S.L. 499.9 Art. 63Licensing of air traffic controllers, student air traffic controllers, apron controllers and student apron controllers.

(1) The Director General shall grant a licence, subject to such conditions as he thinks fit, to any person to act as an air traffic controller, or as a student air traffic controller, or as an apron controller, or as a student apron controller, if he is satisfied that the applicant is a fit person to hold the licence by reason of his knowledge, experience, competence, linguistic proficiency, skill, physical and mental fitness so to act, and for that purpose the applicant shall furnish such evidence and undergo such examinations and tests, including medical examinations, as the

Director General may require:

Provided that the Director General shall only grant -

(a) a student air traffic controller’s licence, to a person who is at least eighteen years old, and holds a secondary education certificate and who has successfully completed approved initial training relevant to the rating and, rating endorsement as applicable and as set out in Schedule 9; holds a valid medical certificate; and has demonstrated an adequate level of linguistic proficiency in accordance with the requirements set out in Schedule 9, and provided that the licence contains at least one rating and one rating endorsement, if applicable; or

(b) an air traffic controller’s licence, to a person who is at least twenty one years old, holds a student licence, is sufficiently trained in safety, security and crisis management, has completed an approved unit training plan and successfully passed the appropriate examinations or assessments in accordance with the requirements set out in Schedule 9, holds a valid medical certificate; and has demonstrated an adequate level of linguistic proficiency in accordance with the requirements set out in Schedule 9. The licence shall be validated by the inclusion of one or more ratings and the relevant rating, unit and language endorsements for which training was successfully completed; or

(c) an instructor endorsement to holders of an air traffic controller licence who has provided air traffic control services for an immediately preceding period of at least one year, or such longer duration as is fixed by the Director General having regard to the ratings and endorsements for which instruction is given, and has successfully completed an approved on-the-job training instructor course during which the required knowledge and pedagogical skills were assessed through appropriate examinations; or

(d) a student apron controller’s licence to a person who is at least eighteen years old; or

(e) an apron controller’s licence to a person who is at least twenty one years old, holds a student apron controller’s licence and has completed an approved training plan and successfully passed the appropriate examination or assessments, holds a valid medical certificate and has demonstrated an adequate level of linguistic proficiency.

(2) An air traffic controller’s licence, or a student air traffic controller’s licence should include the items set out in Schedule 9.

(3) Every licence to act as an air traffic controller shall include:

(a) ratings of one or more of the classes set forth in Schedule 9 specifying the type of air traffic control service which the holder of the licence is competent to provide,

(b) the air traffic control unit at which the service may be provided,

(c) where applicable the operational positions or sectors on which the air traffic controller is competent to provide an air traffic control service, and

(d) the type of surveillance equipment.

If throughout any period of one hundred and twenty days, the holder of the licence has not for a minimum period of time specified by the Director General, provided at a particular unit the type of air traffic control service specified in the rating, the rating shall, without prejudice to the Director General’s powers under article 60, cease to be valid for that unit at the end of that period, and upon a rating ceasing to be valid for a unit the holder of the licence shall forthwith inform the Director General to that effect and shall forward the licence to the Director General to enable him to endorse it accordingly.

(4) Every licence to act as a student air traffic controller shall be valid only for the purpose of authorising the holder to provide air traffic control service under the supervision of another person who is present at the time and is the holder of a valid air traffic controller’s licence which includes an On-the-Job Training Instructor endorsement and a rating specifying the type of air traffic control service which is being provided by the student air traffic controller and valid for the air traffic control unit where the service is being provided.

(5) Every licence to act as an apron controller shall include a list of the places at which he may provide apron management service. If throughout any period of one hundred and twenty days, the holder of the licence has not, for a minimum period of time to be specified by the Director General, provided at a particular place apron management service, the licence shall, without prejudice to the Director General’s powers under article 60, cease to be valid for that place at the end of that period, and upon a licence ceasing to be valid for a place the holder of the licence shall forthwith inform the Director General to that effect and shall forward the licence to the Director General to enable him to endorse it accordingly.

