New EASA Requirements for Airside Drivers
As of 7 January 2026, EASA’s language proficiency requirements for airside drivers are officially in force. Anyone driving on the manoeuvring area must now demonstrate sufficient operational English skills. Clear communication is no longer just good practice. It is a regulatory requirement under ADR.OPS.B.029 and closely aligned with ICAO standards.
Operational English Instead of Classroom English
From a training perspective, this development is both logical and overdue. Runway incursions remain one of the most significant safety risks in aviation, and incident analyses repeatedly show that misunderstandings in radio communication play a major role. When vehicles, aircraft and ATC operate in close proximity and under time pressure, language can either act as a safety barrier or become a safety risk.
That is exactly why we developed the Operational English for Airside Drivers training together with our partner Airsight. The focus is not on classroom style English, but on the real communication situations airside drivers face every day in operations.
Alignment with ICAO, EASA and Evidence Based Training
The course is designed to integrate seamlessly into existing training programs and can be delivered in house as both an initial and a recurrent course. This allows operators to address initial qualification requirements as well as ongoing language proficiency in a structured and practical way.
The training framework is fully aligned with ICAO Language Proficiency requirements and EASA ADR.OPS.B.029, including the applicable AMC and GM. Elements of Evidence Based Training are deliberately integrated to ensure strong operational relevance. Participants work with real incident examples, typical communication errors and realistic operational scenarios rather than abstract language exercises.
Core training elements include standard phraseology, apron, taxiway and runway vocabulary, correct radio procedures in normal operations, and effective communication in non standard or stressful situations. The methodology is interactive and practice oriented, using group work, realistic audio examples and scenario based exercises that closely reflect real airside operations.
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