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Every time we take a business or pleasure trip, we take care of booking the tickets in advance; the trip day, we prepare the baggage carefully in order not to forget anything important, we arrive at the airport just at the time we were appointed and take the plane to get to our destination without any news.
But have we ever wondered about the varied activities that enable us to have a safe journey?
TheDirección general de Aeronáutica Civil (Civil Aeronautics General Directorate) (DGAC) is the public organization in charge of guaranteeing the national aeronautical system operation in a safe and efficient way.
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In order to accomplish this task, DGAC owns highly qualified professionals who have been trained at the Aeronautical Technical School (ETA), college responsible for teaching, catching up and training professionals, technicians and specialists on aeronautical disciplines. Through its history, over 2900 people have studied there, in areas such as airport managing, meteorology, air traffic control, aeronautical electronics, airport electronics, airport security, rescue and aircraft fire fighting, flight service operators, crew and supplying.
ETA was founded officially on May 25, 1958 by the name of ‘Centro de Instrucción para los Servicios de Protección al Vuelo’ (Center of Instruction for Flight Protection Service). Two elementary courses were taught; Air Traffic Controllers and Helping meteorologist. One year after, with the opening of a laboratory for electronic aeronautics instruction, the courses for electronic technicians were started.
In 1964, with the enactment of the supreme decree Nº 200 of June 16, 1964, becomes the Escuela Técnica Aeronáutica (ETA) (Aeronautical Technical School), adding human and material resources in order to develop its activities. |
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Its first Principal, squadron major Mr. Víctor Robinovich Castro, explaining the location of the center facilities, just after opening. (picture)
The ETA has shown from its beginning, a great preoccupation about improving the education standards that provides. Thus, in October 1966, a cooperation agreement is signed between ETA and UTE (The State Technical University) and presently called USACH (University of Santiago de Chile), in order to awarding College or University standard to the degrees obtained by the technical professionals of the different aeronautical areas instructed at ETA. This agreement was valid until 1971.
In 1969, ETA was awarded the benefits of the project PNUD-OACI/69/530, which involves the improvement of teaching standards through its instructors training, granting of technical equipment and laboratories for some teaching departments of this school. |
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At a first moment, ETA was ruled under the Supreme Decree (Aviation) Nº 100, of April 5, 2967, which approved the regulation “A”, Nº 24, organic and procedural of the Air Force Technical School, something that changes in 1970 along with the derogation of the aforementioned document and the enactment of the decree (Aviation) Nº 513, of date October 30, in which the ETA organic and procedural regulations were approved.
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First Course for Radio Operators, 1964. |
First course of communication officers |
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One of the first rooms and equipment used for instruction at Quinta Normal Facilities. |
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In searching constant improvement of teaching processes provided by ETA, in 1985 the DGAC established a document about educational policies that affects fundamentally human resource training. In addition, the control and evaluation department is created, based on the transcendental role of evaluation in the teaching process.
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The academic acknowledgement to ETA was definitely stipulated on March 10, 1990, when Law nº18.962, belonging to the Teaching Constitutional Law, was issued on the Chilean Official Gazette. This law acknowledges ETA as a professional college recognized by the state.
The new legal situation demanded an adjustment of the course structure for the different specialties.
In addition to this, brand new tools were acquired for helping instruction; thus the new ETA library is opened on May 20, 1992 and internet connection starts on May 20, 1993
Along with the aforementioned progress, ETA acquired simulators, Language and Informatics labs and varied audiovisual media, including VCR players, video tapes, etc.
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Specialists on Air Traffic Control, Meteorology, Telecommunication and Rescue and Fire Fighting (SEI), share their knowledge in each one of the ETA courses.
(1986)
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Rescue and Fire Fighting Class (A-8) 1983. |
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GCI (Ground Control Intercepter) Class 1986 |
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In the international context, in 1993 ETA perfects aeronautical personnel from the Republic of Ecuador, and thus, it becomes a referent in Latin America, having carried out over 30 courses for professionals coming from Honduras, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Ecuador and Venezuela. |
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It is also relevant to mention that this institute imparts extra institutional Instruction and training to the Chilean Air Force, Army, Navy and Police (Carabineros de Chile), among other institutions.
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Aerodrome control efficiency maintenance class from Ecuador 2004 |
Antarctica Crew Class (1997) |
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The coming of digital era demands the incorporation of new technologies from teaching institutions; under this premise, ETA implemented E-learning education since 2004, orientated to training of DGAC functionaries in Chile. This tool has generated new opportunities of expansion for ETA, projection that presently reaches E-learning training of 871 functionaries.
In 2005, ETA obtains ISO certification 9001:2000 renewing its commitment of guaranteeing that instruction services, training and perfecting courses are given with the highest quality standards.
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Hernán Henríquez Cobaise, ETA principal, receives ISO 9001-2000 certification.
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The educational commitment adopted by ETA in 1964 keeps and transcends until nowadays in order to provide DGAC and Chile with the best aeronautical professionals.
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