Pilots preparing for an ICAO English test often ask the same question: TEA, ELPAC, or the national exam my authority runs — what’s the difference, and does it change how I prepare? Here is a clear comparison, and the reassuring news at the end.
You Usually Don’t Choose
First, an important point: in most cases your civil aviation authority decides which test you take. Some accept the TEA, some run the ELPAC, some administer their own national exam. Check with your authority before anything else. But once you know which one, the format differences are worth understanding — they change your preparation emphasis, though not the fundamentals.
The Comparison
- TEA (Test of English for Aviation): One examiner, 25-30 minutes, three parts (interview, listening, picture description + discussion). No separate listening paper. Developed by Mayflower College (UK); accepted by many authorities worldwide. Emphasis: interview fluency and picture description.
- ELPAC (English Language Proficiency for Aeronautical Communication): Two examiners, split into a 45-minute listening paper and a 20-minute speaking paper. Developed by EUROCONTROL; used mainly across Europe. Emphasis: listening stamina and switching between phraseology and plain English.
- National ICAO exams (e.g., Japan’s JCAB, India’s DGCA): Format varies by country, but all follow the ICAO framework — an interview, listening, and describing non-routine situations, often from pictures.
What Is Identical Across All of Them
Here is the reassuring part. Every ICAO-compliant test — whatever its format — scores the same six criteria: pronunciation, structure, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and interactions. And every one applies the lowest-score rule: your final level equals your weakest criterion. Five criteria at Level 5 and one at Level 4 means Level 4, on the TEA, the ELPAC, or any national exam.
This is why preparation transfers almost completely. Whether you drill picture description, non-routine narration, or clarification questions, you are building the exact skills every ICAO test measures. Only the packaging changes.
How to Prepare for Any of Them
- Target your weakest criterion — the lowest-score rule makes this the highest-return move regardless of test.
- Speak out loud and record yourself — the single most effective independent practice for every format.
- Train with international accents — every ICAO test samples them deliberately.
- Prepare irregular-operations stories — the “similar experience” question appears in virtually all of them.
Dive deeper with our format guides: the TEA, the ELPAC, and the ICAO level descriptors. Our practice materials work for all of them — and if you have taken any ICAO English exam, share your experience to help the next pilot.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the TEA and the ELPAC?
The TEA is a single 25-30 minute interview with one examiner, developed by Mayflower College and used worldwide. The ELPAC is a EUROCONTROL test with a separate 45-minute listening paper and a 20-minute speaking paper conducted by two examiners, used mainly in Europe. Both assess the same six ICAO criteria.
Which ICAO English test should I take?
You usually do not choose — your civil aviation authority specifies the accepted test. Check with your authority. Whichever it is, the underlying skills are the same, so preparation transfers almost completely; only the format changes.
Do all ICAO English tests use the same scoring?
Yes. Every ICAO-compliant test scores the same six criteria — pronunciation, structure, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, interactions — and your final level is the lowest of the six. This is true for the TEA, the ELPAC, and national exams alike.