ENAIRE, EUROCONTROL and the leading airlines hold the 13th edition of the international operational safety conference

ENAIRE, the national air navigation service provider, EUROCONTROL and leading airlines held the thirteenth edition of the international operational safety conference, known as the Safety Workshop, on 19 and 20 November at the Canary Islands Air Traffic Control Centre.

ENAIRE presented proposals for operational and safety improvements for the approaches to the Tenerife Norte-Ciudad de La Laguna and Tenerife Sur airports

The event brings together pilots, air traffic controllers and operational safety specialists from all over Europe, and features, among others, AENA, AESA, officials from Spain's Air and Space Force, other service providers and EUROCONTROL, the European network manager for air navigation safety.

Attending on behalf of the official association of commercial aviation pilots (COPAC) was Gustavo J. Barba, manager of the Observatory for the Safety, Efficiency and Sustainability of Air Operations, and representing the professional association of air traffic controllers, APROCTA, was its technical member Luis J. Vidarte.

ENAIRE was represented by Javier Delgado, Director of the Canary Islands Region; Santiago Cortés, Head of the Safety Division; Jesús Romero, Head of the Operational Safety Division; Eduardo Ortuño, Head of the Canary Islands Air Traffic Services Division; and the heads of Operational Safety for the Canary Islands (Félix Travieso), East (Carlos García Barrio), South (Ricardo Espantaleón), Centre-North (Carlos Villoldo) and Balearic Islands (Gregorio Mut) regions.  

Notable improvements in the Canary Islands

At this edition, perspectives were shared on the most relevant operational safety issues both nationally and in the Canary Islands, as were experiences and new challenges, such as the following:

- HERMES, the new approaches implemented since 5 September in the approach airspace to the Gran Canaria Airport.

- Operational safety challenges at the Tenerife Norte-Ciudad de La Laguna and Tenerife Sur airports. 

- Lessons learned after the SYRIO 2024 Exercise to improve the coordination of military exercises.

- Managing traffic overloads and how to investigate and mitigate them through the safety management system.

[Javier Delgado, regional director of ENAIRE in the Canary Islands, inaugurated the XIII international operational safety conferences]

ENAIRE, international leader in safety management

Within the framework of the organization’s successive strategic plans, the 2020 Flight Plan and the 2025 Flight Plan, safety, quality of service, efficiency and sustainability are ENAIRE’s priorities in flight management.

Furthermore, ENAIRE has been the European leader in the effectiveness of its Safety Management Systrem since 2019, achieving and maintaining the maximum possible result (100%) since 2020 for the fourth consecutive year.

About ENAIRE

ENAIRE is the air navigation service provider in Spain.

As a company of the Ministry of Sustainable Transport and Mobility, it provides air traffic control services during the en route and approach phases of all flights to and from Spain and overflights. In addition, it manages communications, navigation and surveillance services from ENAIRE in the airspace and the entire AENA airport network in Spain and provides aerodrome air traffic control services in 21 airports, including the busiest.

ENAIRE is the fourth largest European air navigation service provider, and it is a member of international partnerships A6 Alliance, SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research) Joint Undertaking, SESAR Deployment Manager, iTEC, CANSO (Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation) and collaborates closely with ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization).

ENAIRE has received the highest score in Europe on the aviation safety key performance indicator for four years in a row. It has also been awarded the EFQM 600 Seal for its safe, efficient, innovative and sustainable management of air navigation services.