Sharjah recently marked its presence once again by creating a significant milestone after Maryam Al Hammadi became the first Emirati woman to become an air traffic control officer (ATCO)  in Sharjah. The Department of Civil Aviation of Sharjah celebrated this occasion as this achievement marks the success of the Emiratisation programme at DCA. This program enables opportunities for citizens to excel in new fields, alongside providing countless support and training or skill and professional development. 

With her intense dedication and hard work along with her skills, Maryam Al Hammadi set a milestone in Sharjah. Her hard work helped her complete the training programme as per the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) as well as the nature of the work in record time. 

She has completed several courses and earned certificates by passing all of these courses such as ICAO 051(International Civil Aviation Organization), ICAO 052, ATCO Pre-OJT, ATCO OJT, and the ATCO proficiency testing exam within 3 years of joining the department. 

This achievement of Maryam marks the success of the DCA’s (Department of Civil Aviation) programme named Emiratisation in Sharjah. The programme is always keen to offer equal opportunities for both male and female citizens to step into, explore, and excel in new fields while providing ample support and rigorous training to sharpen their skills and professional development. 

Al Hammadi carried out all the tasks assigned to her while managing the operations of aircraft at the air traffic control at Sharjah Airport, affiliated with DCA, ensuring the safe and efficient movement of flights. It is a noteworthy thing to keep in mind that the previous year, the Air Control Department at Sharjah Airport handled more than 104,000 flights with approximately 364 flights per day. 

Regarding this achievement and success of the programme, the Chairman of Sharjah Civil Aviation Department, Sheikh Khalid bin Essam Al Qasimi said his thoughts that DCA is determined to provide support and enable women to achieve success in all fields and he is proud of the presence of the first Emirati woman working as ATCO in Sharjah. He further added, “There is no doubt that this step is in line with the directives and vision of wise leadership in empowering women and ensuring their effective participation in the journey of sustainable economic development.”

Sharing her thoughts, Maryam Al Hammadi said that she is proud to be the first Emirati ATCO in Sharjah, and this achievement increases her responsibility and motivates her to contribute to the aviation sector in the United Arab Emirates. 

About Sharjah Civil Aviation Department:

The Department of Civil Aviation in Sharjah is responsible for policy-making, traffic rights, licensing of travel agents, and representing the Sharjah Government within the umbrella of the United Arab Emirates Federation on bilateral issues. It was established in the year 1932. Sharjah made aviation history in 1932 when the emirate’s first flight landed on the Al Mahatta runway. 

About ATCO

Air Traffic Control Officers (ATCO) are responsible for the safe, orderly, and expeditious flow of air traffic in the global air traffic control system. These are usually installed or established in air traffic control centres or the control towers on the ground. ATCO monitor the position, speed, and altitude of aircraft in their assigned airspace visually and by radar while providing directions to the pilots by radio communication. 

The people labelled ATCO must possess in-depth knowledge, skills, and abilities to manage & handle it well. Controllers are required to apply separation rules to maintain the aircraft in a safe position from each other and within proper airspace in their area of responsibility and move all aircraft safely and efficiently through their assigned sector of airspace, as well as on the ground. 

ATCO people are generally those individuals who possess extensive situational awareness, and spatial awareness and are well-organised. Apart from these, the other key skills include fast processing of numeric computations and mathematics, assertive and firm decision-making skills, the ability to maintain composure under pressure, and an excellent short-term memory.