Minutes EGATS Annual General Meeting 2023

  1. Opening – President’s Welcome
    MR opens the AGM at 16:00 and welcomes the audience.
  2. Reports
    2.1. President’s Message
    Nothing to add in addition to the report in the booklet.
    2.2. Executive Secretary
    Nothing to add in addition to the report in the booklet.
    2.3. Treasurer
    2.3.1. Overview 2022
    The books are looking good.
    More details can be found in the booklet.
    2.3.2. Audit Committee – Discharge of Treasurer for 2022
    Books were checked by Jörg SCHWARZ and Robert GUSTAFSSON.
    RL reads out the recommendation to discharge the treasurer.
    The treasurer is discharged unanimos.
    2.3.3. Budget 2023
    The budget for 2023 as indicated in the booklet is approved unanimous.
    As a side note: The budget for mission in 2024 will be increased by 3.000 €.
    2.4. Membership Secretary
    EGATS has 374 active members.
    This is amount is more or less the same amount of members than 2021.
    2.5. INREP
    4 INREPs have been processed 2022 and 2 have not been processed due to lack of data.
    Only if the complete header is filled in, we can process the INREP.
    We will launch a reminder via e-Brief about the INREP-procedure.
    2.6. Professional and Technical Work Items
    2.6.1. Optimized Sector Manning Project (OSM)
    In 2022 we managed to block a potential live trial in spring 2023. A RTS has taken place and the outcome will be briefed at a different stage.
    2.6.2. Training in EOS
    The restructuration of the EOS training is going on and an improvement will be seen from the next training group onwards.
    2.6.3. Roster Revision Team (RRT)
    EGATS managed to enable swaps before the de-confliction period again.
    EGATS contributed to the current roster and planning rules.
    2.6.4. Civil / Military Integration
    Still ongoing. Cross-training to SOG takes place and according to the current plan the staff of the SOG shall be covered by 45 ATCOs, who should obtain their 3rd unit endorsement in the SOG.
    2.6.5. Training Section
    More emphasis is put on the ATC-unit instructors.
    An internal re-structurization took place and the structural solution regarding the TRM and refresher training is questioned.
    EGATS will monitor this situation carefully.
    2.6.6. ANP
    MASERATI was implemented and the PIPAT-procedure was overlooked. An intermedial solution was found and a final solution will be established with the refresher campaign for the HAN ATCOs.
    2.6.7. ARGOS/FLOGOS/MUAC2030
    EGATS will monitor this project and will protect the EGATS members.
    2.6.8. Phoenix Project
    The architectural study has been finalized and the needed budget is calculated.
    This will be presented to the four states for approval.
    2.7. Corporate Deals Available for EGATS Members
  3. Election Executive Board 2023
    3.1. Approval of late (re-)applications
    No late (re-)applications have been received.
    3.2. Election Executive Board 2022
    VV, KK, VG, FD, JO and EF re-applied.
    JH applied as a new EB-Member
    VB did not re-apply.
    Therefor, 7 applications have been received for 8 vacant posts. No elections are needed and all applicants are (re-)elected.
  4. Election Audit Committee / Election Committee
    Election Committee: Inge VANDER EYKEN; Athina VELISSARIOU
    Audit Committee: Jörg Schwarz; Robert GUSTAFSSON
  5. Flight Department
    5.1. Update Flight Department
    The red folder shall be re-invented in the OPS-room.
    Ilia BOJILOV will get into contact with as many airlines as possible and we will send you an update on the available deals soon.
    5.2. Handover Chairman Flight Department
    Vincent LAEREMANS will hand over the flight department to Ilia BOJILOV.
    5.3. Cooperation with Maastricht-Aachen Airport
    The point has been taken off the agenda.
  6. Work items for the upcoming year
    6.1. Optimized Sector Manning
    RTS took place and EGATS position will be communicated.
    HFA and documentation will take place and EGATS will participate.
    6.2. Training in EOS
    6.3. ANP Support
    6.4. Civil / Military integration
    6.5. Phoenix Project
    6.6. Roster Revision Team
    6.7. Professional Behaviour Committee
    6.8. ARGOS/FLOGOS/MUAC2030
    EGATS will monitor and this projects and will invite the project managers to get a better understanding of the details of this project.
  7. AOB
    7.1. The draft minutes for 2022 are accepted unanimous.
  8. Closure
    MR closes the meeting at 17:00.

