The International Day of the Air Traffic Controller, celebrated on 20 October each year, not only marks the anniversary of the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations (IFATCA), but also reminds the vision of the founding members; it also celebrates the men and women who 24/7 help make air travel the safest possible mode of transport.
The IFATCA is the worldwide organization representing, in 2011, more than fifty thousand air traffic controllers in 137 countries.
The goals of the Federation are: to promote safety, efficiency, and regularity in international air navigation; to assist and advise in the development of safe and orderly systems of air traffic control and new procedures and facilities; to promote and uphold a high standard of knowledge and professional efficiency among air traffic controllers. To achieve this, IFATCA closely cooperates with national and international aviation authorities, and institutions concerned with air navigation; it sponsors and supports the passage of legislation and regulations which will increase and protect the safety of air navigation.
Source: icao.int | ifatca.org