by Anthony Lam & Tatiana Young, NAV CANADA
Screenshot of providing pilots context on what is happening during runway extension project at Boundary Bay.
Instagram stories allow for instantaneous sharing. We regularly share humourous content to drive engagement and follower retention.
The digital age has drastically changed how we communicate and share information. With the rise of social media, people of all generations are more connected than ever before. Platforms like Instagram have become a vital part of daily life, particularly for the younger generation. Social media is now used not only to socialize with friends and family but also to discover new information. Among many social media platforms, Instagram stands out because of its visually engaging and dynamic nature, making it the platform of choice for sharing both personal moments and educational content.
Although Instagram is typically seen as a platform for lifestyle and entertainment, an increasing number of NAV CANADA air traffic control (ATC) towers across the country have adopted it to connect with pilots and foster a more direct and transparent relationship between ATC and the aviation community. The idea is simple: leverage Instagram’s wide reach, algorithms and user base to share timely, useful information that enhances pilot safety and situational awareness.
A new vision for pilot outreach
The vision behind using Instagram for pilot outreach is straightforward: imagine being able to check your phone before heading to the airport and seeing a social media post about something safety-critical, like a runway closure or a safety reminder on ways to help mitigate runway incursions. Instagram makes this vision a reality. ATC towers can post operationally critical information on Instagram to help pilots develop situational awareness and provide context for what is happening. It is important to note that Instagram is used to provide context and supplement official sources of information, not to replace them. Towers do not use Instagram as a substitute for official aeronautical information and publications.
Instagram is not only used for operational updates but also to reinforce safety messages. Safety reminders, such as tips on mitigating runway incursion, are regularly shared to increase situational awareness and to ensure that pilots are better informed and mentally prepared before they even begin their aircraft walkaround. Thanks to Instagram’s algorithms, Canadian pilots—our target demographic—are more likely to see these safety messages appear in their feeds.
The success of this initiative started with Springbank Tower (YBW), which pioneered the use of Instagram for pilot outreach in Canada. Following its success, several other towers across the country, including Boundary Bay (ZBB), Pitt Meadows (YPK), Langley (YNJ), Abbotsford (YXX), Villeneuve (ZVL), Thunder Bay (YQT), Waterloo (YKF), and Prince George (YXS), have adopted the platform. Each account is managed locally by an air traffic controller and focuses on three key goals: promoting aviation safety, humanizing ATC and providing a platform for pilots to engage with their local air traffic controllers.
The importance of humanizing ATC
ATC is often viewed as a faceless entity—a distant voice over the pilot’s headset. In many cases, this is true. NAV CANADA manages over 18 million square kilometres of Canadian civil airspace and parts of the North Atlantic oceanic airspace. For many student pilots, communicating with ATC can be challenging. Aviation English, while it may sound like conversational English, is distinct in its structure. Standard aviation phraseology is designed to communicate information clearly and concisely, but it is not a natural way of speaking. For student pilots, remembering what to say and then saying it out loud on the radio can be difficult. There is often a fear of making mistakes when learning to fly, including in communications with ATC. But “fear”—at least when communicating with ATC—is exactly what we are working to reduce.
Through posts, stories and Q&A sessions, the goal is to humanize ATC and to show pilots that air traffic controllers are not just voices on the radio but also real people who care about their safety. Our hope is that this social media outreach will help shift the perception of ATC from a faceless and intimidating entity to an approachable and helpful safety resource.
Creating an open forum for pilots
One unique aspect of using Instagram for pilot outreach is that it isn’t just a one-way communication channel. Instagram provides a forum where pilots can ask questions and receive answers directly from local air traffic controllers. Our content is designed to be both informative and interactive, encouraging open dialogue between ATC and pilots of all experience levels.
Some of our most engaging posts have come from Q&A sessions, where pilots can ask controllers anything, from general questions like “What’s it like working in a tower?” to more specific, local procedural questions like “Why is this route designed this way?” The beauty of this format is that answers to safety-related questions are relevant everywhere. Air traffic controllers across Canada follow the same basic set of rules and procedures, meaning any tower can answer general safety questions. When the question pertains to local procedures, the local tower can provide insight into why certain procedures are designed the way they are.
Where necessary, we run safety campaigns to address specific risks. In this case, similar callsigns, misidentification of aircraft and miscommunication were identified as safety issues that needed to be addressed across several NAV CANADA sites.
Instagram’s direct messaging feature allows pilots to privately ask quest ions even outside of Q&A sessions. Access to local expertise is invaluable because understanding why a procedure is designed a certain way can help pilots better understand ATC instructions. Many pilots are more likely to comply with instructions when they understand the rationale behind them, and that compliance improves overall safety. By investing time into answering these questions and explaining procedures, we are helping to advance safety across the board.
The success of this open forum has been remarkable. Several Instagram accounts, such as Boundary Bay Tower’s, hold bi-monthly “Ask Me Anything” sessions, which have garnered impressive levels of engagement. Many pilots have expressed appreciation for this platform, where they can interact directly with air traffic controllers. This demonstrates how social media can bridge the gap between pilots and ATC, making communication more accessible in a way that was rarely available before.
Educating and engaging through content
While direct interaction is a key feature of these Instagram accounts, towers also share educational content targeting specific safety issues and behaviours. For example, runway incursions are a serious safety risk, and several towers have collaborated on a multi-part series to help pilots mitigate these risks. These posts provide practical advice from an ATC perspective, covering topics like maintaining situational awareness on the ground and following runway safety protocols.
Instagram is also a great platform for sharing fun and engaging content. Many towers post behind-the-scenes glimpses of the ATC world, from equipment and procedures to controllers’ daily experiences. Lighthearted content, such as fun facts, memes and friendly competitions between towers, helps keep followers engaged and makes the accounts more approachable.
Creating content that is both educational and entertaining is key to ensuring a positive relationship with the aviation community. After all, no one wants to follow an Instagram account that only pushes safety reminders. The goal is to make learning enjoyable while still focusing on our core mission of putting “safety first.”
Collaborations and building community
Collaboration is a central aspect of this initiative. Instagram accounts run by different control towers are not isolated; they work together whenever possible to create content that benefits the entire aviation community. This collaborative approach ensures that pilots, no matter where they are flying, have access to the same valuable information.
In addition to making safety posts, we also try to drive public engagement by asking questions and sharing answers. Many pilots who engage are often those who fly professionally; their answers may be of value to student pilots.
Where necessary, we re-publish important NOTAMs with additional context. The benefit is that pilots have enhanced situational awareness when given additional context above and beyond NOTAM text. We do not replace official publications, so we always direct pilots to check current NOTAMs.
Casual shot of someone using one of the Instagram accounts.
Moreover, the success of these Instagram accounts highlights the importance of community-building in aviation. It fosters a sense of collaboration and shared knowledge between pilots and ATC. This exchange of knowledge benefits everyone; it improves pilot safety and provides air traffic controllers—many of whom do not have flying experience—with valuable insights into pilot behaviour and decision-making.
Instagram has proven to be a powerful tool for aviation safety outreach. By humanizing ATC, creating open forums for dialogue and sharing educational content in an engaging way, Instagram has become an essential tool for improving the relationship between pilots and air traffic controllers. As more towers adopt this platform, the aviation community will benefit from a more informed, connected and safer environment for all. So, if your local control tower has an Instagram account, be sure to follow it—you never know what important safety information, helpful tips or chuckle-worthy posts might pop up in your feed next!