During SEP-tember, IFATCA (International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations) highlighted the success of its Speak English Program (SEP), showcasing videos featuring 30 of its participants.
Why English Matters
Language and strong communication skills are crucial for an Air Traffic Controller to perform their duties successfully. Since English is the international standard language for aviation professionals, strengthening general communication and English proficiency among all controllers directly supports safety which is IFATCA’s top priority.
From Regional Success to Global Reach
Established four years ago, the SEP has steadily earned the trust of ATCOs worldwide. Initially developed by the IFATCA Asia Pacific Region to boost the English-speaking skills of their regional ATCOs, its early success and interest from other regions led IFATCA to open the program to colleagues globally. Executive Vice President Trish Gilbert oversees the program.
A Safe Space for Practice
The primary goal of SEP is to create a welcoming, friendly, and non-judgmental English-speaking environment. It’s designed to do more than just help participants speak better; it aims to help them think in English, thus improving their overall language abilities.
SEP offers ATCOs and other aviation professionals a space to practice plain English and build self-confidence, especially in unusual situations that require them to depart from standard radio-telephony (R/T) phraseology.
How the Program Works
The SEP structure relies on Facilitators and Participants. The program is available to any ATCO from any IFATCA Member Association (MA) around the globe.
A key feature of SEP is that it is not an assessment. Since testing English proficiency for technical expertise presents unique challenges, SEP sessions are led by a Facilitator to help participants practice before they face any formal assessments. The program identifies and recruits individuals with strong, diversified skill sets to serve as these Facilitators.
Joining a Session
- Interested candidate fills out a Participation Booking Form (available at
https://ifatca.org/wp-content/uploads/ifatca-sep-booking-form.pdf). - The candidate submits the form to their MA Director or the MA’s SEP Point of Contact.
- The MA forwards the form to the SEP Secretariat.
- The ATCOs running the Secretariat match the booking requests with the available Facilitator slots, typically between the 1st and the 9th of the month.
- All sessions run from the 10th until the end of each month, with each online teleconference session lasting a minimum of 60 minutes.
- The Secretariat manages the guidance and matching process, and the entire program adheres to the IFATCA Code of Conduct.
SEP Secretariat consists of: Cheryl Chen, Nainaa Dash, David Johnson, Imen Ayedi, Aaron Mills, Mehdi Roohi, John Harrington and Trish Gilbert.
A Pillar of Collaboration
What began as a regional initiative from the Asia Pacific region has evolved into a powerful global platform for support, empathy, and collaboration among ATCOs. The IFATCA Speak English Program has become a true affirmation that the principles of IFATCA are put into practice.
The program relies heavily on the dedication of its volunteers. In the first half of 2025 alone, IFATCA SEP Facilitators volunteered a total of 444 hours of their free time, facilitating sessions with an average of two participants per each session.
Get Involved!
Is your Member Association included in this program? Do you wish to learn more about becoming a Participant or a Facilitator? Do you see the benefit of this Program for your MA? Find out more by checking out the main SEP page at https://ifatca.org/sep/ or by writing us directly to sep@ifatca.org.
