ATSEP: professionals in the technical field

What is the role of an ATSEP?

Maintaining and developing all technical systems deployed in air navigation services are the tasks of specialist technicians and engineers, the Air Traffic Safety Electronics Personnel or ATSEP. The theoretical and practical knowledge which an air navigation technician or engineer must possess is particularly wide-ranging. The systems are complex and multi-faceted, combining time-proven technologies with the very latest ones. Only staff bringing long experience in the field and proven ability are therefore to be found at Skyguide.

ATSEPs perform the following activities on operating facilities, depending on their aptitude, training and qualifications:

− preventive and corrective maintenance

− hardware and software specifications

− modifications

− software integration and testing

− compiling and revising documentation and

− installation and commissioning

The range of activities extends from in-depth theoretical studies to airborne calibrations of navigation and radar facilities and centralised systems monitoring within an operational control centre. ...[C]... the requisite technical expertise, project management skills are also required. Many ATSEPs have completed the corresponding training and eventually gone on to lead projects and programmes.

How do you become an ATSEP?

Switzerland does not have its own training centres for this discipline. Skyguide air navigation technicians and engineers therefore undertake a basic technical training at a university and then go through area-specific post-graduate courses. These are run by specialist institutes at home and abroad.

Far-reaching perspectives

At the beginning of their career Skyguide specialists are responsible for preventive and corrective maintenance and for the modification of the existing air navigation infrastructure. They are engaged on specifications, installation, acceptance tests and the certification of the infrastructure on the ground. Thus project management also forms an important part of their activities. Maintenance of the system covers a wide spectrum, from system management in the control centre to flight calibration of navigational and radar equipment on board a calibration flight. Later on, many of these air navigation service technicians and engineers move into management or specialist consultant positions. In these capacities, they may find themselves representing Skyguide’s and Switzerland’s interests on international and supranational bodies such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) or Eurocontrol.

Moreover, the professional association for which they are responsible, SATTA (Swiss Air Traffic Control Technical Association), deals with the exchange of experience at a national and international level.

(Adapted from http://www.skyguide.ch/en/Jobs/Skyguide_as_Employer/ATSEP.xml)

In the Nerve Center

After 35 years with Continental Airlines, Air Traffic Control Coordinator Craig Podzielinski – coworkers call him “Podge” – knows almost instinctively how busy his day in the airline’s nerve center will be when thunderstorms threaten.

Podge’s job is to keep the airline running efficiently and reduce delays. He works in the Houston System Operations Coordination Center (SOCC), where command decisions are made. Our work is routine until something goes wrong,” he says, “like a weather system or a diversion.”

Podge logs in via iPhone on his way to work (“I want to know what’s coming,” he says), and at his desk he surveys aircraft and weather patterns in the United States on four monitors simultaneously. One of his tools is the Aerobahn, which tracks aircraft movements on the ground at the Houston and Newark hubs. Another tool helps him allocate landing slots when weather reduces the arrival rate. On another screen Podge views ground delay programs, checks the customer service team’s list of passengers connecting to international flights, and reduces their delays so they’ll make their connections. There may be a group of customers, for example, connecting from Houston, to Newark, to points all over Europe. If he delays another flight for an hour from Jacksonville to Newark, it can preserve the group’s international itinerary.

With the push of a button, Podge reduces a 45-minute delay to just 20 minutes. Then a message goes out to the FAA and the airport, which passes it on to relieved passengers and crew.

“I want customers to know we’re doing the best we can to get them where they want to go, on time and safely,” Podge says. There’s always someone behind the scenes who’s thinking about how to keep them moving.”

(Adapted from − Hemisphere magazine, July 2011, p. 12)

In the Nerve Center

After 35 years with Continental Airlines, Air Traffic Control Coordinator Craig Podzielinski – coworkers call him “Podge” – knows almost instinctively how busy his day in the airline’s nerve center will be when thunderstorms threaten.

Podge’s job is to keep the airline running efficiently and reduce delays. He works in the Houston System Operations Coordination Center (SOCC), where command decisions are made. Our work is routine until something goes wrong,” he says, “like a weather system or a diversion.”

Podge logs in via iPhone on his way to work (“I want to know what’s coming,” he says), and at his desk he surveys aircraft and weather patterns in the United States on four monitors simultaneously. One of his tools is the Aerobahn, which tracks aircraft movements on the ground at the Houston and Newark hubs. Another tool helps him allocate landing slots when weather reduces the arrival rate. On another screen Podge views ground delay programs, checks the customer service team’s list of passengers connecting to international flights, and reduces their delays so they’ll make their connections. There may be a group of customers, for example, connecting from Houston, to Newark, to points all over Europe. If he delays another flight for an hour from Jacksonville to Newark, it can preserve the group’s international itinerary.

