When I first started prepping for the AELP, I reckoned there wasn’t much info available about what to expect. Having taken the IAE CLEAR assessment before, I figured I could rely on my existing study notes to prep for this one. But as it turns out, every test has its own quirks.
Now that I’ve completed the AELP, I want to share the test structure. If you’re gearing up for this assessment, I hope this helps!
Booking the Test
There are a few approved assessors for this test, listed on CASA’s website. I went with one of these organisations, “My Aviation English,” but it’s good to keep in mind that each provider might structure the test a little differently.
I emailed My Aviation English and got a response within a day from Mr. Stuart Trist, who then set up my test on Friday 15th November. For booking, I just needed to provide my ARN and a passport copy. Once the booking was confirmed, he sent me a Zoom link for the test.
The Day of the Test
At the start of the session, Mr. Trist verified my identity by having me show my passport on camera. Once that was done, he began recording, and the test officially began.
Part 1: Casual Conversation
This section felt more like a casual convo. Mr. Trist asked questions like why I was taking the AELP assessment, what my aviation background was, and some practical questions, like what I’d do if I experienced an engine failure on takeoff. I was glad I knew my takeoff safety brief by heart haha. He also asked when I last did training. Overall, it was a relaxed start.
Part 2: Listening Comprehension
This section featured two audio clips, a short one and a long one.
Short Clip
The first clip was an ATIS broadcast from Parafield Airport, which might have been chosen because I’d mentioned training there. But instead of straightforward questions like, “What was the QNH?”, I was asked to discuss potential issues that could affect a flight based on the broadcast.
For my test, 2 items stood out.
➊ Crosswind of 16 knots
➋ Temperature of 34ºC
I pointed out that this exceeded the maximum crosswind limit for a Cessna 172, meaning a safe takeoff wouldn’t be possible under these conditions. And how the high temp affect aircraft performance by reducing air density, which increases the takeoff distance required and lowers the climb rate etc etc
Long Clip
For this part, before the audio clip played, I was instructed to listen carefully to understand the problem and the solution presented in the clip. The clip was a 2-3 minute exchange between a pilot and ATC at Parafield Airport. While the dialogue carried a distinct Australian accent, it was still clear enough to follow.
In comparison to the IAE CLEAR test, which usually involves a few aircrafts, this exchange had only one but had a lot more info packed into it like multiple instructions, requests, and updates flying back and forth. It required more attention to detail and a better ability to process everything happening in the conversation. After the clip finished, I summarised the scenario, identified the problem, and explained the solution provided.
Part 3: Picture Descriptions
In this section, I was shown three pictures in total and asked to describe them as if Mr. Trist couldn’t see them. No follow-up questions were asked, so it was all about providing clear, detailed descriptions.
Part 4: Speaking on a Topic
For the final part, I was given four very different topics to choose from. Once I picked one, I had to speak about it for 1 minute without any prep time. This caught me off guard cos IAE CLEAR ended after the picture description.
Pick the topic you feel most comfortable with, and just start talking. I guess It’s less about delivering perfect content and more about showing you can communicate clearly, confidently and fluently on non-aviation topics.
After the Test
Once we finished, Mr. Trist processed my payment (AUD 220). He told me to expect my results by the following Monday and mentioned that he’d submit them directly to CASA. CASA would then notify me once my results were recorded. However, I ended up receiving my results from Mr. Trist and acknowledgment from CASA on Sunday morning.
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