FAQ Group: Membership

What is an Honorary Member?

Honorary members are persons, who have rendered noteworthy service to Air Traffic Control or Air Navigation in general or to EGATS in particular. Such persons will be proposed by the Executive Board as Honorary Members to the General Meeting.

Currently, EGATS has six honorary members.

Honorary Members are exempt from having to pay membership fees.

Who can become ordinary member of EGATS?

Ordinary members are natural persons who accept the objectives of EGATS and are established employees of the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation, Eurocontrol, or after a minimum period of five years of membership of EGATS enjoy a pension from Eurocontrol. ( Retirement, E.T.S. or Invalidity) and are in possession, or have been in possession for a period of at least five years of an Air Traffic Controllers Licence, issued by Eurocontrol or by the competent authority of a memberstate of ECAC, or are employed, or have been employed, as a Flight Data Assistant in Maastricht UAC, or coming from such a position, after a minimum period of five years of membership of EGATS, are employed in another function within Eurocontrol outside Maastricht UAC.

Natural persons who accept the objectives of EGATS, and are employed as licenced Air Traffic Controller by a civil or military organisation, within Maastricht UAC, primarily charged with the control of Operational Air Traffic in an Eurocontrol Memberstate can also be admitted as Ordinary member. They may continue their membership after retirement if they have been Member for at least five years.

When is my membership fee due?

Membership fee is due in JANUARY of each year Please make sure you pay on time. Look elsewhere in the Frequently Asked Questions for the consequences if you don’t! Or read the Bye-Laws: they are really interesting. No really, they are!

What if I still don’t pay after the reminder?

Allow us to quote from the bye-laws: Members failing to pay their contributions before the end of February will lose all membership entitlements from March 1st. This includes losing the right to attend General Meetings, the right to vote, the right to vote by proxy, eligibility for election to the Executive Board, eligibility for a seat on a Standing Committee, any subscriptions to the Association’s publications, IFATCA affiliation and access to familiarization flights made available by the Flight Department.

How can I avoid hassle with membership fees?

We strongly recommend you arrange a standing order with your bank to pay the fee automatically every year. Alternatively, you can now give the EGATS Treasurer the authorisation to have the amount deducted from your Eurocontrol January salary/pension.  If you’re interested If you’re interested in this option, please contact the treasurer using this Contact Us form.

What happens if I don’t pay in time?

You will receive 1 (one!) reminder if you haven’t paid by the 31st of January. You might get a second one, if the treasurer is in a good mood. You WILL NOT get a third one!

What if I still don’t pay?

Again to quote from the bye-laws (you should try reading them some time): If no payment has been received by April 1st , it will be assumed that the member no longer wishes to continue his membership of the Association and thus will it will be terminated without further consultation and without invoking the suspension/expulsion procedure.