Category: Media center

Over 100 aviation enthusiasts participated in the specialized workshop “Flight of Trust: How to Build a Team Between Sky and Ground”, organized by the Bulgarian Air Traffic Services Authority (BULATSA).

The event, part of the communication campaign to promote the air traffic controller profession, showed in real time what lies behind the short and precise lines on the air – a high level of preparation, mutual respect and complete trust between the various key roles in aviation.

Participants in the discussion were Kamen Yordanov, Deyan Razkazov, and the guest lecturer Mario Bakalov – a pilot with international experience and an Airbus A320 instructor. The event was moderated by Troyan Petrov, an air traffic controller and expert at BULATSA, who led the discussions and presented a simulated scenario with deteriorated weather conditions, in which the participants demonstrated how to make coordinated decisions under pressure. BULATSA Director General Georgi Peev opened the event and emphasized that “aviation is an invisible team sport, in which the trust between the pilot, the air traffic controller and the engineer is a prerequisite for a safe flight”. Kamen Yordanov spoke about the training of future air traffic controllers and emphasized the high workload of the system – over 1 million flights pass through the Bulgarian airspace annually, and Dean Razkazov presented the role of engineers and technicians in ensuring the reliable and seamless operation of air traffic control systems. The event was concluded with a Q&A session with the audience and an opportunity for personal conversations and photos with the participants.

On 4 June, BULATSA organizes “Car-Free Day – Together for a Cleaner World”, part of the initiatives within the European Commission’s European Green Week – a leading platform dedicated to sustainable development and environmental protection.

For a third consecutive year the employees of BULATSA will voluntarily participate by coming to work without cars.

By personal example, they will be involved in preserving the environment and reducing the carbon footprint.

With this initiative BULATSA reinforces its commitment to environmental education and conscious behavior, encourages the creation of an environmental culture among employees and supports the principles of the circular economy and sustainable urban policies.

BULATSA actively participated in the prestigious international exhibition Airspace World 2025, which was held this year in Lisbon. The enterprise presented innovative solutions and emphasized its commitment to sustainable air traffic management through cross-border cooperation and digital transformation. The event attracted leading experts from the aviation sector, and the Bulgarian participation stood out at the stand of DANUBE FAB – a joint initiative of BULATSA and the Romanian air navigation service provider ROMATSA.

BULATSA presented leading SESAR projects, including Trajectory-Based Operations (TBO), Flight and Flow Information for a Collaborative Environment (FF-ICE) and initiatives for dynamic capacity management. They illustrate the progress of Bulgaria towards implementing the vision of the Digital European Sky.

During the SESAR Walking Tour 2, Todor Atanasov (BULATSA) and Claudiu Cruceanu (ROMATSA) gave a joint presentation, “Connecting the Dots: Harmonized TBO across Borders”, demonstrating how real-time data exchange improves the predictability and efficiency of cross-border flights.

Within the DANUBE FAB stand panel discussion “ATM Innovations for Sustainable Aviation”, moderated by William McMaster (Egis), BULATSA participated in a strategic debate on the future of airspace, together with representatives of SESAR Deployment Manager, PRB, Skyguide and ROMATSA.

A dedicated high-level meeting between representatives of BULATSA, ROMATSA and HungaroControl discussed joint actions to meet the upcoming summer traffic, including airspace optimization and synchronizing operations.

All these initiatives aim to increase the predictability, efficiency and resilience of the European ATM system and demonstrate BULATSA’s commitment to realizing the vision of a digital, coordinated and modernized airspace in Europe.

Airspace World 2025 reaffirmed the importance of collaboration and innovation in the aviation sector. BULATSA thanks all visitors and partners who shared this platform for exchanging ideas and visions for the future of air traffic management.

On April 10 and 11, 2025, DANUBE Functional Airspace Block conducted two consecutive high-level meetings in Sofia, Bulgaria, emphasizing the commitment of both the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to enhance bilateral cooperation within the framework of the Single European Sky (SES).

The 24th ANSP Board meeting, held on April 10, brought together the air navigation service providers BULATSA and ROMATSA to discuss the technical and operational aspects of their cooperation within the FAB. The discussions focused on several key topics, including the implementation of Free Route Airspace, data exchange systems (such as OLDI, radar, and GNSS), and collaborative SESAR 3 projects related to both Air Traffic Control-Traffic Based Operations (ATC-TBO) and Network TBO streams.

Additionally, the Board approved the Strategic Programme for 2025–2029, the Annual Plan for 2025, and the Annual Report for 2024. They also reviewed the Joint Position regarding the implementation of the new SES2+ Regulation (EU) 2024/2803.

The following day, the 24th Governing Council convened, featuring representatives from the ministries of transport and defense, civil aviation authorities (CAAs), and the two Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs). This meeting focused on the strategic governance of the DANUBE Functional Airspace Block (FAB). High-level discussions included adopting FAB strategic documents, aligning with SESAR and SES priorities, overseeing high-priority projects, and preparing for Airspace World 2025 in Lisbon. The ANSPs and CAAs presented reports on their progress and made decisions regarding the future direction under the evolving voluntary FAB framework introduced by SES2+.

Both meetings offered a thorough platform to ensure technical continuity and strategic direction for DANUBE FAB operations, reinforcing the strong cross-border partnership between Bulgaria and Romania. DANUBE FAB continues to play a vital role in advancing airspace integration, enhancing operational efficiency, and promoting sustainable performance in line with European aviation objectives.

