ELPAC Code of Ethics

ELPAC (English Language Proficiency for Aeronautical Communication) is used to demonstrate that pilots and air traffic controllers meet the ICAO language proficiency requirements. Because ELPAC results have direct consequences for licensing, employment and, above all, operational safety, everyone involved in the test carries an ethical responsibility that goes beyond procedural compliance. This Code of Ethics sets out the professional and ethical standards expected of:

• ELPAC examiners, raters and interlocutors
• ELPAC test centres and their administrative staff
• Test takers (pilots and air traffic controllers)
• Item writers and test developers

The Code is grounded in established best practice in language assessment, including the ILTA Code of Ethics, ICAO Doc 9835 (Manual on the Implementation of ICAO Language Proficiency Requirements) and the quality principles promoted by EAQUALS, and is aligned with the design and administration principles of the ELPAC test suite for air traffic controllers and for pilots. The Code rests on five pillars of good testing practice:

1. Validity — the test measures the language proficiency it claims to measure, in the context of aeronautical radiotelephony communication.
2. Reliability — results are consistent, regardless of who administers or rates the test.
3. Fairness — every test taker is treated equitably, free from bias or discrimination.
4. Security — test content and results are protected at all times.
5. Beneficial washback — the test encourages genuine communicative competence, not test-taking tricks.

Sources: ILTA (International Language Testing Association), Code of Ethics for ILTA, adopted 2000, and ILTA Guidelines for Practice, 2007; ICAO, Doc 9835, Manual on the Implementation of ICAO Language Proficiency Requirements, 2nd edition; EUROCONTROL, ELPAC test documentation and administration guidelines.

All persons bound by this Code shall:

1. Act with professional integrity. Place the accuracy and fairness of every assessment above personal, institutional or commercial interests.
2. Act within their competence. Undertake only those ELPAC duties for which they are trained, authorised and current.
3. Treat every test taker fairly. Apply the same standards to all, regardless of nationality, native language, gender, age, employer or any other personal characteristic.
4. Respect confidentiality. Protect test content, test taker identity and results; handle personal data in accordance with applicable data protection law, including the GDPR where applicable.
5. Protect test security. Never disclose, copy or reconstruct live test materials; report any suspected breach immediately.
6. Prioritise safety. Remember that an inaccurate result, in either direction, may put an unqualified or unfairly grounded professional into aviation operations.

Data protection reference: Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (General Data Protection Regulation), where applicable to the processing of test taker data.

3.1 Impartial rating

1. Rate exclusively against the ICAO language proficiency rating scale and the ELPAC rating criteria (pronunciation, structure, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, interaction). Personal impressions of a test taker's personality, operational competence, accent familiarity or professional background must never influence a rating.
2. Rate the performance as delivered on the day. Do not adjust scores based on what you believe a test taker is capable of, or on what their employer expects.
3. Where ELPAC procedures require dual or independent rating, raters must rate independently before any discussion takes place. Adjudication of divergent ratings must be evidence-based, citing observable language behaviour, never a compromise average without justification.

3.2 Conflicts of interest

1. Do not rate, examine or act as interlocutor for your own current or recent students, trainees or close colleagues wherever this can be avoided. Where it cannot be avoided, declare the relationship before the test and follow the test centre's mitigation procedure, for example a second independent rater.
2. Declare any personal, financial or organisational interest that could reasonably be perceived to influence a rating.
3. Never accept gifts, favours or preferential treatment connected to an assessment outcome.

3.3 Conduct during the test

1. Conduct Paper 2 (oral interaction) in a way that gives every test taker an equal opportunity to demonstrate their best proficiency: standardised prompts, no leading, no coaching and no signals of approval or disapproval.
2. Do not extend, shorten, simplify or complicate the test for individual test takers outside approved accommodations.
3. Treat test takers with courtesy and respect, including those who perform poorly or become nervous.

3.4 Confidentiality and professional development

1. Never discuss identifiable test taker performances or results outside authorised rating and quality-assurance contexts.
2. Never reproduce, memorise for re-use or disclose live test content, including to students or in training material.
3. Participate in required standardisation, calibration and refresher activities. A rater who cannot maintain rating consistency must accept temporary or permanent withdrawal of rater privileges.
4. Language teachers who are also raters must keep a strict separation between teaching and testing roles: never teach from live ELPAC content, and never rate to reward or punish a learner.

