Directive 2006/23/EC of the European Parliament and of the CouncilShow full title

PART A Initial training requirements for air traffic controllers

The initial training will ensure that student air traffic controllers satisfy at least the objectives for basic and rating training, as described in Eurocontrol's ‘Guidelines for air traffic controller Common Core Content Initial Training’, edition of 10 December 2004, so that air traffic controllers are capable of handling air traffic in a safe, quick and efficient way.

Initial training will cover the following subjects: aviation law, air traffic management, including procedures for civil-military cooperation, meteorology, navigation, aircraft and principles of flight, including an understanding between air traffic controller and pilot, human factors, equipment and systems, professional environment, safety and safety culture, safety management systems, unusual/emergency situations, degraded systems and linguistic knowledge, including radiotelephony phraseology.

The subjects will be taught in such a way that they prepare the applicants for the different types of air traffic services and highlight safety aspects. The initial training will consist of theoretical and practical courses, including simulation, and its duration will be determined in the approved initial training plans. Acquired skills must ensure that the candidate can be considered competent to handle complex and dense traffic situations, facilitating the transition to unit training. The competence of the candidate after initial training will be assessed through appropriate examinations or a system of continuous assessment.