PICTURE: Offaly woman graduates with flying colours as air traffic engineer

An Offaly woman has graduated as one of Ireland's newest Air Traffic Safety Electronics Engineers.

Banagher’s Siobhan Flannery graduated as an AirNav Ireland Air Traffic Safety Electronics Engineer and is set to join its skilled workforce.

She is one of 23 cadets graduated at the event in Limerick. Nine graduates have successfully completed their training as Air Traffic Control Officers, while fourteen others are now qualified as Air Traffic Safety Electronics Engineers.

The graduates from Clare, Cork, Dublin, Mayo, Monaghan, Offaly, Wicklow, Pakistan and Napal, completed internationally recognised training programmes. They will now become part of AirNav Ireland’s team of professionals, all dedicated to upholding the highest standards of aviation safety and service excellence.

The AirNav Ireland contributes to the management of Irish airspace, which spans nearly 500,000 square kilometres. It also oversees the safety of flights arriving at and departing from Dublin, Cork, and Shannon airports.

Dr. Peter Kearney, CEO of AirNav Ireland, highlighted the company’s ongoing commitment to the professional development of its personnel. Today’s graduation is an important milestone in our strategic plan to invest in the best talent to maintain Irish aviation safety at the highest level. Over the next decade, we aim to train 240 suitable candidates, further reinforcing our leadership in air traffic management and aviation safety.”

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The Air Traffic Control Officers have undergone rigorous training to manage complex airspace scenarios, ensuring the smooth and safe movement of flights. Meanwhile, the Air Traffic Safety Electronics Engineers are equipped to implement and maintain advanced technologies and infrastructure, ensuring the resilience and reliability of air traffic control systems.

ABOVE: Siobhán Flannery, from Banagher, Co. Offaly, with her colleague Sarah Fisher, from Donabate, Co. Dublin, after they graduated as an Air Traffic Safety Electronics Engineer and an Air Traffic Controller Officer, at a ceremony in Limerick City on Friday

AirNav Ireland’s continued investment in its people and in cutting-edge technology underscores its commitment to shaping the future of aviation safety. This investment ensures that the company maintains world-class air traffic management services and a robust, technologically advanced air traffic control system.

Details of all the training programmes are available on www.airnav.ie