Fly High English

Roleplay: Windshear Go-Around at Geneva

Pre-brief

Aircraft: Airbus A320
Callsign: Swiss 621
Route: London Heathrow (EGLL) to Geneva (LSGG)
Current state: On final approach to runway 22 at Geneva, descending through 1,500 feet in gusty conditions. The Captain is the Pilot Flying; you are working the radio. Just as you continue the approach, the tower passes a windshear warning.
Souls on board: 150
Your role: First Officer, working the radio (Pilot Monitoring)

Before you listen, predict the first call you will need to make when the tower reports windshear, and what the controller will need from you afterwards; then listen to check.

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Aviation Explained: How a Twin-Engine Jet Crosses an Ocean

Aviation Explained banner: an open book, a lightbulb, gears and a passenger jet in a blue-bordered frame

When the first of Qantas’s ultra-long-range A350s lifted off from Toulouse this month, it revived a question the industry settled long ago but rarely explains: how is an aircraft with only two engines permitted to fly for hours over open ocean, hundreds of miles from the nearest runway? Aviation Explained looks at the rule that made it possible — and at why almost every new airliner now has just two engines.

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Structure: ‘Although and despite’

What’s the difference between ‘although’ and ‘despite’?

Both although and despite introduce a concession — a surprising contrast between two facts. They carry the same meaning, but they use different grammar structures. Knowing which to use — and what comes after each one — is a key skill at Upper-intermediate level.

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Wing Cracks Force Emergency Checks on 16 Airbus A380 Jets

Emirates Airbus A380 parked at Dubai International Airport with Dubai skyline in background

European aviation regulators have ordered the urgent inspection of 16 Airbus A380 aircraft after cracks were discovered in a critical structural part of their wings. The emergency directive, issued on 22 June 2026, requires five of those aircraft to be grounded and inspected before their next flight.

Why are these inspections so urgent, and what does the directive tell us about how aviation safety regulators respond to emerging risks?

Continue reading Wing Cracks Force Emergency Checks on 16 Airbus A380 Jets

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Listening: Takeoff Miscalculation at Amsterdam

How to do this dictation

Listen to the recording and fill in the missing words as you go. Replay as many times as you need. When you’re ready, type each answer into the boxes and click Check for instant feedback, then read the full transcript to see the complete text.

Posted on Jun 30, 2026 by Gareth — Leave a comment

Phraseology: Airways Clearance at Dublin

Airliner cockpit radio panel with a pilot headset and boom microphone

Pre-brief

Aircraft: Airbus A320
Callsign: Shamrock 164 (Aer Lingus)
Route: Dublin (EIDW) to London Heathrow (EGLL)
Current state: On stand, before pushback, ready to copy your IFR clearance. The Captain is the Pilot Flying; you are working the radio.
Your role: First Officer, working the radio (Pilot Monitoring)

Before you listen, predict what the controller will give you and the order you’ll read it back.

Roleplay: Windshear Go-Around at Geneva

Pre-brief

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Aviation Explained: How a Twin-Engine Jet Crosses an Ocean

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Structure: ‘Although and despite’

What’s the difference between ‘although’ and ‘despite’?

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Wing Cracks Force Emergency Checks on 16 Airbus A380 Jets

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Listening: Takeoff Miscalculation at Amsterdam

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Phraseology: Airways Clearance at Dublin

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Pre-brief

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