Opening Address by Minister of State for Transport, Dr Amy Khor at the 63rd IFATCA Annual Conference

Mr. Duncan Auld, President and CEO, 

International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations (IFATCA),

Distinguished guests,

1.     Good afternoon to all, and a very warm welcome to Singapore.

2.     I am happy to join all of you for the 63rd IFATCA Annual Conference. Singapore is honoured to host today’s conference. The last major IFATCA event Singapore hosted was the Asia-Pacific Regional Conference in 2011. Much has happened since, and it is good to welcome you back to discuss developments in the profession and industry. 

A tribute to the ATC profession

3.     The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted international civil aviation. The resilience shown by the aviation industry through the pandemic was truly inspiring. Air Traffic Controllers (ATCOs; pronounced as “AT-COs”), such as yourselves, reacted quickly, and were instrumental in facilitating air traffic across the world, despite the challenging conditions and lockdowns. This enabled air transport and in particular, the supply chain for essential goods such as vaccines to continue. This was a testament to your professionalism, adaptability, and commitment to ensure safe and efficient air traffic management at all times. And this indeed affirmed the saying that ATCOs “keep the world moving, one flight at a time”. These are traits that will see you through changes in the operating context, including geopolitical conflicts, as we are experiencing now,and tensions that pose a threat to international flights.

4.     Fortunately, we have turned the corner in relation to the pandemic, and the aviation sector has recovered strongly. In Singapore, passenger traffic at Changi Airport crossed pre-pandemic levels in February this year. Global air passenger traffic continues to grow and the future of aviation is promising. In particular, we expect to see the fastest growth in passenger traffic in the Asia-Pacific region over the next two decades.

Tackling the challenges of air traffic growth

5.     Today, let me touch on three areas in air traffic management (ATM) that will enable us to be better prepared for the brighter and busier skies ahead. First, building a positive safety culture; second, encouraging innovation; and third, attracting and developing talents in air traffic control (ATC). IFATCA, its Member Associations and ATCOs around the world will have a key role to play in all three areas.  

A positive safety culture

6.     First, safety is paramount to aviation. We need to ensure that ATM remains safe, even as our skies become more crowded, and operations become increasingly complex with new concepts of operations and new airspace users such as unmanned aircraft. 

7.     ATCOs have the best knowledge of day-to-day air traffic operations. You are at the front line, ensuring that more than 100,000 flights worldwide  each day operate safely. You know where the pain points are, where there could be emerging safety concerns, and the opportunities for improvement. You therefore play a key role in building a positive safety culture – one which constantly seeks to improve how we do things to enhance safety; and one which encourages reporting of safety incidents and proactive actions to prevent recurrence.

8.     Building such a safety culture is predicated on trust between ATCOs and management. It requires conscious action by, and close partnership between, every level and every part of the organisation. ATCOs must be committed to ensuring that safety is always top-of-mind and have the courage to raise concerns. Management must be committed to treating all safety issues seriously and ensure that ATCOs can bring these issues to attention without fear of repercussions. 

9.     In Singapore, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has made aviation safety its top priority. Last year, CAAS conducted Singapore’s first-ever sector-wide longitudinal safety culture survey. 

10.    Based on the survey findings and subsequent engagements with stakeholders, including ATCOs, CAAS developed a Safety Culture Handbook which will be published in May this year. The handbook emphasises the need for us to ensure aviation safety as the sector continues to grow, and provides guidance on how to enhance safety culture, in the Singapore aviation context. Besides exploring the many factors that shape safety culture, such as organisation structures, socio-cultural norms, communication styles and team dynamics, the Handbook provides practical guides to strengthen safety culture, including Do’s and Don’ts and case studies. For example, management are encouraged to properly assess the effectiveness of operational procedures in addressing safety risks, before introducing them. Operational staff are encouraged to work with management on implementing these procedures and to provide feedback if any of the procedures are impractical, instead of ignoring them or working around them. 

11.    IFATCA and Member Associations also have an important leadership role in sharing best practices and fostering a strong, positive safety culture for the aviation sector. Singapore looks forward to continuing our strong partnership with IFATCA to advance efforts and explore new initiatives that enable us to achieve such a culture. 

Innovation in ATM 

12.    Second, we must innovate, in order to achieve the global vision of an integrated, harmonised, and interoperable ATM system which facilitates seamless ATM operations. This is necessary to enhance the safety, efficiency and sustainability of air travel despite increasing air traffic and operational complexities. 

13.    The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is driving efforts towards seamless ATM. In particular, ICAO has developed a framework for the development and deployment of Trajectory Based Operations (TBO), which will fundamentally change the way air traffic is managed. Instead of managing flights within each Flight Information Region (FIR) independently, air navigation service providers (ANSPs) will work with other providers, airlines, and airports to plan and optimise flights across FIRs. We will need new tools and skillsets to equip ATCOs for this significant change. With your operational insights and technological expertise, each one of you can contribute to the development of TBO tools and solutions.   

14.    We can further tap into the power of innovation by bringing stakeholders together, and pooling expertise and resources. For example, CAAS intends to progressively implement an ‘ATM Centre’ over the next few years. This will be a centralised command centre, with ATCOs situated alongside and working closely with other professionals such as data scientists and meteorological specialists to improve sense-making, optimise ATC decision-making, and enhance ATM. Such an arrangement will encourage the exchange of ideas and allow the centre to serve as a test-bed for the development of applications to advance ATM. CAAS will be happy to share its experiences with, and learn from, IFATCA and Member Associations.

15.    Earlier this year, CAAS announced the setup of the International Centre for Aviation Innovation (ICAI) to bring together governments, industry, and research institutes from around the world to drive innovation in aviation.  ATCOs will be invited to participate in the ICAI’s projects. In time, we hope to see collaborations across the globe to develop and bring forth solutions for seamless ATM. 

Attracting and growing talent for ATC

16.    Third, even with the latest technologies, the human element will remain central to ATM. While technology can improve the way things are done, it cannot fully replace the expertise and experience of the human in the loop. We need to continue attracting talents to join the ATC profession. We must also continue to invest in the training, development, and career growth of ATCOs.

17.    Building capabilities is a key priority for Singapore. The Singapore Aviation Academy is undergoing a S$120 million transformation project to upgrade its facilities and redesign the future of aviation training. The School of Air Traffic Services is conceptualising the future classroom for ATC training, rolling out new leadership programmes to ready the next generation of ATC leaders, as well as programmes on future operating concepts such as TBO. This will allow us to nurture next-generation ATCOs who are equipped and empowered for the future. 

18.    Looking around the room, I am heartened to see fair number of female ATCOs among us. It is important for the aviation profession to attract the best talents. I want to commend IFATCA for its commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion within the aviation community. I am pleased to hear that there has been an increase in female leadership within IFATCA, and I believe IFATCA’s efforts to promote inclusivity can set an example for the ATC profession globally. 

Closing 

19.    In closing, I encourage you to use this conference as an opportunity to share experiences, learn, and innovate. I am confident that insights from this conference and IFATCA’s leadership will enable the advancement of ATM to meet the future needs of the aviation sector. Together, we can deliver safe, efficient, and sustainable air travel for all, and take international civil aviation literally to greater heights. I think this also enables our ATCOs to say with confidence that “from take off to touch down, we have got you covered”.

20.    Let me wish you a most productive and successful conference. Thank you.