Aviation & ATC English Taught By American Pilots & ATCs In Beijing

Xinhua recently announced that 10,000 new pilots were hired in China in 2012 and another 15,000 would be needed over the next three years as private aviation made it's debut in China three years ago at the Zhuhai Air Show. But now there is a huge problem because all the air traffic controllers (ATCs) of the world use English to guide and instruct pilots from the moment they taxi out to the runway for take-off until the moment they land and park their airplane.

But every problem has a solution and now a nephew of a pilot who flew with the famous Flying Tigers over China in 1941 has begun tutoring flying students in Beijing in the difficult subject of Aviation & ATC English which has a specific vocabulary of over 600 words and phrases.  Since 27% of all aviation accidents are due to miscommunications, it is essential that pilots both fully understand what they hear over the radio from ATCs, as well and orally reporting their positions and responding correctly in English when contacted by other pilots and air traffic control.

Flying Tigers English of Beijing offers a 24 hour crash course (pun intended!) for student pilots about to take their FAA or CAAC pilot examination which can completed in one week if required. They also offer ground school tutoring in English since 67% of students who take their pilot's examination fail it and on average need to take the test twice in order to pass.  By far the most difficult part of the examination is radio phraseology according to most of the Chinese who already took the exam according to Blue Skies magazine.

Aspiring pilots who need and want to perfect their aviation and ATC English can contact Steve or Dominic at FlyingTigersEnglish[at]mail.com for all the details.  I personally completed their course and give them 4 out of 5 stars and if their Chinese was a little bit better I would give them the extra fifth star as well!  But their role play, handouts, and ppts are top quality.  Here's a photo of one of the Flying Tigers that America secretly sent to China in 1941 that shot down over 150 Japanese aircraft in Yunnan.