Safety and security from the air traffic control services' point of view

The terrorist attacks of September 11th and the midair collision near Uberlingen in Germany, shed a critical light on the attempts made to ensure safety and security in air traffic. Whereas the first showed the vulnerability of air traffic management (ATM) toward criminal acts, the second was a clear example of a human factor problem. Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) procedures are still being handled differently from airline to airline and onboard-to-ground communication still has to be improved. It is argued that apart from internationally valid standard procedures an open security culture is needed for the mutual advantage of airlines, airports, and ATCS. Using critical incident stress management (CISM), the German ATCS (DPS) started a number of initiatives. There are currently 65 controllers trained and certified on different levels, namely preventive, acute, and post-incident. The overall aim is to teach stress coping strategies and ensure the correct handling of critical situations. Crisis intervention teams have been introduced and closer cooperations of the DPS with Frankfurt Airport, Eurocontrol, and Skyguide are under way. Additional safety briefings and safety letters for ATM personnel shall guarantee that lessons are learned from the past.