(6) Every licence to act as a student apron controller shall be valid only for the purpose of authorising the holder to provide apron management service under the supervision of another person who is present at the time and is the holder of a valid apron controller’s licence which is valid at the place in question.

(7) A licence to act as an air traffic controller, or a student air traffic controller, or as an apron controller, or as a student apron controller, shall not be valid unless it bears the signature of the holder.

(8) (a) Subject to the provision of article 60, a student air traffic controller’s licence shall remain in force for a maximum period of two years, and its validity may be renewed by the Director General from time to time, upon his being satisfied that the applicant is a fit person and is qualified as aforesaid.

(b) Subject to the provisions of article 60, an air traffic controller’s licence shall remain in force for the period indicated in the licence and if no period is indicated in the licence, subject to the aforesaid, it shall remain in force for the lifetime of the holder.

(9) Subject to the provisions of article 60, a student apron controller’s licence and an apron controller’s licence shall remain in force for maximum periods of two years, and their validity may be renewed by the Director General from time to time, upon his being satisfied that the applicant is a fit person and is qualified as aforesaid.

(10) Every applicant and holder of an air traffic controller’s licence, or a student air traffic controller’s licence, or an apron controller’s licence, or a student apron controller’s licence, shall upon such occasions as the Director General may require -

(a) submit himself to medical examination by a person approved by the Director General either generally or in a particular case who shall make a report to the Director General in such form as the Director General may require; and

(b) submit himself to such examinations and tests and furnish such evidence as to his knowledge, experience, competence and skill as the Director General may require, and such examinations and tests may be conducted by the Director General or by a person approved by the Director General; and

(c) submit himself to such tests to determine whether he is using any psychoactive substances by a person approved by the Director General either generally or in a particular case who shall make a report to the Director General in such form as the Director General may require.

(11) On the basis of the medical examination referred to in subarticle (9), the Director General or any person approved by him as competent to do so may issue a medical certificate subject to such conditions as the Director General or the person approved by him thinks fit to the effect that the holder of the licence has been assessed as fit to perform the functions to which the licence relates. The certificate shall, without prejudice to article 66, be valid for such period as is therein specified, and shall be deemed to form part of the licence.

(12) (a) The holder of an air traffic controller’s licence, or a student air traffic controller’s licence, or an apron controller’s licence, or a student apron controller’s licence shall not provide any type of air traffic control service or apron management service, as the case may be, at an air traffic control unit or place as is referred to in articles 64 and 65(1) -

(i) unless his licence includes a medical certificate issued and in force under subarticle (11), or

(ii) if he fails a medical examination whilst his previous medical certificate has not yet expired, or

(iii) he is under the influence of a psychoactive substance including any medicine that might have a negative influence on his capacity to perform a safe service, or

(iv) whenever there is any decrease in his medical fitness which might render him unable to safely and properly exercise the licence privileges.

(b) Medical certificates shall be issued by a competent medical body or by medical examiners approved by the Director General, and shall be consistent with the provisions of Annex 1 to the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation and the Requirements for European Class 3 Medical Certification of Air Traffic Controllers laid down by Eurocontrol.

(c) Medical certificates shall be valid from the date of the medical examination and for twenty-four months thereafter for air traffic controllers up to the age of forty years and for twelve months above that age. A medical certificate may be revoked at any time if the medical condition of the holder so requires.

(d) The Director General shall ensure that effective review or appeal procedures are in place with the appropriate involvement of independent medical advisors.

(e) A licence holder shall notify his employers that he is becoming aware of any decrease in medical fitness or is under the influence of any psychoactive substance or medicine which might render him unable to exercise the privileges of the licence safely and properly.

(13) The Director General may issue to a suitably qualified air traffic controller an On-the-Job Training Instructor endorsement in an air traffic controller’s licence, subject to such conditions as he thinks fit, to enable him to supervise student air traffic controller licence holders, or trainee air traffic controllers, whilst such student or trainee air traffic controller provides an operational air traffic control service during on the job training.

The instructor endorsement shall indicate that the holder of the licence is competent to provide training and supervision at a working position for areas covered by a valid rating.