Need to learn lessons from previous incidents and be proactive for operations safety: AFA Commandant
Air Force Academy Commandant Air Marshal S Shrinivas graced the occasion
Hyderabad: Following successful completion of 150 Air Traffic Surveillance Services (ATSS) course candidates and 113 Air Traffic Management and Air Laws course, a graduation ceremony was held at Air Traffic Control Officers’ Training Establishment (ATCOTE) on Friday.
Air Marshal S Shrinivas, Commandant, Air Force Academy (AFA), graced the occasion as Reviewing Officer. ATCOTE is a premier training establishment of the Indian Air Force (IAF) located at AFA, Hyderabad.
The six months long ATM and AL (B) course comprised officers from the Indian Air Force, Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and an Officer from Sri Lanka, while the three month long mid-level ATSS course had officers from the Indian Air Force, Indian Navy and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). In his address, the reviewing officer congratulated the graduating officers and extended his best wishes for their future endeavours.
He acknowledged the vital role played by ATCOTE in training military air traffic controllers and highlighted the importance of the 150th ATSS course as a significant milestone for the establishment. He stressed the need for them to be good professionals, as safe and efficient air space management rests on effective decisions made by ATC officers.
He reiterated that there were additional responsibilities on military air traffic controllers as more number of military aerodromes have now been opened for civilian use and a large number of civil aircraft operate in the restricted airspace controlled by the IAF, due to successful assimilation of flexible use of airspace policy.
He also highlighted the need to learn lessons from previous incidents and to be proactive for ensuring safety of operations.