Minutes EGATS Annual General Meeting 2022

  1. Opening – President’s Welcome
    Alessandro MERCATI opens the AGM at 16:00 and welcomes the Members attending the AGM.
  2. Reports
    2.1. President’s Message
    No comments in addition to the booklet.
    2.2. Executive Secretary
    The minutes of the AGM 2021 are accepted without any comments.
    No comments in addition to the booklet.
    2.3. Professional and Technical Work Items
    2.3.1. Optimized Sector Manning Project (OSM)
    By the end of May, a report of the OSM shall be drafted and distributed by Robert PARYS.
    Alessandro MERCATI describes the different studies briefly and stresses again that he is happy that EGATS is part of the OSM team.
    2.3.2. Roster Revision Team (RRT)
    After the de-confliction it is visible on which sector an ATCO is rostered, if he has three licenses now.
    Swaps are only allowed after de-confliction and it will be put on the agenda for the next RRT.
    The Roster and Planning rules have been updated.
    2.3.3. Training Section
    3rd unit endorsement was the biggest topic (see 2.3.4.).
    2.3.4. 3rd Unit Endorsement
    Very cooperative meeting took place between EGATS and the Training Section. All comments, which have been put forward by EGATS have been taken on-board.
    All AB-INITIOS will have to train for a third unit endorsement.
    ATCOs will be chosen according to the medium term manpower planning and management will take advices from CAs and OJTI-Officers into account by distributing the ATCOs for the third endorsement.
    EF stresses that a preferences should at least be taken into account.
    2.3.5. ANP
    ANP is currently busy on several topics and big airspace changes (e.g. COBRA, HGT, MAASERATI). Some of the have been implemented already.
    2.3.6. ARGOS/FLOGOS/MUAC2030
    All projects are about automation. EGATS is in the loop and will monitor the process closely and provide feedback to the project team.
    2.3.7. INREP
    4 INREPs have been filed 2021.
    The INREP-Trustees encourage everyone to file an INREP, because issues can only be tackled, if they are identified.
    2.3.8. Phoenix Project
    EGATS will follow this project and due to legal issues, no meetings took place in last year.
    2.4. Treasurer
    2.4.1.1. Overview 2021
    The financial situation is good and the membership is stable.
    The automatic membership fee deduction is helping a lot and 2/3 of our membership is using it.
    Kay RABEL is encouraging all members to use it, since it makes his life much easier.
    2.4.1.2. Audit Committee – Discharge of Treasurer for 2021
    Audit Committee propose to discharge the Treasurer for 2021.
    The AGM discharged Kay RABEL for 2021 unanimously.
    2.4.1.3. Budget 2022
    The Budget 2022 is adjusted and since the IFACTA conference in Singapore is cancelled lower travel expenses are expected.
    2.4.1.4. Adaptation entry-fee / membership fee
    Suggestion of the Executive Board:
    Trainees (ATCOs, System Controllers and EOS) will join EGATS as a Candidate Member and only will become an ordinary member, once they receive their first licence.
    The AGM agrees to this suggestion unanimous.
  3. Election Executive Board 2022
    Alessandro MERCATI, Sascha MARTIN and Kay RABEL re-applied.
    Stig SANDVED applied and introduced himself.
    All application were received in time and since the same amount of places in the Executive Board are vacant as there were applicants, all applicants are elected automatically and the Executive Board extends to 11 members again.
  4. Election Audit Committee / Election Committee
    Audit Committee: Jörg SCHWARZ, and Robert GUSTAFSSON
    Election Committee: Antonio LANDI, Thomas HELMECKE
  5. Work items for the upcoming year
    5.1. 3rd unit endorsement / new AB-INITIO program
    Follow up, as soon as the official agreement is signed.
    5.2. Training in EOS
    Competency Assessors for Flow and EOS and PoCs for training related issues are established.
    The post of a Training Coordinator will be established, if it is approved.
    5.3. ANP Support
    ALBATROSS Project, MAASERATI
    5.4. Civil / Military integration
    5.5. Optimized Sector Manning
    5.6. Phoenix Project
    5.7. Roster Revision Team
    5.8. Professional Behaviour Committee
  6. Adjustment of Membership Fees for Candidate Members
    Proposal of the Executive Board:
    Candidate members will only pay the joining fee and are free of the monthly membership fee.
    The AGM agrees to the proposal unanimously.
  7. AOB
  8. Closure
    Alessandro MERCATI closes the meeting at 17:02.

Minutes for the EGATS AGM 2020, 26 June 2020 @ 16:00lt

  1. Opening—President’s Welcome: Alessandro opens the meeting and welcomes everybody. We are very happy to have so many participants via TEAMS, which was offered for the first time. A special thank goes to Kris and Steve who will be leaving the board as of today.

