Reviewed by Tim Hittinger, ICAO examiner (A-126-LPE)Before the test: booking and three emails
Pick a free slot in the online calendar. There are dates seven days a week and you don’t need to create an account. You can pay by PayPal, credit card or bank transfer.
The Levels 4–6 test costs €229 and the Level 4 only test €159, VAT included. These are base prices for weekday daytime slots. A surcharge applies from 8 pm (7 pm in the Canary Islands), at weekends and on public holidays – the calendar shows the amount and the total price before you book.
The calendar uses your device’s time zone – in the Canary Islands you see Canary Islands time.
Once you have booked, three emails arrive:
- Confirmation with your Zoom link. This is how you join the test. You don’t need a Zoom account.
- Your documents. You send us a copy of your ID card or passport and the privacy form.
- Exam system. A link to enter your details, such as your address, so everything is ready on the day.
Free rescheduling up to 24 hours before. After that, the full fee is charged. If you haven’t joined within 15 minutes of the start time, the slot is forfeited.
Questions before the test? Email or WhatsApp us in English or Spanish.
On test day: joining, ID check and briefing
Join via your Zoom link at least 5 minutes early. Check your camera, microphone and sound beforehand – our one-minute camera and microphone check is the easiest way.
You are welcomed by an examiner registered with Austro Control up to Level 6, who is also a pilot. They start by checking your identity, so have your ID card or passport ready, plus your licence if you have one. Then they briefly explain how the test runs. Meet the examiners
You may not record the test yourself – no video, no audio and no AI transcripts.
If your connection drops, rejoin with the same link and your examiner will tell you how to continue. If you can’t get into the meeting at all, contact us straight away on WhatsApp or call +49 7072 1352530 (phone support in English and German).
Part I: listening and speaking
The first part is set in aviation, but it doesn’t test technical knowledge. There are no right or wrong answers to the questions: what counts is how you express yourself and how well you understand. Cameras stay on throughout Part I.
At its core are 14 tasks – two picture tasks and twelve further questions – each answered in about four or five sentences. Listening tasks with radio messages come at the end.
1. Describe a picture
You see a photo from an aviation setting and describe what is going on: people, activities, weather, possible causes and consequences.
2. Compare two pictures
You explain what two pictures have in common and how they differ. The Level 4 only test has no comparison – you just describe.
3. Twelve aviation-related questions
For example about your own flying, the weather, safety or communication on the flight deck. In the Level 4 only test the questions are a little easier.
4. Read back two ATC instructions
You hear a radio instruction – a heading, an altitude and a squawk code, for instance – and read it back, just as you would in real operations.
5. Two ATIS messages or a short story
Licence holders taking the Levels 4–6 test listen to two ATIS recordings and pick out details such as runway, wind or QNH. Student pilots instead get two questions first, then hear a short aviation story and answer them. The Level 4 only test has no ATIS tasks.
Part II: the interview, with a voice-only phase
The second part is about you: travel, work, hobbies. It is a genuine 10–15 minute conversation, much like one you might have on a long flight. Talk about whatever you like – topics are adapted to your background, whether airline, general aviation, helicopters or flight school.
For part of the interview, the examiner turns their camera off. This assesses communication without visual contact, just like on the radio. AMC1 FCL.055 requires the assessment to include both face-to-face and voice-only situations.
How the test covers the Spanish requirements
Spain’s Orden FOM/1146/2019 (Article 9.1) lists four components of a language proficiency assessment. This is where each one sits in the test:
| Component (Art. 9.1) | Where it is in the test |
|---|---|
| Listening comprehension (comprensión auditiva) | Part I: ATC read-backs, ATIS or short story, and the examiner’s questions |
| Speaking or conversation (expresión oral o conversación) | Part I: describing and comparing pictures, answers of four or five sentences |
| Interview on common, concrete and work-related topics | Part II: a 10–15 minute conversation adapted to your background |
| Verbal interaction without visual contact | Part II: the phase with the examiner’s camera switched off |
The online format meets the requirements of AMC1 FCL.055: face-to-face situations (camera on) and voice-only situations (camera off). The Order also requires two assessors before Level 6 can be awarded (Article 9.3). At GAT, two raters assess every test, whatever the level.