Rating scale reference: ICAO, Annex 1 — Personnel Licensing, Appendix 1, ICAO Language Proficiency Rating Scale (Levels 1 to 6). See also examiner training.

4.1 Test security and administration

1. Store and transmit all test materials, audio files and results securely, with access limited to authorised personnel.
2. Administer every test under standardised conditions as defined in the ELPAC administration guidelines: room, equipment, timing, identification checks and invigilation.
3. Verify the identity of every test taker before the test begins.
4. Maintain accurate, complete and tamper-proof records of test sessions, ratings and results.

4.2 Fairness and transparency

1. Ensure that test dates, fees, procedures and preparation information are communicated to test takers openly and accurately.
2. Provide reasonable accommodations for test takers with documented special needs, within the limits of what the test construct permits.
3. Operate a transparent complaints and appeals procedure, communicated to test takers in advance, with independent review of contested results.

4.3 Integrity of operations

1. Do not offer, promote or tolerate teaching to the test using live or reconstructed test content. Preparation courses must build general aeronautical communicative competence.
2. Prevent any financial or organisational pressure on raters to pass or fail particular candidates, for example to meet licence-renewal quotas or commercial targets.
3. Protect personal data in line with the GDPR and applicable national law; retain data only as long as legitimately required.
4. Report security breaches, administrative irregularities or suspected malpractice promptly to the competent authority, and cooperate fully with investigations.

1. Represent yourself honestly. Take the test yourself; never use impersonation, unauthorised assistance, or prohibited devices or materials.
2. Protect the test for others. Do not record, copy, share or discuss live test content, including on social media or in online forums. Disclosure compromises the test for the entire aviation community and may invalidate your result.
3. Communicate authentically. ELPAC assesses your ability to communicate in real operational contexts. Memorised model answers and scripted monologues distort the measurement and are contrary to the purpose of the test.
4. Conduct yourself respectfully towards examiners, raters, interlocutors and administrative staff.
5. Use your rights. You are entitled to clear information about the test, to fair and standardised conditions, to confidentiality of your results, and to a transparent feedback and appeals process. See results, re-sits and appeals.

1. Anchor items in authentic operational contexts. Test tasks must reflect real pilot–controller and controller–controller radiotelephony communication, including non-routine and unexpected situations, consistent with the ELPAC design principles.
2. Avoid bias. Items must not advantage or disadvantage any group on the basis of culture, nationality, gender, age or operational background, beyond the language proficiency being measured. Subject items to bias review before use.
3. Respect intellectual property. Use only properly sourced or licensed source material; do not plagiarise recordings, scripts or prompts.
4. Protect items rigorously. Draft and pre-test materials under confidentiality; never reuse live content in training materials, and never share items with anyone outside the authorised development team.
5. Trial ethically. When piloting or trialling items, inform participants of the purpose, use the data only for test development, and never let trial performances affect any licence-relevant decision.
6. Maintain quality. Participate in item review, accept editorial and statistical feedback, and withdraw or revise items shown to be flawed.

1. Reporting. Anyone who observes a suspected breach of this Code should report it to the responsible test centre management or the competent authority. Reports made in good faith must not result in retaliation.
2. Investigation. Alleged breaches must be investigated promptly, impartially and with respect for the confidentiality of all involved.
3. Consequences. Depending on severity, breaches may result in:
   • annulment of a test result;
   • suspension or permanent withdrawal of rater or examiner privileges;
   • suspension or revocation of test centre accreditation;
   • reporting to the relevant licensing authority or employer.
4. Proportionality. Sanctions must be proportionate, documented and subject to appeal.

• ICAO, Doc 9835 — Manual on the Implementation of ICAO Language Proficiency Requirements
• ICAO, Annex 1 — Personnel Licensing, language proficiency requirements and rating scale
• ILTA (International Language Testing Association), Code of Ethics
• EAQUALS, principles of fair and quality assessment
• EUROCONTROL, ELPAC documentation and administration guidelines, see documents

This Code is a living document. It is reviewed periodically and updated to reflect developments in ELPAC test practice, ICAO provisions and the language assessment profession.