EUROCONTROL Maastricht Upper Area Control Centre (MUAC) has completed its first fully in-house pre-transition training programme for student air traffic controllers, marking a major step in the organisation’s controller training strategy.
The programme prepares students to move from initial classroom instruction into MUAC’s operational environment by providing procedural training and simulator experience before on-the-job training begins.
A group of 10 trainee controllers, known as “Ab Initio 88”, became the first cohort to complete the new programme. They were also the first students to undertake their initial ATC training with GATE Aviation Training in Copenhagen, MUAC’s newly appointed training partner.
According to Peggy Devestel, Director of MUAC, all students successfully advanced to the next training phase, highlighting the effectiveness of the new in-house approach.
The move allows MUAC to tailor training scenarios directly to its highly complex operational environment, including its specific procedures, traffic flows and technical systems. The course was developed internally by MUAC instructors and training specialists with support from simulator and technical teams.
MUAC also highlighted its growing use of advanced technologies in controller training, including:
- artificial intelligence and automation tools,
- eye-tracking systems that analyse trainee visual attention and scan behaviour,
- and automated speech recognition technology designed to improve simulation realism while reducing reliance on simulator pilots.
These technologies will be demonstrated live at Airspace World 2026 in Lisbon between 26 and 28 May at the Europe for Aviation stand.