April 22, 2026, 8:03 am | Read time: 4 minutes
“Can’t they pronounce the th?” This question might come to mind when listening to pilots and air traffic controllers over the radio. But in reality, you’re not dealing with someone who has only a moderate command of English. On the contrary, a standardized technical language is being used here with certified qualification–so-called aviation English. And a specific pronunciation is both intentional and essential. TRAVELBOOK takes a closer look.
Why Aviation Needs Its Own Language
In few other professions do people from such diverse backgrounds come together as in international aviation. For instance, a Spanish pilot landing in Germany must communicate with a Polish air traffic controller, while a colleague from France might be in the cockpit. The participants may have different native languages and accents; additionally, they might not speak the international language of English at the same level. A scenario ripe for misunderstandings! Yet, especially in aviation, communication complications can have fatal consequences. This is precisely why there is official standardized aviation English.
What You Should Know About Aviation English
Aviation English is the internationally standardized communication language between pilots and air traffic controllers, established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Learning it is a crucial part of professional training.
Aviation English consists of set phrases that are always used the same way in radio communication. These instructions are understood correctly worldwide, leaving no room for interpretation. Examples include “Cleared for takeoff” or “Maintain flight level 350.” They are recorded as Standard Phraseology in the regulations.
Crucial: The Pronunciation
Another central component of aviation English is the specific pronunciation. What sometimes sounds as if it doesn’t conform to English phonetics has actually been optimized by the ICAO for maximum clarity.
Numbers in aviation English are sometimes deliberately pronounced differently: “three” becomes “tree,” “five” becomes “fife,” and “nine” is pronounced as “niner,” adding an extra syllable. The goal of this unusual pronunciation is to avoid misunderstandings in radio communication and to clearly distinguish between similar-sounding words.
Official Phonetic Alphabet in Aviation
For the same reason, air traffic controllers and pilots use the official ICAO phonetic alphabet–words like Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and so on–instead of individual letters or abbreviations. A flight attendant confirms to TRAVELBOOK that this is also “common practice” in civil aviation. She occasionally sits in the cockpit during takeoff and landing and hears instructions like “Take direction Whiskey,” referring to designated taxiways or areas at the airport.
She also points out that even with correctly applied aviation English and the phonetic alphabet, communication problems are not entirely ruled out. “At some locations, it’s still difficult to understand the controllers–the accent just comes through,” she says. Yet, especially with poor radio connections or different linguistic backgrounds, the standardized system ensures that information can be transmitted as clearly and safely as possible.
Apron Controller Shares a Practical Example
A practical example was recently posted on Instagram by content creator Julianna Denise, also known as pinkpineapplede. She is an apron controller at Munich Airport, managing ground aircraft traffic, coordinating parking positions, taxiways, and similar tasks. Air traffic controllers, on the other hand, are responsible for controlling active air traffic–from takeoff to landing.
Impressively, Julianna Denise masters aviation English at a “native level.” She demonstrates what that sounds like in the video:
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Aviation English at Multiple Language Levels
The ICAO uses an internationally recognized rating system to assess the English proficiency of pilots and air traffic controllers. Various criteria such as fluency, listening comprehension, interaction, grammatical structure, vocabulary, and pronunciation are evaluated on a scale from 1 to 6.
Level 4 is considered the minimum standard for international radio communication. Once pilots or air traffic controllers reach this level, the license is generally valid for about four years; after that, the language test must be retaken. Level 6–which apron controller Julianna Denise holds–represents the highest level. It is considered near-native language proficiency with lifelong validity.
Of Course, School English Must Also Be Mastered
It’s not enough to only master the “secret language” of aviation. Situations can arise where the set standard phrases are insufficient. In such cases, pilots and air traffic controllers are allowed to speak free English–with the best possible internationally understandable pronunciation.