International Air Transport Association (Iata)

IATA was founded in 1945 in Havana by the airlines of many countries to meet the problems created by rapid expansion of civil air services at the close of the Second World War.

It affiliates more than 120 airlines. It's a non-governmental organization. IATA deals with the non-political aspects of air transport operation, its work begins only after governments have decided which companies they wish to license and how they wish to exchange traffic and other rights between them, out from that point on, the activity of IATA spreads through virtually every phrase of air transport operations.

The Association has 2 main offices, one in Montreal, the other in Geneva. The highest body of the Association is General Annual meeting. The year-round work is carried out by the Executive Committee which consists of 21 people and which is elected by the General Annual Meeting. The Executive Committee carries out its work through 5 committees: Financial, Legal, Technical, Traffic and Medical.

The IATA Financial Committee deals with all aspects of the accounting and settlement between airlines for the business they do with each other, it is concerned with problems regarding currency and exchange, taxation, charges, insurances and statistics.

The IATA Legal Committee holds a watching brief on behalf of airlines over international conventions on public and private air law, conflicts of law and arbitration.

The IATA Technical Committee deals with planning and implementation of air navigation facilities and services, with new and developing problems in all technical fields of air transport operation.

Most complex role is in the field of Traffic - a term which embraces the commercial activities of the airlines. IATA is particularly concerned with interline agreements and other factors which make possible the easy and quick exchange of traffic between airlines.

The IATA Medical Committee deals with all physiological and psychological factors which might affect the safety, comfort and efficiency of air crews and passengers. It is also a channel of airline cooperation with the World Health organization.

Since they arise from the basic necessities of international air transport, IATA's aims and its achievements are essentially practical. This world airline cooperation through IATA has many purposes. The primary one is to promote safe, regular and economical air transport for the peoples in the world.

Air Traffic Service

Control of air traffic was almost unknown when ICAO was founded in 1944. Today the air traffic control, flight information and alerting services, which together comprise air traffic services, rank high among the indispensable ground support facilities which ensure the safety and efficient operation throughout the world.

Annex 11 to the ICAO Convention defines air traffic services and specifies the world-wide Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) applicable in the provision of these services.

The world’s airspace is divided into a series of contiguous flight information.

Regions (FIRs) within which air traffic services are provided. In some cases, the flight information regions cover large oceanic areas with relatively low air traffic density, within which only flight information service and alerting service are provided. In other flight information regions, large portions of the airspace are controlled airspace within which air traffic control service is provided in addition to flight information and alerting service.

The prime objective air traffic services, as defined in Annex 11, is to prevent collision between aircraft, whether taxiing on the manoeuvring area, taking-off, landing, en-route or in the holding pattern at destination aerodrome. The Annex also, deals with ways of expediting and maintaining an orderly flow of air traffic and providing advice and information for the safe and efficient conduct of flights and alerting service for aircraft in distress. To meet these objectives, ICAO provisions call for the establishment of flight information centres and air traffic control units.

The aircraft fly in accordance with the Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) or Visual Flighty Rules (VFR). Under IFR, the aircraft fly from one radio aid to the next or by reference to self-contained airborne navigation equipment from which the pilot can determine the aircraft's position at all times. IFR flights are conducted through all but severe weather conditions, while aircraft flying under VFR must remain clear of clouds .and operate in visibility conditions which will permit the pilot to see and avoid other aircraft. IFR flights are provided with air control service when operating in controlled airspace. When operating in uncontrolled airspace, flight information service, which includes information on known traffic, is provided the pilot is responsible for arranging the flight to avoid other traffic. Control service is normally not provided to VFR flights, unless in specific areas, in which case VFR flights are separated from IFR flights but no separations is provided between VFR flights, unless specifically required by the ATC authority. However, not all aircraft are provided with air traffic services. If an aircraft is operating entirely outside of controlled airspace in an area where a flight plan is not required, the flight may not even be known to air traffic services.

Air traffic control service consists of clearances issued by air traffic control units to achieve longitudinal, vertical or lateral separation between aircraft, in accordance with the provisions set out in Annex 11.

Air Traffic Controllers at control centres in more than 60 countries of the world use the advanced technologies and the commitment to safety for those who fly. As aviation training requires a working knowledge of equipment, which is in a continuous process of innovation and modification, it is necessary to have a dedicated and skillful staff. The continuing changes in equipment and the rapid computerization is being held in many airports of Ukraine.

Aviation safety and efficiency, depends on strict and rigorous professional training. The people selected to look after, and be responsible for the safety of aircraft both on the ground and in the air, must show before acceptance that they have some experience in aviation.