As early as 1966 SC4 (now PLC) “Human and Environmental Factors in ATC”, at that time formed by members of the Irish Association, produced an extensive questionnaire to be processed and made available to interested organisations.

When, in 1969, responsibility for PLC went to the German Association, in co-operation with the Belgian and Dutch Guilds, collection of information was continued. The 1973 Reykjavik Conference resolved that the information should be published in form of an “Information Handbook”.

The Belgian Guild undertook to compile this Handbook. A first edition was submitted to, and accepted by, the 1974 Tel Aviv Conference.

In 1997, the Executive Board created the function of Editor IHB, moving the responsibility of updating and editing the IHB from a member association to an appointed official.

At the Kaohsiung Conference in 2006 the first edition of the Electronic Information Handbook, together with the Electronic IHB Questionnaire was presented, after which the Questionnaire was made available on the web.

In 2008 the Information Handbook was made available on the web allowing every professional member to access the information.