Checklist and Alert Language: Impact on ESL Pilot Performance in Airline Operations

Abstract

Flight crewmembers utilize checklists during typical phases of flight, which may also encompass non-normal conditions. Written English language on checklists combined with crew alerting can be used by flight crewmembers to read and comprehend system related issues, and respond to system conditions on the flight deck. Design and integration of English language on checklists and alerting systems should provide information that can be utilized for flight decision-making purposes. English language can be challenging for English as-a-second language flight crewmembers. Review of literature suggests that ESL adults experience fundamental challenges with reading and interpreting written English language text corpora based on their background knowledge, English language proficiency, and contextual use of written English language in airline operations. This paper provides a survey of ESL flight crew performance issues when they use checklists and alerting systems during non-normal conditions. Survey results indicated that flight crewmember use of written English language checklists has an impact on their performance in airline operations. Design and integration of written English language on checklists and alerting systems were factors leading to ESL flight crewmember procedural divergence and misunderstandings. Flight crewmembers’ metacognitive strategy use, background knowledge, and their English language proficiency (reading comprehension level), were factors that impacted their performance and flight safety. Future studies should focus on ESL flight crewmember use of written English language on checklists and alerting systems and impact on flight crewmember performance in airline operations.