Rating: six criteria, two raters
You are rated on the ICAO language proficiency rating scale (Appendix 2 to Part-FCL, ICAO Doc 9835). Each of the six criteria gets its own level. Your overall level is the lowest of the six – not the average.
The two raters are your examiner and, as second rater, the LTB 112 assessment centre. If needed, Austro Control carries out a third assessment.
| Criterion | Level 4 · Operational | Level 5 · Extended | Level 6 · Expert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | Shaped by the first language; only sometimes gets in the way of understanding. | Influence audible, but rarely gets in the way. | Almost never gets in the way – an accent is fine. |
| Structure | Basic grammar usually correct; errors rarely change the meaning. | Basic structures consistently controlled; complex ones with minor errors. | Basic and complex structures consistently controlled. |
| Vocabulary | Enough for common and work topics; paraphrasing often works. | Enough for unfamiliar topics too; paraphrasing works consistently. | Wide, precise and idiomatic, with a feel for nuance. |
| Fluency | Appropriate pace; spontaneous speech sometimes falters. | Longer stretches with relative ease, good linking words. | Natural and effortless, pace varied deliberately. |
| Comprehension | Mostly accurate; with complications, asking back helps. | Accurate, even with complications and unexpected turns. | Accurate in almost all situations, subtleties included. |
| Interactions | Responses usually immediate and appropriate; clears up misunderstandings by checking. | Quick, informative responses; manages the conversation. | Effortless in almost all situations; picks up subtle cues. |
Simplified summary. The rating scale in Appendix 2 to Part-FCL and ICAO Doc 9835 is authoritative. FCL.055 explained
After the test: certificate and AESA endorsement
Your result and certificate arrive by email within 24 hours, usually on the same day.
If your licence is issued by AESA, you apply for the endorsement yourself. This is what you need:
- Assessment certificateIssued by the LTB 112 assessment centre and emailed to you.Included
- Copy of the assessment centre’s approvalAustro Control’s Approval Certificate No. LTB-112, sent together with your certificate.Included
- Proof of payment of the AESA feeFee 312, rate 24 (tasa 312, tarifa 24.ª): €23.34 in 2026. You pay it directly to AESA.
English RT privileges: check first. According to AESA, an English language endorsement also requires radiotelephony (RT) privileges in English, shown in section XII of your licence. Our test does not grant them. Most pilots trained in English already have them.
Read the step-by-step AESA guide
And if you don’t reach Level 4? We don’t report anything to AESA or your flight school. You can rebook whenever you like – a practice session with feedback is often worth it first.
Stay calm: tips for test day
The test is a conversation, not an interrogation. The examiner explains how it works first, and in the interview you talk about things you know well. In our experience, nerves usually settle within the first few minutes.
- Give full answers. Four or five sentences per question – one sentence shows little of your vocabulary and structure.
- Ask for a repeat. “Could you say that again, please?” costs you nothing – it is good interaction.
- Paraphrase when a word is missing. Keep talking rather than searching for the perfect term.
- Your accent is not a problem. What matters is that you are easy to understand.
- Take your time. A short “Let me think…” is perfectly normal. Rushing does more harm.
- Read-backs: numbers and order. Heading, altitude, frequency or squawk – and your call sign at the end.
Test day checklist
- ID card or passport, plus your licence if you have one
- A quiet room with no interruptions and good light on your face
- A stable connection and a charged or plugged-in device
- Camera, microphone and speakers tested – a headset is ideal
- A laptop or computer if possible; a phone or tablet also works
- Your Zoom link to hand – join 5 minutes early
All clear? Pick your date
Pick a free slot in the calendar and see the total price, VAT included, before you book. No account needed, and rescheduling is free up to 24 hours before.