With the push of a button, Podge reduces a 45-minute delay to just 20 minutes. Then a message goes out to the FAA and the airport, which passes it on to relieved passengers and crew.

“I want customers to know we’re doing the best we can to get them where they want to go, on time and safely,” Podge says. There’s always someone behind the scenes who’s thinking about how to keep them moving.”

(Adapted from − Hemisphere magazine, July 2011, p. 12)

In the Nerve Center

After 35 years with Continental Airlines, Air Traffic Control Coordinator Craig Podzielinski – coworkers call him “Podge” – knows almost instinctively how busy his day in the airline’s nerve center will be when thunderstorms threaten.

Podge’s job is to keep the airline running efficiently and reduce delays. He works in the Houston System Operations Coordination Center (SOCC), where command decisions are made. Our work is routine until something ...[B]... wrong,” he says, “like a weather system or a diversion.”

Podge logs in via iPhone on his way to work (“I want to know what’s coming,” he says), and at his desk he surveys aircraft and weather patterns in the United States on four monitors simultaneously. One of his tools is the Aerobahn, which tracks aircraft movements on the ground at the Houston and Newark hubs. Another tool helps him allocate landing slots when weather reduces the arrival rate. On another screen Podge views ground delay programs, checks the customer service team’s list of passengers connecting to international flights, and reduces their delays so they’ll make their connections. There may be a group of customers, for example, connecting from Houston, to Newark, to points all over Europe. If he delays another flight for an hour from Jacksonville to Newark, it can preserve the group’s international itinerary.

With the push of a button, Podge reduces a 45-minute delay to just 20 minutes. Then a message goes out to the FAA and the airport, which passes it on to relieved passengers and crew.

“I want customers to know we’re doing the best we can to get them where they want to go, on time and safely,” Podge says. There’s always someone behind the scenes who’s thinking about how to keep them moving.”

(Adapted from − Hemisphere magazine, July 2011, p. 12)

Aerospace CEOs Discuss Joint Approach to Environment, Air Traffic Management, and Other Key Issues

PARIS, June 21, 2011 − Industry leaders from the Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD) and the Aerospace Industries Association of America (AIA) reaffirmed their commitment to cooperate on a wide variety of issues during an annual meeting at the 2011 Paris Airshow.

“Aircraft manufacturers are very serious about reducing aviation’s environmental impacts,” Jim Albaugh, Chairman of the Board of Governors of AIA and President and Chief Executive Officer, Boeing Commercial Airplanes said. “We’ve made remarkable progress on sustainable aviation biofuels and we’re working with regulators on a first-ever CO₂ efficiency standard for new production aircraft.”

AIA and ASD vowed to support ICAO’s efforts towards reducing civil aviation CO₂ emissions 50 percent compared to 2005 levels by the year 2050. They affirmed the primacy of such global approaches vs. regional or national market based measures. In support of ongoing collaboration with the global stakeholder community (airlines, airports, and air navigation service providers), both American and European manufacturers agreed to ensure understanding among regulators of how critical CO₂ reduction will be.

Commercially viable, drop-in biofuels will KK make a large role in CO₂ reduction and both groups are working towards that goal with their respective members. “To develop the use of biofuels in aviation, our industry and public authorities need to work hand in hand,” Domingo Urena-Raso, President of ASD and CEO of Airbus Military declared. “Incentives should be granted to scale up production, infrastructures and programmes, and to encourage the use of biofuels by airlines. We also need to increase our investment in research and development in this field,” he added.

Another issue discussed during the CEO Dialogue was air traffic management (ATM) interoperability and modernization. Participants in the meeting agreed that greater efforts and resources from governments would greatly contribute to the achievement of these goals and would yield considerable environmental, economic and efficiency benefits.

(Adapted from: http://thesantosrepublic.com/2011/06/aerospace-ceos-discuss-

joint-approach-to-environment-air-traffic-management and-other-key-issues/)

Aerospace CEOs Discuss Joint Approach to Environment, Air Traffic Management, and Other Key Issues

PARIS, June 21, 2011 − Industry leaders from the Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD) and the Aerospace Industries Association of America (AIA) reaffirmed their commitment to cooperate on a wide variety of issues during an annual meeting at the 2011 Paris Airshow.

“Aircraft manufacturers are very serious about reducing aviation’s environmental impacts,” Jim Albaugh, Chairman of the Board of Governors of AIA and President and Chief Executive Officer, Boeing Commercial Airplanes said. “We’ve made remarkable progress on sustainable aviation biofuels and we’re working with regulators on a first-ever CO₂ efficiency standard for new production aircraft.”