  2. Acceptance of the Draft Minutes AGM 2019: The minutes are accepted without any comments.

  3. Reports:

    1. President’s Message: Alessandro summarizes what happened in the different projects EGATS is involved in over the last year and also what happened after his report was published.

MSP and night suite are put on hold and a new split off from the OSM project is being started. The o(verflow) controller, a(ssistant) controller concept, which is looking to renew the AC role and to define the legal framework for an OC. There are worries by the members who fail to see how a Centre already as twice as productive as any other ANSP, can benefit from any new concepts of operation.

Alessandro acknowledges this fear, but at the same time underlines, that he defines EGATS role to be open minded and constructive to be invited to follow these studies, rather than to fight them from the very beginning. Both studies are still At a very early stage, TTR SIMs planned for mid- September, Briefing sheet item to call for volunteers will be published soon and Alessandro and Fred are already planned for the 2 sets of simulations.

SMART is working on a wish list of technical requirements to give a chance to the concept to work

  • Executive Secretary: Michael has nothing to add to his report.
  • Professional and Technical Work items
  1. Optimized Sector Manning project (OSM): (see 3)a))
    1. Professional Behaviour Committee (PBC): No meetings happened for a long time.
    1. Roster Revision Team (RRT): No meetings happened for a long time.
    1. Training section: We received an official answer regarding our letter about checkouts in the simulator. However the concerns are still there. A simulator checkout can just not be compared to a checkout with real traffic, even when exercises are designed just for that checkout. There is basically nothing we can do anymore, since the regulator and management support the concept, except hoping that it will remain a temporary exception during these special circumstances, where traffic disappeared leading to a delay in all training activities.
    1. INREP: From our point of view the system is working well, even when we have only very few reports at the moment.
  • Membership: EGATS membership is not decreasing anymore, because most MAASMIL colleagues have joined and many new Ab-Initio’s are joining as well. We are very happy that the trend of a decreasing memberships has been stopped. As well we are working on new membership cards, which we will hopefully be able to deliver to you until the end of the year.
  • IFATCA:
  1. Frederic as appointed EVP Europe describes the “safe the skies” petition, which is promoted by IFATCA and is asking for your support to stop putting financial pressure on our business whilst airlines are receiving unlimited support.
    1. EGATS hopes to host the 2021 ERM now and Eurocontrol assured their support. A special thank for Philip for his help with the webpage and to Fred and Raf for their support as well.
  • Flight Department: Vincent is doing a great job. As well Adrian is working on a procedure to set up a system to enable professional familiarisation visits, which could hopefully be supported by our management as well. We are working on a familiarisation flight programme with Ryanair as well, where we established some contacts to the Niederrhein base.
  • Treasurer: Steven was unable to attend the AGM, but Michael shows his report to the meeting. There are no comments or questions and Steven is discharged unanimously.

  • Overview 2019
  • Audit  Committee—Discharge  of  Treasurer  for  2019
  • Budget 2020
  • Elections EB 2020: Kris Scicluna and Steve Mention did not reapply anymore. Sascha Martin, Alessandro Mercati and Raf Vigorita did reapply and Kay Rabel did apply as new board member. The board shrinks to 11 positions and Kay’s application is confirmed. Congratulations!
  • Election Audit Committee/Election Committee: Robert Gustafsson and Andrew Souyioltzis volunteer as audit committee. Philip Marien and Frederico Petrocchi as election committee.
  • Work items for the upcoming year:
  1. Organisation ERM 2021
    1. OSM (OC/AC concept)
    1. Training section
  • AOB: There is one question asked about the latest email send by our director. Is it forbidden to carry over any leave this year? Luckily the reps from the SC could clarify this and explain, that it is not forbidden to carry over the normal 12 days of leave.
  • Closing: The meeting is closed at 17:34.

Summary of our Board Meeting on 12 June 2019

Dear members,

Please have a look at what has been discussed:

  • OSM night: We sent an Email stating our opinion about the current state of the project and raising our questions and concerns. The feedback received was positive and management mostly shares our view. The project is still at an early stage and has to be seen more as a study, which we will continue to follow. For us the key points at this stage are that single-men-operation is from the table and having a commitment from management, that training for a MUAC night licence will be voluntary only, if this would be the outcome of the study.
  • What happened during this year’s IFATCA annual conference keeps us busy and we are still discussing possible actions. We will inform you in more detail about this in a separate publication, shortly.
  • We decided to lower the price for the leftover sweaters by 50% to only 10€. The money received by this will be donated to charity. So feel free to do something good and buy some more as well for your kids, friends, etc. ;o)

For any questions and suggestions, don’t hesitate to ask us or contact us via email.

