Today Marks the International Day of Air Traffic Controller


Maldives
PUBLISHED October 20, 2018

The International Day of the Air Traffic Controller, celebrated on 20 October each year, not only marks the anniversary of the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers' Associations (IFATCA), but also reminds the vision of the founding members and celebrates the men and women who 24/7 help make air travel the safest possible mode of transport.

Each day, thousands of flights are guided safely through the skies. Whether they are carrying passengers or cargo, flight crews are responsible for their load, and when they fly they rely entirely on the professionalism of air traffic controllers, the systems they use and all the people behind the scenes.



The air traffic control profession is one that requires highly specialised knowledge, skills and abilities. Air traffic controllers must work rapidly and efficiently to coordinate the succinct movement of air traffic while ensuring its safe separation and maintaining total concentration. They must understand complex situations and make quick decisions while managing multiple flights at a time.
Air traffic controllers have an incredible amount of responsibility and the profession is subject to some of the strictest physical and mental medical requirements, making it one that is consistently regarded around the world as one of the most challenging.

The International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers' Associations (IFATCA) is the worldwide organisation representing, in 2011, more than fifty-thousand air traffic controllers in 137 countries.



The goals of the Federation are: to promote safety, efficiency, and regularity in international air navigation; to assist and advise in the development of safe and orderly systems of air traffic control and new procedures and facilities; to promote and uphold a high standard of knowledge and professional efficiency among air traffic controllers. To achieve this, IFATCA closely cooperates with national and international aviation authorities, and institutions concerned with air navigation; it sponsors and supports the passage of legislation and regulations which will increase and protect the safety of air navigation

 The Federation is still registered in Switzerland (its historic base) but has its headquarters situated in Montréal, Canada, close to ICAOs headquarters. IFATCA enjoys a worldwide reputation amongst all partners in air traffic management, with representation in many areas including ICAO and EUROCONTROL working-groups.



Air traffic control has developed from the humblest beginnings into a highly sophisticated and technology-dependent occupation. First proposed in 1956 by Mr. Jacob Wachtel, founder and first chairman of the Israel Air Traffic Controllers Association, the idea of a world federation of air traffic controllers associations become visible in 1961, when a working group was formed and met in Amsterdam, the Netherlands from 19 to 20 October 1961 to prepare the foundation of the European Federation of Air Traffic Controllers Associations (EFATCA). 

Quickly, many other national organisations expressed an interest in joining such a federation. So the representative body founded by 12 European countries has grown to the worldwide federation. The Federation has been structured around four areas: Europe, Americas, Asia and Africa-Middle East; each zone can focus on local issues. At the same time, there is also a structure with fields through three committees: the technical committee, the professional committee, and finally the finance committee. Members meet in their region at annual regional meetings and globally at annual conferences.
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