Manchester: IFALPA BID a world pilot destination Were delighted to announce that Manchester will be hosting the 2021 IFALPA Conference By Charlotte Branson, BALPA Media Officer 29 E very year, the International Federation of Air Line Pilots Associations (IFALPA) holds a conference that is the largest gathering of aviation experts in the world. Discussions are held and deci^sions made on the major topics within our industry, and the work programme for experts, directors and staff of the federation is agreed. The most exciting decision to emerge from this years event, held in Berlin, was that the 77th IFALPA Conference in 2021 will be held in Manchester. BALPA will be the host association and will welcome delegates from pilot associations as far flung as China and Mongolia, New Zealand and Chile, and the USA and Senegal. In support of our bid, the British Embassy in Berlin held an evening networking event, hosted by our President, Lord Balfe, and Acting Executive President, Captain Paul Naylor. This years conference debated the challenge of ensuring diversity in our profession, led by the newly formed Female Pilots Working Group; developed the already successful and unique Member Associations Emergency Response Programmes, for when a member pilot needs assistance in another country; and approved policies for IFALPA to advocate on subjects as diverse as insulin treatment while holding a class 1 medical, conditional clearances via CPDLC (Controller Pilot Data Link Communications), and airports and airspaces that are considered critically deficient. It also issued communications and support for the SAS pilots, and heard from Boeing, Airbus, EASA and the German Transport Minister. In addition, the European Region (ECA) formally adopted a package of support for transnational airline pilot groups. Over the next two years, as we prepare to welcome representatives of the worldsprofessional flight crew to our home, we will look forward to sharing our plans andseeking your ideas, to ensure our visitors see the best of what Manchester and the UK has to offer. AWARD WINNER Our own Martin Chalk was awarded the Clarence N Sayen award at this years IFALPA conference. The award is given to someone who has served the international pilot community withdedication over many years which Martin has certainly done, latterly as IFALPA president and, before that, as IFALPA deputy president and ECA president. He has also served on the BALPA NEC, the Log Board and back in the day on the BA short-haul council. Martins accomplishments are legion, but his efforts to ensure that pilots are engaged in social dialogue with the EU institutions and his beginning the fight against atypicalemployment and flags of convenience stand out. We are lucky that, since standing down as IFALPA president because of ill health, he is back on the line, and now serves on the Log Board, as a BALPA custodian trustee, and still finds time to give help and advice to our IFALPA 2021 Manchester planning team. Congratulations, Martin, from the BALPA team!