AIA and ASD vowed to support ICAO’s efforts towards reducing civil aviation CO₂ emissions 50 percent compared to 2005 levels by the year 2050. They affirmed the primacy of such global approaches vs. regional or national market based measures. In support of ongoing collaboration with the global stakeholder community (airlines, airports, and air navigation service providers), both American and European manufacturers agreed to ensure understanding among regulators of how critical CO₂ reduction will be.

Commercially viable, drop-in biofuels will KK make a large role in CO₂ reduction and both groups are working towards that goal with their respective members. “To develop the use of biofuels in aviation, our industry and public authorities need to work hand in hand,” Domingo Urena-Raso, President of ASD and CEO of Airbus Military declared. “Incentives should be granted to scale up production, infrastructures and programmes, and to encourage the use of biofuels by airlines. We also need to increase our investment in research and development in this field,” he added.

Another issue discussed during the CEO Dialogue was air traffic management (ATM) interoperability and modernization. Participants in the meeting agreed that greater efforts and resources from governments would greatly contribute to the achievement of these goals and would yield considerable environmental, economic and efficiency benefits.

(Adapted from: http://thesantosrepublic.com/2011/06/aerospace-ceos-discuss-

joint-approach-to-environment-air-traffic-management and-other-key-issues/)

Aerospace CEOs Discuss Joint Approach to Environment, Air Traffic Management, and Other Key Issues

PARIS, June 21, 2011 − Industry leaders from the Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD) and the Aerospace Industries Association of America (AIA) reaffirmed their commitment to cooperate on a wide variety of issues during an annual meeting at the 2011 Paris Airshow.

“Aircraft manufacturers are very serious about reducing aviation’s environmental impacts,” Jim Albaugh, Chairman of the Board of Governors of AIA and President and Chief Executive Officer, Boeing Commercial Airplanes said. “We’ve made remarkable progress on sustainable aviation biofuels and we’re working with regulators on a first-ever CO₂ efficiency standard for new production aircraft.”

AIA and ASD vowed to support ICAO’s efforts towards reducing civil aviation CO₂ emissions 50 percent compared to 2005 levels by the year 2050. They affirmed the primacy of such global approaches vs. regional or national market based measures. In support of ongoing collaboration with the global stakeholder community (airlines, airports, and air navigation service providers), both American and European manufacturers agreed to ensure understanding among regulators of how critical CO₂ reduction will be.

Commercially viable, drop-in biofuels will KK make a large role in CO₂ reduction and both groups are working towards that goal with their respective members. “To develop the use of biofuels in aviation, our industry and public authorities need to work hand in hand,” Domingo Urena-Raso, President of ASD and CEO of Airbus Military declared. “Incentives should be granted to scale up production, infrastructures and programmes, and to encourage the use of biofuels by airlines. We also need to increase our investment in research and development in this field,” he added.

Another issue discussed during the CEO Dialogue was air traffic management (ATM) interoperability and modernization. Participants in the meeting agreed that greater efforts and resources from governments would greatly contribute to the achievement of these goals and would yield considerable environmental, economic and efficiency benefits.

(Adapted from: http://thesantosrepublic.com/2011/06/aerospace-ceos-discuss-

joint-approach-to-environment-air-traffic-management and-other-key-issues/)

Aerospace CEOs Discuss Joint Approach to Environment, Air Traffic Management, and Other Key Issues

PARIS, June 21, 2011 − Industry leaders from the Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD) and the Aerospace Industries Association of America (AIA) reaffirmed their commitment to cooperate on a wide variety of issues during an annual meeting at the 2011 Paris Airshow.

“Aircraft manufacturers are very serious about reducing aviation’s environmental impacts,” Jim Albaugh, Chairman of the Board of Governors of AIA and President and Chief Executive Officer, Boeing Commercial Airplanes said. “We’ve made remarkable progress on sustainable aviation biofuels and we’re working with regulators on a first-ever CO₂ efficiency standard for new production aircraft.”

AIA and ASD vowed to support ICAO’s efforts towards reducing civil aviation CO₂ emissions 50 percent compared to 2005 levels by the year 2050. They affirmed the primacy of such global approaches vs. regional or national market based measures. In support of ongoing collaboration with the global stakeholder community (airlines, airports, and air navigation service providers), both American and European manufacturers agreed to ensure understanding among regulators of how critical CO₂ reduction will be.

