ICAO English Language Proficiency Test (LPT)

Minimum for international operations: ICAO Level 4 (Operational). Your overall grade equals your lowest score in any of the six criteria — one weak area fails the profile.

Test structure

Six assessment criteria

Level summary

Preparation drills

Part 1 — Personal interview

Prepare 60-second answers for:

• Why do you want to be a pilot?
• Why Cathay Pacific / why Hong Kong?
• Describe your education and work history.

Drill: Record yourself; remove filler words; answer in complete sentences.

Part 2 — Audio comprehension

After each clip, answer: What was the aircraft’s problem? What did ATC instruct? What would you say in response?

Part 3 — Visual description

Use a structured scan (works for photos of aircraft, incidents, or airports):

1. Setting — airport, weather, time of day if visible
2. Main subject — aircraft type, position, configuration
3. Hazards / abnormal — smoke, damage, personnel, equipment
4. Hypothesis — what might have happened (qualify: “It appears…”)
5. Closing — what you would report or do next

Drill: Describe three random aviation images per week (Airbus safety photos, news images, your own ramp photos).

Sample scripts (practice — adapt in your own words)

Do not memorise word-for-word in the test; examiners detect recitation. Use these as structure templates.

Part 1 — Sample personal introduction (~45 seconds)

Good morning. My name is [name]. I am applying to the Cathay Pacific Cadet Pilot Programme.
I became interested in aviation when [specific event — e.g. first flight, air show, engineering project].
Since then I have [education / work — one sentence], and I have prepared by [ground school, reading PHAK,
ICAO practice, aptitude preparation].
I am committed to training in Hong Kong and to developing the discipline and English standard required
of a professional airline pilot.

Follow-up drills: “Why Cathay?” · “Why not train privately?” · “What do you know about the Second Officer role?”

Part 2 — Sample audio comprehension drill

Scenario (read aloud with a partner, or record yourself):

ATC: Cathay one two three, Hong Kong Tower, wind three five zero at one eight gusting two five,
runway zero seven left, line up and wait.
Pilot: Line up and wait zero seven left, Cathay one two three.
ATC: Cathay one two three, wind shear alert, runway zero seven left, cleared for takeoff.
Pilot: Cleared for takeoff zero seven left, Cathay one two three.

Examiner-style questions — practise answering aloud:

Second drill — emergency tone (partner reads):

Pilot: Mayday Mayday Mayday, Cathay four five six, engine failure after takeoff, passing one thousand feet,
maintaining runway heading, intending to return for runway zero seven left.

Daily habit: One LiveATC VHHH clip → write 3 bullet summary → speak summary in 30 seconds.

Part 3 — Sample visual description (~90 seconds)

Prompt: Photo of a narrow-body aircraft on final approach, gear down, rain visible, another aircraft holding short of the runway.

This photograph shows an airfield approach environment in wet conditions.
In the foreground I can see [aircraft type if known — e.g. Airbus A321] on short final to the runway,
landing gear extended and flaps in a landing configuration.
The runway surface appears wet, which suggests reduced braking and possible aquaplaning risk.
To the side, another aircraft is holding short of the active runway — I would ensure separation
is maintained and that there is no runway incursion risk.
The visibility looks reduced, so I would expect the crew to be using instrument references
and stabilised approach criteria, with a go-around mindset if the approach is unstable.
If I were reporting this scene, I would describe aircraft positions, weather, and any operational
risk such as wake turbulence or runway occupancy.

Follow-up questions to practise:

Third drill: Describe VHHH METAR weather from the text as if it were a photo of the airport environment.

Part 3 — Abbreviated structure card (exam day)

Criterion-specific practice

Hong Kong centres and training

• HKYAA — TEA / diagnostic
• HKU SPACE — ICAO aviation English
• Flight Level Aviation

Related site resources

• Useful resources — PeakTalk, Live ATC
• HR interview — overlapping “why pilot” themes
• Numeracy worksheet — if aptitude includes applied maths

IMPORTANT: Always verify with current official publications.