Try every task type of the ICAO aviation English test: describe pictures, read back ATC instructions, listen to a practice ATIS and answer interview questions. Free, no account needed. Your answers and recordings stay on your device.
Technical review: Tim Hittinger, Language Proficiency Examiner (A-126-LPE)Updated: October 2026
How does this free sample test work?
The tasks follow the format of the real ICAO test: first Part I with pictures, aviation-related questions, read-backs and an ATIS, then Part II with the interview. So on test day you already know what to expect.
Start the timer and answer out loud, in English, as you would with the examiner.
Record your answer and listen to it: you will quickly notice pauses, repetitions and missing words.
Compare it with the sample answer. Read-backs and the ATIS are checked with one click.
You need speakers or headphones and, for recording, a microphone. It works on computers, tablets and smartphones.
Your recording stays on your device. Your browser asks for permission to use the microphone; the audio stays on this page only, we do not receive it, and it is deleted when you close the page. Your written answers are not sent either.
In the real test, by contrast, you may not make audio or video recordings: the rules of Austro Control, the Austrian aviation authority, do not allow it.
Are these the same tasks as in the test?
The task types are the same, the content is not. We created these exercises in the style of the test: they contain no original test items and do not give you a level. This is where you find each task in the actual FCL.055 assessment:
The tasks on this page and where they appear in the ICAO test
“Please describe the picture. What can you see, and what might be happening?”
Speak for about one minute: who you can see, what is happening, what the weather is like. Then say why it might be happening and what could happen next.
In this picture I can see …
In the foreground …
In the background …
It looks like …
I think they are …
Probably, …
1:00
The recording stays on your device.
Show sample answer
In this picture I can see a passenger aircraft on the apron of an airport in winter. It’s snowing and the ground is covered with snow. On the right, a de-icing truck with a raised basket is spraying orange fluid onto the wing. In the foreground, a member of the ground crew in a high-visibility vest is standing next to the aircraft, and on the left there is a baggage cart with several suitcases. In the background I can see the terminal and the control tower.
I think the aircraft is being prepared for departure. Before take-off, the crew has to make sure there is no ice or snow on the wings – otherwise the wings could lose lift.
2 · Compare two pictures
Part I · 4–6 test onlyapprox. 90 seconds
“Compare the two pictures. What are the similarities and what are the differences?”
Picture A
Picture B
Start with what the two pictures have in common, then move on to the differences: type of aircraft, airport, weather, people. At the end you can say which you prefer and why.
Both pictures show …
In the first picture …, whereas in the second …
The main difference is …
In contrast to …
Personally, I prefer …
1:30
The recording stays on your device.
Show sample answer
Both pictures show aircraft on the ground that are being prepared for a flight. However, the situations are quite different. The first picture shows a large airliner at a busy airport in winter – it’s snowing and a de-icing truck is working on the wing. The second picture shows a small single-engine aircraft on a grass airfield on a sunny summer day.
In the first picture a professional ground crew takes care of the aircraft, whereas in the second one the pilot is doing the walk-around on his own. The weather is another big difference: in winter, icing is one of the main risks, while in summer you might have to think about thunderstorms or high temperatures. Personally, I prefer flying in summer, but winter operations are very interesting.
3 · Aviation-related questions
Part I30–45 seconds each
In the test, the pictures are followed by twelve more questions. There are no right or wrong answers, and no technical knowledge is tested: answer in four to five sentences and, if you can, with a personal example.
What do you enjoy most about flying?
Describe a flight you remember well. What happened?
How can bad weather affect a flight? Give an example.
Why do misunderstandings happen on the radio, and how can pilots avoid them?
A passenger feels nervous before take-off. What would you tell them?
What would you do if you lost radio contact with air traffic control?
0:45
The recording stays on your device.
4 · Read back ATC instructions
Part I2 radio calls
Listen to the instruction once and read it back: first out loud, then in writing in the field below. Our check looks for the key elements of the instruction.
You can type numbers as digits (270) or as words (two seven zero).
Radio call 1Radar to D-EXAM · 10 seconds
Show solution and transcript
ATC: “Delta Echo X-ray Alpha Mike, turn left heading two seven zero, climb to altitude four thousand feet, squawk four seven two one.”
Read-back: “Left heading two seven zero, climb altitude four thousand feet, squawk four seven two one, Delta Echo X-ray Alpha Mike.”
