Air traffic control centers are often far away from the airports and the sunscreen glass of the control towers (which for the time being at least tend to be on the airport…) prevents people from getting a glimpse of those inside. To pilots and vehicle drivers on the airport surface, the voices may be familiar, some may even feel like friends, but it is rare indeed to have a face to go with the familiar voice.
The lay press goes so far as to recognize only one place those voices may come from, the tower, as if approach control or area control did not even exist. Many a good movie makes the hair rise on our backs when they make the same silly mistake.
Air traffic controllers… who are they? A bit of a mystery for those who know that they exist at all and for the rest…blank.
Of course in the big, global aviation family they are well known and rate a place at the head of the table.
Many years ago, the professional association of air traffic controllers, IFATCA took the initiative to designate 20 October as the International Day of Air Traffic Controllers. It was also the anniversary of IFATCA’s founding. Back then the idea was to have a single occasion like this but several member associations of IFATCA, among them the Hungarians, liked the idea so much that they made it into a recurring event and so they started a new tradition.
ATCO day is not celebrated in every corner of the world but many associations do honor controllers everywhere on this day, recognizing their essential contribution to the success of international aviation.
A big cheer to all those voices on ATCO day!
