How to do this dictation
Play the audio and write down everything you hear. You can listen as many times as you like. When you are done, check the answer key below to mark yourself line by line.
Before you listen — key vocabulary
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| satellite navigation (noun phrase) | Working out an aircraft’s exact position using signals from space. SAT-uh-lyte na-vi-GAY-shun. The aircraft lost satellite navigation over the ocean. |
| inertial system (noun phrase) | A backup navigation system that works out position using onboard sensors, not satellites. in-UR-shul SIS-tem. The crew switched to the inertial system. |
| radar check (noun phrase) | When a controller confirms an aircraft’s exact position using radar. RAY-dar check. The crew asked for a radar check. |
| receiver (noun) | The piece of equipment that picks up a signal. ri-SEE-ver. Engineers found a fault in the receiver. |
Listen and find: what problem does the crew have, and how do they solve it?
Before you listen, predict: if a flight crew’s normal navigation system suddenly stopped working over the ocean, how might they work out exactly where they are? Then listen to check.
First, listen once for the whole story: don’t write anything yet. Did the flight land safely, or was there a bigger problem? Once you have the overall picture, listen again and write down everything you hear.
Your dictation task
Listen to the audio and write down everything you hear.
Notice the connected speech: “as soon as” is said quickly as one unit, and “came within” links together with no gap between the words — but write the full words out.
Check your dictation line by line. Words to listen for carefully are marked with ★.
- Aurora two eighteen is an Airbus A330 flying from Toronto to Shannon.
- Three hours into the Atlantic crossing, its satellite navigation system suddenly lost signal.
- The flight computer could no longer confirm the aircraft’s exact position.
- The first officer switched to the backup ★ inertial system, which uses onboard sensors instead of satellites. (★ inertial)
- The captain radioed air traffic control and reported the fault.
- She asked for a radar check as soon as the aircraft came within range.
- Controllers confirmed the position by radar and gave a new route along ground-based radio ★ beacons. (★ beacons)
- Twenty minutes later, the satellite signal returned, and the computer ★ recalculated its position. (★ recalculated)
- The crew compared the two positions and confirmed they matched.
- Aurora two eighteen landed safely at Shannon.
- Engineers later found a fault in one of the satellite ★ receivers. (★ receivers)
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| flight management computer (noun phrase) | The aircraft’s main computer, which works out its route and position. FLIGHT MAN-age-ment com-PU-ter. The flight management computer lost track of the aircraft’s position. |
| beacon (noun) | A ground station that sends out a radio signal aircraft can navigate by. BEE-kun. The aircraft flew along a series of beacons. |
| recalculate (verb) | To work something out again after getting new information. ree-KAL-kyu-late. The computer recalculated its position. |
| cross-check (verb) | To compare two sources of information to make sure they agree. CROSS-check. The crew cross-checked the two positions. |
| crossing (noun) | A journey across an ocean. CROSS-ing. The fault happened during the Atlantic crossing. |
Speaking follow-up
You are the first officer. After landing, you call a colleague to explain what happened during the flight and how the crew solved the problem. Aim for 45 to 60 seconds.
If a word won’t come, describe around it or use a filler and keep talking, staying fluent matters more than the perfect word. Record yourself on a phone voice memo and play it back; there’s no single right answer, aim for a clear, structured response under time pressure. Then record it once more, keeping going for the full time with fewer long pauses, and compare the two takes.
- Pronunciation: Did you say satellite navigation, inertial system, and radar check clearly? Yes / Almost / Not yet
- Structure: Did you explain the problem (lost signal) → the response (backup system, radar check) → the outcome (signal returned, landed safely) in a clear order? Yes / Almost / Not yet
- Vocabulary: Did you use words like satellite navigation, inertial system, or recalculate, or describe them accurately? Yes / Almost / Not yet
- Fluency: Could you speak for 45–60 seconds without long pauses? Yes / Almost / Not yet
- Comprehension: Did your response show you understood the key events of the incident? Yes / Almost / Not yet
Re-record to lift your weakest area.
Level: CEFR B1 / ICAO Level 4
Curious about how twin-engine aircraft like this one are certified to fly for hours over open ocean? Read our Aviation Explained piece: How a Twin-Engine Jet Crosses an Ocean.