Radio call 2Radar to OE-DKS · 12 seconds
Show solution and transcript
ATC: “Oscar Echo Delta Kilo Sierra, descend to flight level one two zero, reduce speed two two zero knots, contact Radar on one two seven decimal niner five zero.”
Read-back: “Descend flight level one two zero, reduce speed two two zero knots, one two seven decimal niner five zero, Oscar Echo Delta Kilo Sierra.”
5 · Understand an ATIS
Part I · 4–6 test with a licence50 seconds
Listen to the practice ATIS and fill in the fields. In the test you hear two ATIS messages and report the requested information orally, for example the QNH.
Tip: read the fields before you press play, so you know what to listen for.
Practice ATISFictitious example · 50 seconds
Show transcript
“Stuttgart Information Echo, time one four two zero. Expect ILS approach runway two five. Runway in use two five. Transition level seven zero. Wind two four zero degrees, one two knots, gusts two two knots. Visibility one zero kilometres. Light rain. Few clouds one thousand eight hundred feet, broken three thousand five hundred feet. Temperature one four, dew point one one. QNH one zero zero eight. Advise on initial contact you have information Echo.”
6 · Short story
Part I · for student pilotsinstead of the ATIS
In the test, student pilots first hear two questions and then a short aviation story. Read the questions, then the story – and answer out loud. To practise as in the test, ask someone to read the story to you.
Why did Lisa decide to turn back?
Who did she contact, and what did she find out?
It was Lisa’s first solo cross-country flight. The weather in the morning was perfect, so she took off from her home airfield at nine o’clock. After about forty minutes, she noticed that the clouds ahead were getting lower and darker. She called the flight information service and asked for the latest weather at her destination. The controller told her that there were showers in the area and that the visibility was dropping. Lisa remembered her instructor’s advice: “If in doubt, turn around.” She informed the controller, turned back and landed safely at her home airfield. Later, her instructor said it was the best decision of the day.
The recording stays on your device.
Show possible answers
1. Because the weather was getting worse: the clouds were lower and darker, there were showers, and the visibility was dropping.
2. She contacted the flight information service. They told her about showers in the area and the decreasing visibility at her destination.
7 · Interview
Part II10–15 minutes
The interview is about you: travel, work, hobbies. Answer in detail and give concrete examples. Also practise without visual contact, for example on the phone: during the test the examiner switches their camera off for a while (voice-only phase).
Tell me a little about yourself and your job.
Where did you go on your last holiday, and what did you like about it?
What do you like to do in your free time?
How did you become interested in flying?
If you could fly anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
What will aviation look like in twenty years, in your opinion?
The recording stays on your device.
How can I tell if my answer is good?
Listen to your recording the way an examiner would. The test assesses six criteria on the ICAO Rating Scale, and your overall level is the lowest of the six. These questions help you see what to work on:
Pronunciation: would someone who doesn’t speak your language understand you easily? An accent is not a problem.
Structure: are your basic sentences correct? Do your mistakes change the meaning?
Vocabulary: when you can’t find a word, can you say it in other words?
Fluency: did you speak for the whole time, without long pauses?
Comprehension: did you catch all the details in the read-backs and the ATIS?
Interactions: did you really answer the question? Could you ask for confirmation if you didn’t understand?
This sample test does not give you a level: only an examiner can assess it. If you want an estimate before the test, the PreCheck (20 min, €19) or the training (45 min, €69) gives you an honest assessment – from an examiner who will not test you later.
No. The automatic checks only cover the read-backs and the ATIS. Your ICAO level is assigned by the examiners, who rate all six criteria across the whole test. For an estimate before you book, try the PreCheck.
Are these the questions from the real test?
No. The format is the same, but we created these exercises ourselves and they contain no original test material. On test day you will see different pictures, questions and radio calls.
Where does my recording go?
Nowhere: it stays in your browser and is deleted when you leave the page. We do not receive it and do not store it on any server.
Does it work on a smartphone or tablet?
Yes, in current versions of the main browsers. To record, your browser needs access to the microphone: if recording does not start, check the permissions or try another browser. Before the test, also check your camera and audio with our tech check.
I chose the Level 4 only test: which tasks apply to me?
You describe one picture (no comparison), answer the aviation-related questions, which are slightly easier, and do the two read-backs; then comes the interview. There is no ATIS.
Then the next step is the real test. Pick an available slot and take your FCL.055 assessment online with a real examiner: about 30 minutes, certificate within 24 hours.
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Technical review: Tim Hittinger, Language Proficiency Examiner (A-126-LPE)
