site.bta41 Women Help Keep Bulgaria’s Skies Safe

There are 328 air traffic controllers in Bulgaria, 41 of whom are women, said Kamen Yordanov, Head of the Aviation Training Centre department at the Bulgarian Air Traffic Services Authority (BULATSA), in an interview with BTA. March 8 marks International Women’s Day.

"In my opinion, the percentage of female air traffic controllers is extremely low. We are making various efforts to promote the profession among more women, encouraging them to apply and become part of our team," he noted.

"I have not really thought about why more women do not apply. This is an extremely attractive profession for both men and women. The women I have the honour of working with as air traffic controllers perform exceptionally well. I would be happy to see more women joining our team and training programme," Yordanov added.

As the head of training and simulation systems, he highlighted that currently, 40 people are training to become future air traffic controllers, but only five of them are women. "I hope that in our upcoming recruitment campaigns, more women will participate and successfully pass the selection and training stages," he emphasized.

Yordanov also explained the responsibilities of air traffic controllers. The Tower, Approach, and Control controllers oversee aircraft takeoffs, movements, landings, altitude changes, descents, and their integration into passing traffic. According to him, at times, a single controller may manage up to 25 aircraft in the air simultaneously, ensuring their safe passage through Bulgaria's airspace.

He pointed out that 2019 was previously considered a record-breaking year for air traffic in Bulgaria, with over 900,000 flights managed. However, in 2023, following aviation's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, that record was surpassed. In 2024, a new milestone was reached, with over one million flights handled.

"This year, we expect another 5% increase in traffic," Yordanov said.