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!

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

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

Here is a summary of what has been discussed:

• Alessandro Mercati is confirmed by the board to take over the presidency from Raf Vigorita.
• Sascha Martin, Viktor Koren and Adrian Stefan will be the 3 INREP trustees, after Kris Scicluna and Alessandro Mercati stepped down.
• Most of the meeting time was used for a presentation by Robert Parys, Gareth Lawton and Herbert Koppe about OSM, especially the possibilities to make night shift staffing more effective.
  Four options are discussed:
  • Current roster and Planning rules, but reduce the staff for the night shift from 4 to 3 ATCOs per SG
  • Combine all three SGs to one MUAC sector
  • Spin-off from option 2. Collapse the DECO SG and HAN SG to one sector and keep the BRU SG as a standalone sector
  • Single man operation. Three ATCOs (one per SG) sit next to each other and they work their AOR on their own.

On all four options, the night is worked with only 3 ATCOs per SG. EGATS has reservations against all 4 options and insists on keeping the 4-eye-principle. Simulations on option 3 and 4 are planned for Q1/2019.
The current night-rostering has proved to work well for over 10 years and the board sees no option to reduce the staffing during night further without any safety implications or taking a huge risk to close the airspace for at least part of the night.For MSP the project group foresees the necessity for a lot of technical changes before they will plan a second round of simulations.

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

Your EGATS EB

Here is a summary of what has been discussed:

• Please note the date  for the EGATS AGM: 26 Februart 2018 @ 17:30
• Olno trial: The board is happy that necessary steps were identified and it is now FAC involved in future evaluations.
• CSS review: Projects have been launched following the outcome of the CSS review. More info will follow in due time.
• OSM: A new Multi-Sector Planner simulation will be planned in the 2nd quarter 2018. We continue to monitor the project and give our opinion about different ideas.

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

Your EGATS EB

Dear members,

Here is a summary of what has been discussed:

• We were invited to join the Optimized Sector Manning Project (OSM) and will keep you informed.
• Mas-Mil: We are currently in the process of drafting an idea to further enhance the military integration in our centre. Further information will follow in due time.
• CSS review is progressing well. The final study report will be presented to management very soon.  Then it is up to them to decide and make it hopefully an implementation project.
• Flight department: We will use the vitrine kast in front of the OPS-room in the future to inform our members about any deals we have.
• Facebook: We will start using our Facebook account to distribute certain information. We will start inviting members to join the EGATS group as well.

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

Your EGATS EB