ICAO English Instructor FIRED for helping pilots

Pilots in need of help with their aviation English for their ICAO language proficiency test, have been seeking the assistance of a kind and helpful Aviation English instructor from a Spanish Flight Training Organisation.

The Instructor, a former Cathay Pacific employee & now ICAO English examiner, did not have the support of her employer so she began developing free extra study material for pilots who failed their ICAO English test, in an effort to help these worried aviators with their English.

Many of these pilots had not prepared by revising before taking their ICAO English test, and as more pilots expressed the value of these free materials, the Aviation English instructor, Rachel Shieff, made her free materials more accessible via a youtube channel ( http://www.youtube.com/user/icaoenglish ) and by creating a web page, www.practiceICAOenglish.com, so she could advise more pilots what they should be studying before they go for their English Language Proficiency test.

When the instructor’s employer learned about the free materials and her website, she was dismissed from the company on grounds that there was a conflict of interests.

Many pilots were leaving this issue to the last minute, believing they will easily pass, and by interviewing each pilot after their test, Rachel Shieff has identified that the format of the ICAO test, and the format of the questions leaves many experienced pilots with a lower test score than they had expected.

Rachel Shieff’s mission is to provide the correct advice to pilots and create enjoyable study courses, online, that allow pilots to gain the knowledge they need to meet the ICAO requirements and pass their English Language proficiency test at level 4 or above.

Shieff regrets the conditions under which she parted with her former employer, however, she believes that with every adversity, an equally proportioned opportunity presents itself.

She is now able to focus all her time and effort on reaching the pilot community with her helpful free training material, and is designing new, interactive E-learning courses that focus on improving Aviation English skills in line with the ICAO requirements. These will be conveniently accessible to pilots everywhere, on the web. So it seems the FTO who dismissed Rachel Shieff has done a service to the pilot community.