ICAO requires pilots using radio communication to demonstrate English proficiency, graded Level 1–6. Level 4 is the operational minimum and expires (typically every 4 years), Level 6 is permanent. Under EASA the requirement is codified in FCL.055, and expiring levels must be tracked like ratings.
ICAO requires pilots using radiotelephony to demonstrate language proficiency, assessed on a six-level scale: Level 4 is the operational minimum and expires (reassessment cycles commonly around four years, varying by state), Level 5 lasts longer, and Level 6 is permanent. Under EASA the requirement is codified in FCL.055 and endorsed on the licence; the FAA handles it as an 'English proficient' endorsement within certification.
Assessment is by approved language-testing bodies, and the endorsement is a licence-validity component: an expired language proficiency grounds radiotelephony privileges as surely as an expired rating.
Why it matters for flight schools
For schools with international students, ELP is both an admission gate and a recurring compliance item: a cadet whose Level 4 expires mid-programme cannot complete radiotelephony-dependent training, and the reassessment must be scheduled with an approved assessor — not improvised the week the record system finally flags it.
How FlightLogger handles it
FlightLogger tracks each pilot's language-proficiency level and expiry alongside ratings and medicals — one more clock in the compliance picture, watched automatically.
Frequently asked questions
How is ICAO English proficiency assessed?
Through approved assessment providers testing pronunciation, structure, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension and interaction — graded to the ICAO scale. The result is endorsed on the licence with its validity period.
Does Level 6 ever expire?
No — Level 6 (expert) is a permanent endorsement. Levels 4 and 5 carry reassessment cycles, with Level 4's typically around four years depending on the state's implementation.