34TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE, Jerusalem, Israel, 27-31 March 1995WP No. 126Use of Unqualified Personnel |
Introduction
At the ’93 Christchurch IFATCA Conference SC4 was required to review the need to develop policy on the use of unqualified personnel to provide Air Traffic Control (ATC) services. A definition of “qualification” is useful to better understand this paper.
Discussion
Existing IFATCA policy only deals with civil mobilisation or requisition and doesn’t express any concern about the employment of ATCOs not fully qualified. The IFATCA review of ILO Conclusion No 16 identified this concern. ILO conclusion: “In order to guarantee air safety, recourse should not be had to replacement ATC staff who do not have the required national or international qualifications. This ILO statement does address the issue of unqualified personnel providing ATC services by identifying the process of regulatory qualification as a guarantee of air safety. On the other hand the ILO conclusion No 16 does not consider the specific qualification appropriate to the duties ATCOs are required to undertake.
Definition of qualification: – Necessary condition (including license, rating, recency and competency) to exercise ATCOs privileges within a specified ATS unit.
Conclusion
There is a need to define IFATCA policy on unqualified personnel providing ATC services. SC4 considers that ILO conclusion No 16 doesn’t take into account the relationship between national or international qualification and ATCOs duties.
Recommendation
It is recommended that a new Paragraph 1.2.2. (existing renumbered 1.2.3) be inserted into Page 4111 of IFATCA Manual and also a new Paragraph 4.3. – Use of Unqualified Personnel – be inserted into Page 4342 (subsequent paragraphs renumbered).
Both paragraphs should state:
“For the purpose of guaranteeing safety, ATCOs shall not be replaced by personnel who do not hold ATC licences in accordance with ICAO Annex 1, with the ratings, recency and competency appropriate to the duties that they are expected to undertake.
The functions which are contained within ICAO Annex 1, as being ATC functions shall not be added to the work responsibilities for unlicensed personnel.”
Last Update: September 28, 2020