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.
Continue reading Aviation Explained: How a Twin-Engine Jet Crosses an Ocean
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.
Continue reading Structure: ‘Although and despite’
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
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.
Continue reading Listening: Takeoff Miscalculation at Amsterdam
Pre-brief
Before you listen, predict what the controller will give you and the order you’ll read it back.
Continue reading Phraseology: Airways Clearance at DublinListen to the short incident narration below. Before you press play, read the six sentences in Your dictation task — they tell the story out of order. Then listen once for the whole picture, listen again to confirm the sequence, and write the correct order. Replay as many times as you need, then check your answer against the key.
Continue reading Listening: Compressor Surge on Go-Around at Dubrovnik