IFATCA's 53rd Annual Conference

General Information

IFATCA allows its members active participation throughout the year through its various Standing Committees, and in addition there is an Annual Conference held each spring that is attended by the majority of Member Associations.

The 53rd Annual Conference will be hosted by the Spanish Unión Sindical de Controladores Aéreos (USCA ), in Gran Canaria, Spain, from the 5th to 9th May, 2014.

Conference Objectives

IFATCA Conferences are the most appropriate platform for direct communication between Member Associations, and for the exchange of ideas and experience within the Federation on an inter-regional basis. The basic purpose of an Annual IFATCA Conference is to review the activities of the Federation since the previous Annual Conference and to determine the policies which should guide the work until the next regular Conference. It is also an occasion to review the Federation's administrative management relative to the required action of the Federation.

One of the aims of the Federation is to ensure that the profession of the air traffic controller is well publicised throughout the world. The Annual Conference, as well as being the annual meeting of the Member Associations, is the public showpiece of IFATCA. This event is usually well covered in the news media of the country of the host Association and serves to ensure that air traffic control receives it share of well- deserved public interest.

The Annual Conference is organised by volunteering Member Associations and normally enjoys great interest from the national aviation authorities. The Opening Ceremony and the Final Plenary Session are often attended by senior representatives from Government and aviation administrations, as well as representatives of other ATC organisations and controller associations which are not yet members of IFATCA but which have indicated interest in joining.

In 2014, the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations (IFATCA) will celebrate its 53rd anniversary. Founded in 1961 by 12 European professional associations, IFATCA now unites 134 Member Associations from all over the world, representing more than 50,000 air traffic controllers.

One of the objectives of this major conference by any standards is to bring together the observers from international organisations and civil aviation authorities such as ICAO, IFALPA, IATA, ILO, ITF, Euro control Agency and many others, and discuss the latest developments in air traffic control. The meeting is the largest global Air Traffic Control forum and brings together all major players to defining the future Air Traffic Management industry.