The NPA primarily affects the EASA Part-147 but will also have an impact on EASA Part-145 organisations. We therefore recommend that all members study this NPA carefully and consider and make appropriate entries.

The deadline to enter any comment is on 4 March 2024.

The NPA proposes that in future all candidates for a license must have a CEFR level B2 in the language of instruction, e.g. the language in which the documents are written. Therefore, the following regulation is intended:

AMC1 147 A.132(c)(3):

The organization should ensure that the students undergoing training activities possess a minimum level of language competence of CEFR Level B2 (or equivalent) in the language of the training activity and documentation.

CEFR level B2 requirements are defined as follows and assumes around 600 hours of language lessons to achieve:
- Participate in meetings in your area of expertise, if you have help understanding some points.
- Discuss gender issues as they relate to perceptions of rudeness and cultural norms.
- Talk about your personal finances and give advice to friends and colleagues about their finances.
- Talk about your personal and professional lifestyle, including a description of your life at work.
- Explain your education, experience, strengths and weaknesses, and discuss your career path.
- Talk about mental processes and how you can use them to improve your effectiveness on the job.
- Talk about what you like to read and make recommendations about good things to read.
- Use appropriate language in social situations, including praising and expressing sympathy.
- Discuss leadership qualities and talk about leaders whom you admire.
- Deal with relatively complex awkward situations that arise in social and business contexts.
- Discuss common political situations and the behavior of politicians.

Safe work on aircraft requires a good knowledge of English...
...however, SAMA is of the opinion that a CEFR level B2 is too high, as all maintenance regulations are written in "simplified English".

An implementation proposed in accordance with the NPA would mean that all candidates for trainings as aircraft mechanics must take several weeks of language lessons first to achieve a CEFR level B2.

In addition to the high additional costs, we are worried that potential candidates will be deterred and not even start the training program.

SAMA has therefore commented the NPA accordingly and proposed a minimum level of language competence of CEFR level A2.