At this year’s International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations (IFATCA) Meeting, there is a call for massive investments in training and retraining of technical personnel.
This is part of the take-away of the 34th Africa & Middle East Regional Meeting hosted by the Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers’ Association (NATCA).
The program had the theme: ‘Shaping the Future: Trends and Insights on ATC Training for Tomorrow’ marked 100 years of Air Traffic Control (ATC).
The forum which is also focused on technical personnel training to avert the impact of disruptive technologies in their companies.
Some of the disruptive technologies that would affect the future, speakers mentioned included Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), Advanced Air Mobility Systems (AAM), aerospace technologies, 5G Networks and Artificial Intelligence (AI), automations and robotic technologies, among others.
Mr. Tayib Odunowo, the Managing Director, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), said that the aviation industry was evolving regularly and transforming towards ensuring safety, efficiency and economy of air navigation.
Odunowo represented by Mr. Matthew Pwajok, the Director, Operations, NAMA, maintained that the industry would continue to be confronted with disruptive technologies aimed at enhancing cost effectiveness, safety, security, capacity and environment, but said players in the sector must be ready to accept and adopt technologies for the development of the sector.
Odunowo emphasised further that disruptive technologies had also been witnessed in aviation in the areas of automation of business processes, tasks, information display, billing systems, baggage handling and check-in systems.
He said: “We wish to recommend that air navigation service providers, regulatory authorities and approved aviation training organisations adopt and implement the Competency Based Training Framework for air traffic control as provided in the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) PANS Training Manual Doc 9868 as well as the ICAO Competency Based Training for ATC in Doc 10056 Volumes I and II.
“It is obvious that the future air traffic management system will be characterised by extensive application of automation, digitisation and artificial intelligence.â€
Also, in his speech, Ahmad Abba, Regional Vice President, IFATCA, said that the theme was timely as the industry is increasingly being influenced by digitalisation of technologies for accuracy of air traffic control to reduce delays, thereby reducing fuel consumptions and cutting down emissions.
Abba emphasised that the only way of shaping the future was being abreast with the emerging technologies and their training needs and keying into them appropriately.
He reiterated that training and retraining was very important for the sustenance of the industry.
Earlier, Mr. Abayomi Agoro, the President, NATCA, challenged the leadership of IFATCA to assist the Member Associations in their quest to surmount technical, operational and welfare challenges.
He insisted that these MAs are an integral part of the federation, stressing that not paying attention to their plights might hold the entire region down and prevent it from competing with other regions.
He added: “This observation does not in any way mean that those MAs are unable to resolve their challenges, but we are of the opinion that it will take them a longer tine and more resources to address some of their challenges.
“In line with the above, NATCA solicits that this meeting request for more inputs from MAs in order to review the current state of the whole region with a view to identifying areas of shortfalls and determining how to help.â€
