There are no compromises in air transport. Everyone involved must observe the rules, said Gabriela Galambošová from the civil aviation division of the Transport Authority.
A trained technical engineer by trade, she serves as the ramp inspection coordinator for Slovakia and as a member of the EU Air Safety Committee. Galambošová is one of seven Slovak heroes involved in the EU Protects campaign, which tells the real-life stories of people working for or supported by the EU and whose job it is to keep its citizens safe.
You can read in this interview:
- What does it mean to work as a ramp inspector coordinator
- How a plane inspection looks like and when a plane can be grounded
- What is the EU Safety List and whether an air company can be removed from it
- What are the biggest challenges in air security
The Slovak Spectator: Why did you choose a career in aviation?
Gabriela Galambošová (GG): I won’t lie – it was a coincidence. I worked as a flight attendant during the summer, but it quickly turned out one can’t do this job for two months only since the training is similarly long. I grew to enjoy working on board, so I continued with the job part-time while studying at the same time.
TSS: What attracted you to it?
GG: Aviation is fascinating due to the absolute discipline that needs to be observed, from in the cockpit to the passenger cabin to plane maintenance. It’s a colossus taking care of the transport of millions of passengers. If it wasn’t organised properly, there would be chaos or even an accident. To secure the supervision of air traffic with safe organisation is what fulfils me in my job.
TSS: How can a person become a ramp inspection coordinator?
GG: It requires the respective education and most of all practical experience in aviation. In each EU member state there is a national aviation authority (in Slovakia, it is the Transport Authority) that takes patronage over the position. One of its tasks is to secure ramp inspections. The coordinator manages a team of qualified inspectors, ensures their continual education and training, and secures inspections which he/she is directly involved in.
TSS: So what are you doing specifically?
