Entry Point North marks 20 years since its first class began

In March 2026, Entry Point North marks 20 years since its foundation and beginning of ATS training. What started as a shared training initiative between three Air Navigation Service Providers has grown into an international ATS academy delivering training across 7 sites in Europe and at customer locations around the world. Today, Entry Point North trains over 4000 students per year and is owned by LFV, Naviair and AirNav Ireland.

In recent years, digitalisation has become an increasingly important part of Entry Point North’s development, with stronger online delivery, enhanced simulation environments and new ways of integrating technology into training.

The reason for creating Entry Point North was clear from the beginning. The founding ANSPs needed a higher quality, yet cost-effective training solution than the small national set-ups they each operated on their own. Quality, output and long-term sustainability were difficult to achieve in separate structures, and a shared academy offered a better way forward. That ambition was reflected in the very first class, which brought together students from LFV, Naviair and Avinor.

“I remember being the first and only employee. The founders said to me, ‘We promise to buy from you for the first three years, and we pay up front. After three years, you need to be able to compete.’ Then it was just a matter of rolling up my sleeves and getting started,” says Anne Kathrine Jensen, CEO of Entry Point North.

That practical beginning still defines Entry Point North today. The academy was not created as an abstract training concept. It was built to solve a real need in ATS training, with operational relevance, quality and efficiency at its core.

For Anna-Karin Sogndal, COO of Entry Point North, the anniversary is also personal. She first came into contact with the Swedish ATC school in the early 1990s, first as a sim pilot and later as an ATCO student, giving her a rare perspective on how both the academy and ATS training have evolved over time.

Over these 20 years, ATS training has changed significantly. Operational complexity has increased, regulatory demands have evolved and technology has become a much more integrated part of both operations and learning. Student expectations have also changed. Training today must do more to support the individual, without losing sight of the common operational standard that every learner must reach.

At Entry Point North, that development has led to stronger coaching methods, more advanced use of technology and a more deliberate focus on the student journey. But even as formats and tools evolve, the purpose remains the same: to empower people to succeed in real operational environments.

“The human approach must never be lost. We need to work together. Training is a commitment from both sides, trainer and trainee. We are training future colleagues,” says Anna-Karin Sogndal.

Today, Entry Point North delivers training for air traffic controllers, air traffic safety electronics personnel, flight information service staff and other aviation professionals through classroom, simulator, onsite, online and blended formats. Looking ahead, Entry Point North sees continued opportunities to support the industry as training becomes more digital, more connected and more data-driven. At the same time, the academy remains grounded in the same principle that shaped its beginning: training must reflect operational reality, and technology must strengthen learning rather than stand alone.

As Entry Point North celebrates this milestone, it also celebrates the people behind it: owners, customers, partners, instructors, students and colleagues who have shaped the academy over the past 20 years. Twenty years after its first class began, Entry Point North remains focused on the future: to empower the people who safeguard our skies.