Your EGATS EB

Summary of our Board Meeting on 03 May 2019

Dear members,

Summer traffic is approaching fast now, please have a look at what has been discussed:

  • We are still very busy with the OSM project. Mainly the night part is giving us a lot of work, since the project lead has changed recently and it takes our constant effort to stay involved. There has been simulations recently, to which EGATS was not invited and in which single man sector operations was simulated, which is not any option for MUAC. This point has been clarified with management as well. Now the focus is again to study the feasibility of different options, which might deliver a saving in the nights shift staffing.
  • ERM 2020: EGATS will run to organize the IFATCA European Regional Meeting 2020 in Maastricht. Currently we are planning for a meeting from 07.10-09.10. Of course we can use any help for this event, so should you be available and willing to help, please contact any board member.
  • The 2019 summer initiative was better prepared than last year. However the reduction in traffic feels overdone at this stage.

For any questions and suggestions don’t hesitate to ask us or contact us via email.

Your EGATS EB

Minutes for the EGATS AGM 2019, 03 April 2019 @ 17:30lt

1) Opening—President’s Welcome: Opening 17:31 lcl
2) Acceptance of the Draft Minutes AGM 2018: The minutes are accepted unanimously.
3) Reports:
a) President’s Message: Nothing to add to the report.
b) Executive Secretary: Nothing to add to the report.
c) Professional and Technical Work items
i) Optimized Sector Manning project (OSM):
(1) The project lead was passed on from Robert Parys to Rüdiger Ehrmanntraut. Ian Middleton shared our surprise about simulating single-men-operations as one of the possible options last week. On Friday we will have a meeting with Rüdiger, the OSM/night project manager, to discuss the project in more detail.
(2) OSM/MSP is planned for a OPS trial (Jever/Holstein) in November and we will make sure we will be present as well.
ii) CSS 2.0: Nothing to add to the report.
iii) Professional Behaviour Committee (PBC): Adrian reports that the Staff Committee is pushing for official terms of reference for the PBC.
iv) Roster Revision Team (RRT): It is still not known when the fair share tool will be available. At least not before Feb 2020 at the very earliest.
v) Training section: The pass-rate of the first round of Abinitios is very promising. We hope the success rate will continue. There are still adjustments being made in the training to even improve the quality. Next year the intake is foreseen to increase from 26 to 36 Abinitios per year.
vi) INREP: The number of reports is dropping.
d) Membership: We recently had a spike in applications.
e) IFATCA: EGATS is investigation in the organization of the European Regional Meeting in 2020 and we already have been assured to get support from DIRMAS.
f) Flight Department: We are very happy with Vincent’s work and the new deals that were established. The flight department is far more busy at the moment than in previous years.
g) Photo competition 2019: Nothing to add to the report.
h) Treasurer
– Overview 2018
– Audit Committee—Discharge of Treasurer for 2018: Steven is unanimously discharged
– Budget 2019: approved
4) Approval to extend the board: The motion is approved unanimously.
5) Elections EB 2019: Due to the extension of the board no elections were necessary and all “old” board members standing for re-election (Frederic, Michael, Viktor, Steven, Adrian and Jaakko) are confirmed. On top of that we are very happy to welcome Robert Klos as newly appointed board member.
6) Election Audit Committee/Election Committee: Due to lack of volunteers Michael will
contact the committees from last year to ask them to volunteer again.
7) Work items for the upcoming year:
a) OSM: Our main work item at present is taking up a lot of time. As well we constantly
have to fight to get invited/involved to stay in the picture.
b) Military integration/harmonisation: Sascha is following this mainly.
8) AOB:
a) Clare announced to step down from her function as CISM administrator in the
beginning of 2020. One of the reasons is that she didn’t get the AoDs needed within
her working time, which are necessary to get the job done. Normally an ATCO on a
official side-track is foreseen as administrator, and there are no side-tracks possible
in EOS. Presently we are discussing with management the possibility to assign Clare
the 15 AoDs the CISM administrator is entitled to within the working time. If we will be
successful, Clare hopefully reconsiders her decision and continues her excellent
work. If not the 15 AoDs will have to come from ATCO pool, which is not desirable,
looking at the staffing issues we are facing in MUAC.
b) We are invited to join the innovation and engagement group and will discuss this
further at the next board meeting.
c) After asking for it, we did get an introduction into the ARGOS project, which is aiming
at automation of ATC. We will take this up as well as part of our work.
d) We are planning to establish a concept to work closer together with TUEM. After
Frederic stepping down from the TUEM board we feel the need to investigate
different ways to collaborate in the future.
9) Closing 19:20