For more information, visit www.danubefab.eu or contact us at contact@danubefab.eu.

On 22 March BULATSA joins the global initiative “Earth Hour” by turning off the facade lighting of the building of the United Air Traffic Control Centre and the administrative buildings of the airport centres, between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

“Earth Hour” is a global initiative organized by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) with the aim of raising awareness about the issues related to the protection of the Earth and the need to take action against climate change.

The initiative is held annually at the end of March, when millions of people around the world symbolically turn off the lights in their homes, and iconic buildings darken their facades, as an expression of concern for the future of the planet. BULATSA also calls on its employees to reduce or turn off the lights in their homes, as an expression of solidarity with the global commitment to protecting nature and combating climate change.

In this way, we will show that despite the climate challenges we face today, we remain united in the cause of protecting our common home – the Earth.

The first conference “Women in Aviation – Sustainable Development and Recruitment” was held in Sofia.

The number of women in aviation – civil and military – is ever growing and those who have chosen this professional path are categorical that their work is not only responsible but also inspiring. That is why it is also attractive to young girls who dream of being pilots or air traffic controllers. The forum was hosted by Bulgarian Air Traffic Services Authority (BULATSA), and it was attended by representatives of: BULATSA; Directorate General Civil Aviation Administration (DG CAA); Bulgarian Air Force; airline Bulgaria Air and other civil aviation companies; SOF Connect – the operator of Vasil Levski Airport – Sofia; Eurocontrol – the organization that controls the flights over Europe and many others. The aim of the conference is to promote the achievements of women in Bulgarian aviation, the challenges they face, as well as to attract young people towards this profession.

Statistics show that for 2024 the traffic over Bulgaria has reached a record high level for the recent years – over one million overflying aircraft. They are serviced by 328 air traffic controllers, of which more than 40 are women. The jump in the number of flights requires an increase in personnel, both in our country and at the European level. It was pointed out that in the next 20 years Europe will need 140 000 pilots, 600 000 aviation technicians, etc. BULATSA highlighted that among the company’s priorities is the attraction of third and fourth year students, so that they are oriented towards aviation professions from an early age. Stefania Nikolova-Tsankova, a representative of Eurocontrol, added that a working European practice is to introduce aviation professions to students in the upper grades of high schools.

BULATSA reminded that the candidates for Air Traffic Controller must be up to 30 years old, have a bachelor’s degree and be fluent in English. They undergo a multi-level training – theory and practice, working in the air traffic control room with a personal mentor for 10 months. People with engineering degrees are also being sought, for whom there is no age limit. “The role of mentors is extremely important – they teach, but they also constantly learn,” said Ivan Iliev, an air traffic controller and head of Programs and Strategies Department at BULATSA. He has trained Tereza Mihaylova, who now works at Eurocontrol. The two talked about the common path that the newcomers and their mentors take.

“We are making efforts to introduce the profession to more women – to find out about the application requirements and to join our team. The profession is prestigious, interesting and well-paid,” said Kamen Yordanov, head of Training Center Department at BULATSA. He announced that a complete renovation of the flight control room is imminent, to make it one of the most modern in Europe.

Betina Dikova and Desislava Dimitrova told the forum participants about their journeys. Betina had trained as a fighter pilot but chose the path of an air traffic controller in civil aviation, while Desislava had graduated from the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts but later decided to complete the training and has been taking care of air traffic services over Bulgaria for several years now.

About 38% of all employees of SOF Connect – the operator of Vasil Levski Airport in Sofia, are women, said Antoaneta Stoyanova, Director of Sustainable Development at the company. According to her, 40% of the management positions in the company are held by women.

Statistics were also provided by Anelia Marinova, the first woman – director of Directorate General Civil Aviation Administration. She noted that the number of employees in the directorate is 124, of which 59 are women. Marinova also shared an interesting world fact: the highest number of female pilots is in India -13%.

Lieutenant Colonel Svetlana Goranova from the Air Force shared her experience and talked about the role of women in the Air Force. She reminded that in 2025 will be 30 years since the first admission of women to the Air Force Schools for the needs of military aviation.

Zlatina Batishteva, co-pilot of Airbus A220 aircraft at Bulgaria Air, also spoke about her work. She shared that she has been flying on such a machine for over a year and a half and added that she was part of the crew that delivered one of the company’s seven new aircraft, which flew from Canada to Sofia on a 10-hour flight.

The enormous role of building effective partnership relations of BULATSA at local and European level was emphasized by Alexandra Svrakova – expert in the European Programs, Projects and Strategies Directorate at BULATSA. She highlighted the successes so far in implementing policies for equality and inclusion with the aim of competitiveness of the sector.

The participants in the forum decided to make the conference a tradition and to hold it annually in the eve of the International Women’s Day on 8 March.

The air traffic controller profession is now part of the exhibits at TechnoMagicLand, which is the first STEAM center in Bulgaria.

The latest experiment in the exhibition from the “Aeronautics” section was created by the center’s team with the support of BULATSA and is now available to all those who wish to learn more about this responsible and exciting profession.

Through a game-based approach, visitors will be able to land a plane on the runway and experience the responsibility of an air traffic controller in the airport control tower. Before stepping up to the control panel, however, they will have to pass two special online tests to check whether they possess the necessary capabilities.

The mission of TechnoMagicLand is to ignite young people’s interest in technology and natural sciences by using two of the most current approaches in modern education – learning by doing and learning through fun. The interactive exhibition features 55 experiments in the fields of natural sciences, mathematics, and information technology.