IFATCA, the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations, announced Global Airspace Radar as its first media partner. Working with an established media outlet present across multiple channels will allow IFATCA to expand its reach beyond its members and share messages globally. Global Airspace Radar will gain better insights on the work done by IFATCA and get direct access to the federation’s executives.
Global Airspace Radar will report on the open parts of IFATCA events and will maintain its editorial independence. This direct access will give Global Airspace Radar the opportunity to report based on interviews rather than relying on statements.
Both partners recognise that Air traffic control (ATC) is a critical infrastructure but it remains mostly invisible when everything goes well. Public attention often arrives only in case of negative events: delays, disruption, incidents, staffing shortages. This can lead to a distorted view and better communication helps explain both the profession and the challenges it faces. ATC is good at communicating with aircraft but perhaps not so good at communicating about itself.
This lack of awareness can contribute to the recruitment crisis that many ANSPs face and communicating in a broader way will bring more visibility to a usually invisible profession. Pilots and cabin crew are in view of the public, while air traffic controllers work away from public view. Showing what controllers actually do, the technology they work with and the responsibilities they carry can help make ATC a more visible career choice for the next generation.
ATC is also going through a period of significant change. New technologies, increasing automation, the integration of drones and new airspace users, capacity constraints and environmental considerations are changing both the systems and the role of the people operating them. These developments are often discussed from a technological or institutional perspective, while the operational perspective of air traffic controllers can receive less attention.
This wider audience includes not only the ATM industry itself, but also the broader aviation community and people who may have little direct exposure to air traffic control. Bringing the controller perspective into discussions about the future of aviation is therefore an important part of the partnership. Readers can also expect more expertise from IFATCA experts and more controller voices in Global Airspace Radar, bringing an additional perspective to the publication.
