7 December 1999
The theme of this year's annually celebrated International Civil Aviation Day is "Promoting global friendship and understanding" These celebrations mark the creation of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) on 7 December 1944.
ICAO, an specialised agency of the United Nations, was created to promote international standards and regulations necessary for the safety, security, efficiency and regularity of air transport and serves as a medium for co-operation in the field of civil a viation.
The theme is taken from the preamble to the Convention on International Civil Aviation to which South Africa is a signatory, which was signed in Chicago in 1944. This preamble reads thus:
"Whereas the future development of international civil aviation can greatly help create and preserve friendship and undertaking among the nations and peoples of the world... to promote that co-operation between nations and peoples upon which the peace of t he world depends."
ICAO has played a central role in helping nations to maintain an infinitely complex yet resilient structure of international regulations and agreements that make it possible to fly safely and efficiently to any country on the face of the country.
South Africa as one of the 185 Contracting States of ICAO, has given the Organisation the resources and capabilities to ensure that it would continue to effectively carry out its roles as the global aviation regulatory agency. Various highlights have contr ibuted to the significant increase in co-operation between States and international aviation organisations such as IATA, UNIDROIT and AFCAC (African Civil Aviation Commission) among others. These highlights include Safety in Air Transport, Air Navigation, Environment, Technical Co-operation and the Y2K Problem.
All these highlights and challenges will require South Africa to continue producing an aviation oriented workforce that is diligent, responsible and able to handle this ever-increasing dynamic field of aviation. We are a multi-racial nation, thus the workf orce will have to reflect the components of our society.
This year's theme will assist us in celebrating International Civil Aviation Day by making us to get to know each other as a diverse nation of South Africans, and hopefully gain understanding and appreciation for who we are as individuals and as members of a global community. It is thus imperative to start by focussing on South Africa so that we can contribute to the large community we belong in.
As a consequence, the South African civil aviation industry is committed to sensitising our youth to the various career options that were previously envisaged to be out of their scope. The Department of Transport together with the South African Civil Aviat ion Authority (SACAA), the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA), Air Traffic and Navigation Services Company (ATNS), South African Airways (SAA) and other South African Airlines are committed to reach out to South African Youth, especially those segment s of the population that were previously disadvantaged. We need to trigger their interest to participate in an industry that is vital to the economic development of the country.
As a Department we are committed to creating a conducive environment for the development of an air transport industry that is sustainable, meets the needs of customers, improves the level of service and reduces costs while being safe, efficient and interna tionally competitive. As alluded to before, this requires individuals who are multi-talented, committed and diligent. There are multiple opportunities in this industry and it is up to the youth to take advantage of them and have and have a fulfilling caree r "in the heavens". These range from passenger and cargo airlines, air traffic and airport management institutions as well as economic and safety regulators.
The Airlines provide opportunities for high flying and rewarding careers as pilots, cabin crew, a variety of aircraft engineers, cargo handlers, flight dispatchers, airline managers and many more.
The Air Traffic and Navigation Services environment offers highly respected and prestigious careers as air traffic controllers, meteorologists and avionicians.
The Airports environment offers very demanding careers in airport management in the areas of fire and safety, security, operations, engineering and many more.
The regulatory and safety environment offers challenging careers as airworthiness inspectors, flight and crew inspectors, accident investigators, aviation safety managers, aviation business and economic analysts and many more.
This is not to mean that these are the only career opportunities in civil aviation. The industry also has generic career available in all organisations. You can pursue finance, human resources, legal, marketing, communications and many more in aviation. If you must pursue it, pursue it in the exciting scope of aviation!
Indeed, South Africa should be well poised to meet the current and future challenges with renewed vigour and determination, in the spirit of friendship and understanding of this year's International Civil Aviation Day celebrations.