Quo Vadis, civil aviation?

When we look at the world of civil aviation of today what do we see? In its entirety we see a rapidly changing, continuously developing cluster of companies, government bodies, entities, rules and people. To navigate ourselves through we call on cutting edge technology, complex algorithms, analysis and reports. Are there any constants in this world? Is there an easy answer to the question: “Where do we start?”

Answers to puzzling questions of today are often given by significant men of the past. In the aviation community we can turn to the renowned pilot and writer-philosopher Antoine de Saint-Exupery: "If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea."

Even with the immense leap in technology since the days of Antoine de Saint-Exupery, one thing still remains the same when it comes to Air Traffic Control and maintaining safety in the sky - qualified personnel with deep domain knowledge are key to success. Training is where it all begins.

The Czech Air Navigation Institute (CANI) is a Czech CAA accredited and ICAO recognized training and consultancy organization, located at the Prague International Airport which tackles these new challenges through a blend of industry experience, international workforce and up to date technology. With over 25 years of experience in the ATC field, CANI can offer deep insight into a wide range of training issues as well as flexibility to adapt to even the most challenging needs of its customers. Over 400 training courses for more than 3,000 students in 30 countries world wide serve as testament of the work and experience of the organization.

When it comes to Air Traffic Control training, CANI is a one stop shop. Training programs offered cover the full spectrum of training required by Air Navigation Service Providers for en route, approach and tower services. Due to the fact that English is the global language in aviation, English exams for Air Traffic Controllers (ELPAC) and aviation personnel (ICAO Level 4), as well as general, legal and business English courses are also offered. Contributing to the training experience CANI provides in-house accommodation, catering, and friendly staff (including a full-time welfare officer). These, along with convenient access to the centre of Prague with all its attractions, multicultural spirit, bustling life, famous historic and cultural monuments and traditional cuisine, guarantee an experience reaching beyond just ATC training.

With a solid foundation built on qualified personnel an Air Navigation Service Provider is prepared to reap the benefits of state of the art technology and prepared to face new challenges such as the ever present need to expand capacity. Airspace capacity has been a long a burning issue in most countries in Europe. With the recent dramatic growth of traffic in the MENA region and taking into consideration the traffic which is forecast for these states in the future, an issue which will soon need to be addressed here as well. Given the nature of ATC many lessons learned in Europe can be transferred to the MENA region, thus shortening the time for resolution. Located at the heart of Europe, CANI which is an integral part of the Air Navigation Services of the Czech Republic (ANS CR), the country's ANS provider, can offer a unique experience. Very dense traffic in the western part of the Czech Republic poses high demands on sectorization, airspace design and flexibility. As a result knowledge and expertise gained by ANS CR tackling these challenges every day serve as the basis for consultancy in airspace design, ATM system procurement, Project Management and multilateration.

In our quest for answers to the complex world of civil aviation we have gone from training to systems and knowledge transfer. So is there anything we missed? Perhaps - technology. The total investment into ATM technology over the past years in the MENA region has been substantial. However in order to drive the maximum effect out of this investment with respect to capacity or performance one must still provide the necessary foundation. Without this the synergy is only partial. Investing into knowledge, a skilled workforce and know how is well worth the returns in Air Traffic Management. Every new task is a welcome challenge for the people at ANS CR and CANI because being in the heart of Europe, our people just love the "endless immensity of the sea."