DFS - Air Traffic Control

On Monday, the Supervisory Board of DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH appointed Dieter Kaden as CEO and Chairman of the Board of Managing Directors for a further two years.

Mr Kaden has been Chairman and CEO of DFS since it was founded on 1 January 1993. Prior to this position, he managed the corporatisation of the former Federal Administration of Air Navigation Services and the transition into DFS. Mr Kaden is now the longest serving CEO in the air navigation services world.

DFS has an outstanding reputation around that world, not least thanks to the personal commitment of Dieter Kaden. He was one of the founders of the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) in 1995, which has developed into “the global voice of air traffic management”. In addition, Mr Kaden is the Chairman of the Air Navigation Services Board (ANSB), a supervisory and advisory body at EUROCONTROL.

Together with the Federal Minister of Transport, Lufthansa, Fraport and Munich Airport, Mr Kaden launched the German Air Transport Initiative in 2003 in order to consolidate Germany’s competitive position on the air transport market. Furthermore, Mr Kaden represents the interests of the aviation industry on several supervisory boards and was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2004.

Robert Scholl, Chairman of the DFS Supervisory Board, praised Mr Kaden for his dedication and commitment. He commented that: “Thanks to him, DFS has become what it is today. DFS is in an excellent position both at a national and international level.” Mr Scholl wishes Mr Kaden and the entire staff at DFS all the best for the future.

DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH, the German air navigation service provider, is a State-owned company under private law and has 5,600 employees. DFS ensures the safe and punctual flow of air traffic over Germany. Staff coordinate up to 10,000 aircraft movements in German airspace every day, and nearly three million movements every year. This makes Germany the country with the highest traffic volume in Europe. DFS operates control centres in Langen, Bremen, Karlsruhe and Munich. In addition, DFS is represented in the Eurocontrol Centre in Maastricht, the Netherlands, and in the control towers of the 16 international German airports. DFS provides training and consultancy services around the world and develops and sells air traffic management systems, surveillance systems and navigation aids. The company's portfolio also comprises flight-relevant data, aeronautical publications and aeronautical information services. DFS has the following business units: Control Centre, Tower, Aeronautical Solutions and Aeronautical Information Management.