SC4 is annually requested to review existing IFATCA Professional Policies. Familiarisation flights in the cockpit of aircraft for Air Traffic Controllers are dealt with in two different sections if the IFATCA Manual (para 5.3.1 on page 4351 and para 5.5.1a on page 4353) and in an additional note at the end of para 5.5 on the page 4353.

Para 5.3.1 on the page 4351 recommends that licensed and trainee controllers should participate in familiarisation flights each year. An additional note of the page 4353 refers first to the IATA Traffic Resolution No 200 and recommends secondly, at least two familiarisation flights each year, one of them being a long-distance one. It is thus more accurate than that quoted previously. Para 5.5.1a on the page 4353 recommends visits of local Air Traffic Control units in addition to such familiarisation flights.

For a global reading of the IFATCA Policy related to the familiarisation flights in the cockpit of aircraft for Air Traffic, SC4 thinks it is better to combine the para 5.3.1 on the page 4351, the paragraph 5.5.1a and the second sentence of the note, both the page 4353.

That para 5.5.1 of the IFATCA Manual be amended and read as following:

5.5.1 The Federation recommends to all authorities responsible for the operation of Air Traffic Services:

a) To provide for familiarisation flights in the cockpits of aircraft for Air Traffic Controllers, with combined facilities to visit adjacent and distant Air Traffic Control units.

b) Licensed and trainee controllers should participate in familiarisation flights each year (Dublin 1972). Therefore, it is strongly recommended that at least two such flights annually be granted to individual air traffic controllers, and that one of these flights be a long distance one.

c)

(i) To encourage air traffic controllers with flying experience to maintain their proficiency by offering special facilities, and

(ii) To encourage air traffic controllers without flying experience to gain such experience by providing facilities for pilot-training to the level of the Private Pilot Licence, and

d) To exploit the use of link trainers for the familiarisation of air traffic controllers with specific in-flight problems.

Note: Familiarisation flights (also known as “duty flights” or “route experience flights”) are granted by national carriers on government request in accordance with IATA Traffic Resolution No 200.

4.2  Para 5.3 on the page 4351 of the IFATCA Manual to be deleted.

4.3  The IFATCA POLICY ON TRAINING Attachment, para 6 on the page 43-A 17 of the IFATCA Manual be amended the same way as 4.1 above.