Summary of the Executive Board Meeting 03 DEC 2018

This is a summary of what has been discussed:

  • Our main work item is OSM (optimised sector manning) with its two pillars being MSP (multi sector planner) and night-manning. We still follow both projects, keep raising our concerns, and sharing our worries. However, the project team believes that these problems can somehow be overcome and continues with further steps. We will continue to monitor, but want to use this opportunity to raise your awareness and to be very careful when getting involved with this: a number of colleagues have been rostered for workshops and simulations in the next months. Be aware that your input might support the loss of one of the most important pillars of our safety net: the 4-eyes principle and us always working in a team of two. Is this something you don’t mind to lose?
  • Vincent Laeremans (simulator assistant) took over as chairman of the flight department and straight away arranged new deals with Turkish Airlines and Icelandair. We are very happy to have a new and very motivated chairman and we will offer him all the support we can give.
  • We plan to do our AGM on 03.04.2019. More information will follow in due time.

For any questions and suggestions don’t hesitate to ask us or contact us via email.

Happy Christmas Days!

Summary of our Board meeting on 18 September 2018

Here is a summary of what has been discussed:

  • We broadly discussed our experience with the ab-initio training at the moment. There are many worries/items that came up in the discussion (e.g.: rostering problems, lack of practical exams, focus too much on quantity rather than on quality, staff shortage, etc.) and it seems difficult where to start. Generally we feel like we need to gather more experience to come up with solid suggestions for improvements. Maybe a broader review similar to the CSS review should be done in the future.
  • We will change our setup for the “day of the controller” slightly from the years before. The timeframe when massages will be offered will be shorter, but we will offer a talk/discussion about EGATS work and some snacks on top.
  • CSS 2.0: So far, we only hear positive comments about the new OPS-setup, especially when the ARM is from the “home” sector group. On the other hand there are some issues with CONNECT. Decisions, which SUPs will be involved in line-management, were taken without asking individuals about their preference and even after the decision was taken nobody informed staff involved about their changed responsibility.
  • We received the report of the second round of MSP simulations and still see no solutions for the main worries we had from the beginning: how to keep situational awareness in two different sectors, monitoring of two different FQ, loss of 4-eye-principle.

For any questions and suggestions don’t hesitate to ask us or contact us via email.

Your EGATS EB

Summary of our Board Meeting on 08 June 2018

Here is a summary of what has been discussed:

  • OSM-Multi-Sector-Planner: A second simulation was conducted in May having one PC for Holstein and Jever sector. We are waiting for the report, however remain very sceptical for multiple reasons. Taking away another buffer in our already busy and unpredictable environment, loss of the 4-eye-principle, loss of monitoring of the FQ by the planner are critical points that make MSP less safe than a team of EC and PC. The only reason for this project in our eyes is the shortage of staff.
  • We discussed our experience so far with the 4EC-initiative and agreed that the briefing was too late and too general. The flyer was not saying anything. It seems to us that MUAC underestimated the scale of the 4EC-initiative. For next year it needs to be clear that the ATCOs working at the sharp end have all the information needed to understand the measures taken and how to apply them correctly. As well a greater understanding of the measures would in our eyes lead to a greater acceptability. The early involvement of side-trackers already at the workshops with the other centres would make things smoother and could lead to a better result for MUAC and our customers.
  • In all 4 sector groups there is more and more pressure due to lack of staff. We will do our best to make sure the current rules for planning staff, breaks and  opening and closing sectors are taken into account at all times.
  • We will contact the staff association to contact a German corporate benefit site to make the deals available for MUAC staff.

For any questions and suggestions don’t hesitate to ask us or contact us via email.

Your EGATS EB

EGATS Photo Competition 2018 : TRANSPORTATION

The theme selected for the 2018 EGATS photo competition is “Transportation

The 2018 EGATS Photo Competition is open to all EUROCONTROL present and retired staff members and their direct family members. So for all of you – and partners and kids! – who are keen photographers, this is a chance to have some fun and enter pictures in this year’s competition. The topic is broad: you can submit photos related to any kind of transportation method.

Three valuable prizes will be offered to the winners and, the competition closes on 1 November 2018. Click on Read More for the detailed rules.