Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Saudi women have been embarking on a greater phase of empowerment in the profession of air traffic controller, with the number of female air traffic controllers in the Kingdom reaching 26 within a short span of one year.

Several Saudi women have received their training from the Saudi Academy of Civil Aviation, specialized in this field and that had won many international accreditations.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) announced that the rate of Saudization in this field in the Kingdom reached 100 percent. GACA expressed its pride in the capabilities and skills of its air traffic controllers. The authority is keen to achieve a safe atmosphere in accordance with the most accurate global safety standards, and building a modern system with advanced services in the field of air navigation.

Reem Abdullah, air traffic controller, said that passion and challenge are the factors that prompted her to opt for the aviation field. “We are graduates from the first batch of women air traffic controllers. When you have a passion for a work, everything will be easier and enjoyable for you,” she said adding, “with a desire and a high sense of responsibility, we were able to manage air traffic.”

Rowan Hubaishi, another air traffic controller, described the work in civil aviation as very interesting. “The work in the air control profession is so beautiful that sometimes we do not want to go out and want to continue to do this interesting job,” she said expressing her happiness to have received excellent training. “The biggest proof of this is that we are a full batch after graduation, performing our work to the fullest and without any problem, and this is the result of the distinguished training we had received,” she said.

Lina Adel, another controller, does not hide her ambition to become the first woman in the administration of the region in air traffic control. “In fact we got top standard professional training, and the first word we heard when we entered the training is that there is no difference between you and the men and you can work and achieve successes in this profession. All praise be to God, this is what happened after we passed the precise tests and distinguished training in the academy. ”

Shada Barakat, another air traffic controller, said that this profession suits her preferences, especially as it is a job in which there are many challenges and it is not at all conventional.

On her part, Shahd Faisal Zarie, a trainee, said during the ongoing training, she discovered that this job is fun and unconventional, and she has a challenge to work in this important job. “The phases of exams for this job are not easy at all, but at the same time enjoyable because they are varied and quite interesting.”

The first Saudi women air traffic controllers joined service in March 2019 after completion of a one-year program conducted by the Saudi Air Navigation Services in cooperation with the Saudi Academy of Civil Aviation. The graduates completed the program at an air traffic control center in Jeddah as part of the Vision 2030.