On October 20th, IFATCA invites everyone to join and celebrate the International Day of The Controller. The day coincides with the constitutional meeting of our Federation, held in Amsterdam in 1961. Member Associations around the world organise events for their members and/or a wider audience, though due to the global pandemic, this year it might be different. It is nevertheless an opportunity to put our profession, which is still relatively unknown to the general public, in the spotlight.

Unsurprisingly, this year, our focus is on air traffic controllers and other air traffic management staff that continued to perform their duties throughout a global health crisis. In doing so, they enabled people to return home to their loved ones and safely guided medical and cargo flights, thereby helping to save thousands of lives.

It also highlights that, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the aviation industry is at a crossroads. IFATCA stands with Air Traffic Controllers worldwide, who are ready to help reinvent our safety-critical profession, changing what is necessary to build an even safer and more resilient air traffic control system. As you may have seen in the most recent issue of The Controller, we have made a poster to reflect this.

Wishing everyone a healthy and safe International Day of The Controller,

All the best !!