Commercially viable, drop-in biofuels will KK make a large role in CO₂ reduction and both groups are working towards that goal with their respective members. “To develop the use of biofuels in aviation, our industry and public authorities need to work hand in hand,” Domingo Urena-Raso, President of ASD and CEO of Airbus Military declared. “Incentives should be granted to scale up production, infrastructures and programmes, and to encourage the use of biofuels by airlines. We also need to increase our investment in research and development in this field,” he added.

Another issue discussed during the CEO Dialogue was air traffic management (ATM) interoperability and modernization. Participants in the meeting agreed that greater efforts and resources from governments would greatly contribute to the achievement of these goals and would yield considerable environmental, economic and efficiency benefits.

(Adapted from: http://thesantosrepublic.com/2011/06/aerospace-ceos-discuss-

joint-approach-to-environment-air-traffic-management and-other-key-issues/)

Aerospace CEOs Discuss Joint Approach to Environment, Air Traffic Management, and Other Key Issues

PARIS, June 21, 2011 − Industry leaders from the Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD) and the Aerospace Industries Association of America (AIA) reaffirmed their commitment to cooperate on a wide variety of issues during an annual meeting at the 2011 Paris Airshow.

“Aircraft manufacturers are very serious about reducing aviation’s environmental impacts,” Jim Albaugh, Chairman of the Board of Governors of AIA and President and Chief Executive Officer, Boeing Commercial Airplanes said. “We’ve made remarkable progress on sustainable aviation biofuels and we’re working with regulators on a first-ever CO₂ efficiency standard for new production aircraft.”

AIA and ASD vowed to support ICAO’s efforts towards reducing civil aviation CO₂ emissions 50 percent compared to 2005 levels by the year 2050. They affirmed the primacy of such global approaches vs. regional or national market based measures. In support of ongoing collaboration with the global stakeholder community (airlines, airports, and air navigation service providers), both American and European manufacturers agreed to ensure understanding among regulators of how critical CO₂ reduction will be.

Commercially viable, drop-in biofuels will KK make a large role in CO₂ reduction and both groups are working towards that goal with their respective members. “To develop the use of biofuels in aviation, our industry and public authorities need to work hand in hand,” Domingo Urena-Raso, President of ASD and CEO of Airbus Military declared. “Incentives should be granted to scale up production, infrastructures and programmes, and to encourage the use of biofuels by airlines. We also need to increase our investment in research and development in this field,” he added.

Another issue discussed during the CEO Dialogue was air traffic management (ATM) interoperability and modernization. Participants in the meeting agreed that greater efforts and resources from governments would greatly contribute to the achievement of these goals and would yield considerable environmental, economic and efficiency benefits.

(Adapted from: http://thesantosrepublic.com/2011/06/aerospace-ceos-discuss-

joint-approach-to-environment-air-traffic-management and-other-key-issues/)

Aerospace CEOs Discuss Joint Approach to Environment, Air Traffic Management, and Other Key Issues

PARIS, June 21, 2011 − Industry leaders from the Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD) and the Aerospace Industries Association of America (AIA) reaffirmed their commitment to cooperate on a wide variety of issues during an annual meeting at the 2011 Paris Airshow.

“Aircraft manufacturers are very serious about reducing aviation’s environmental impacts,” Jim Albaugh, Chairman of the Board of Governors of AIA and President and Chief Executive Officer, Boeing Commercial Airplanes said. “We’ve made remarkable progress on sustainable aviation biofuels and we’re working with regulators on a first-ever CO₂ efficiency standard for new production aircraft.”

AIA and ASD vowed to support ICAO’s efforts towards reducing civil aviation CO₂ emissions 50 percent compared to 2005 levels by the year 2050. They affirmed the primacy of such global approaches vs. regional or national market based measures. In support of ongoing collaboration with the global stakeholder community (airlines, airports, and air navigation service providers), both American and European manufacturers agreed to ensure understanding among regulators of how critical CO₂ reduction will be.

Commercially viable, drop-in biofuels will KK make a large role in CO₂ reduction and both groups are working towards that goal with their respective members. “To develop the use of biofuels in aviation, our industry and public authorities need to work hand in hand,” Domingo Urena-Raso, President of ASD and CEO of Airbus Military declared. “Incentives should be granted to scale up production, infrastructures and programmes, and to encourage the use of biofuels by airlines. We also need to increase our investment in research and development in this field,” he added.

Another issue discussed during the CEO Dialogue was air traffic management (ATM) interoperability and modernization. Participants in the meeting agreed that greater efforts and resources from governments would greatly contribute to the achievement of these goals and would yield considerable environmental, economic and efficiency benefits.

(Adapted from: http://thesantosrepublic.com/2011/06/aerospace-ceos-discuss-

joint-approach-to-environment-air-traffic-management and-other-key-issues/)