7600 – (MIS) communication: ameaça à segurança de voo sob o olhar da linguística aplicada

Abstract

This study, conducted in Applied Linguistics and theoretically based in English for Specific Purposes learning and teaching aims to survey the problems related to aeronautical radiotelephony communication, concerning English Language proficiency (LI) and its implications for the development of a course aimed at flight safety. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which will be mentioned in this research as ICAO - International Civil Aviation Organization - has developed a document on the Implementation of Language Proficiency, known as DOC 9835. From 2008, it is required that pilots and ATCOs submit to a language proficiency test. To achieve the objectives I present a context of LI as the language used in aviation and the familiarization with the skills required in proficiency exam applied in Brazil. The theoretical framework to support research is English for Specific Purposes - ESP English for Specific Purposes, (HUTCHINSON; WATERS, 1987), known in Brasil as Instrumental English (CELANI; FREIRE; RAMOS, 2009; RAMOS, 2005). The research has a qualitative basis (BOGDAN; BIKLEN, 1994; BORTONI-RICARDO, 2008; MINAYO, 1983) and the data were collected from two instruments: official aviation documents and questionnaires with ATCOs. Thus, Therefore, I approach documentary research and field research. This research is part of the methodological framework of a case study (YIN, 2005), and specifically, the resulting protocol will include the English language needs for the functions as well as the main problems of linguistic proficiency In the LI that could potentially constitute threats to flight safety, such as pronunciation, intonation, accent, and vocabulary, and the use of LI that is not contemplated in the standard phraseology. The results point out that the ATCOs participating in this research highlighted that some language aspects (pronunciation, comprehension, intonation, accent, and English is not part of phraseology) are problems related to oral communication, concerning proficiency in LI. According to the participants reports, these problems and their implications for operational safety point to the design of a course aimed at the appropriate language development for ATCOs and pilots, aiming at flight safety.