of current practices. b) Language test development expertise: i) specialization in language test development through training, education or work experience; and ii) working knowledge of the principles of best practice in language test development. c) Linguistic expertise: Interlocutors shall: i) working knowledge of the principles of theoretical and applied linguistics; ii) working knowledge of the principles of language learning; and iii) experience in language teaching. a) demonstrate language proficiency of at least Extended Level 5 of the ICAO ELP Rating Scale to be tested and proficiency at Expert Level 6 if the ELP test is designed to assess Expert Level 6 proficiency; b) have successfully completed initial interlocutor training; c) successfully complete recurrent interlocutor training at least every two years; and d) have appropriate aviation operational or language testing expertise, or both Raters/Assessors shall: a) demonstrate language proficiency of at least Extended Level 5 of the ICAO ELP Rating Scale. If the test is designed to assess Expert Level 6 proficiency, raters/assessors shall demonstrate ELP at Expert Level 6; b) be familiar with aviation English and with any vocabulary and structures that are likely to be elicited by test prompts and interactions; c) have successfully completed initial rater/assessor training; d) successfully complete recurrent rater/assessor training at least every two years. 14