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Jan Klas (born 6 May 1965) is an internationally renowned Czech aviation expert and long-time Director General of the state-owned enterprise Air Navigation Services of the Czech Republic (Řízení letového provozu České republiky s.p.). He was and is a member of several major international projects and institutions dealing with air traffic control. He has received many awards for his many years of activity.

Air traffic control
He has been working in the field of transport and air traffic control since 1985, when he joined Air Navigation Services of the Czech Republic. He began as an air traffic controller at Area Control Centre Prague. In 1991, he became Head of this department and held that position until 1994. In 1995, he was appointed Deputy Director of Area Control Navigation Services Section Prague. In 1997, he changed his activity to become Deputy Director of the Systems and Procedures Section. In 1999–2007, he worked as an employee of the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (EUROCONTROL), specifically as Director of its organizational unit for the Czech Republic (Central European Air Traffic Services Strategy Planning and Development Unit). On 1 October 2007, he was appointed Director General of Air Navigation Services of the Czech Republic.

International projects and institutions
Since 1996, he has been a member of Air Traffic Control Association (USA). From 1997 to 1998, he was a member of an international team for defining the Air Traffic Management 2000+ strategy. From 1998 to 1999, he participated in the CEATS project (EUROCONTROL). From 2010 to 2011, he served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Air Navigation Services Providers within the “Functional Airspace Block Central Europe” (FAB CE) project. Since 2016, he has been Vice-Chairman of the European CANSO CEO Committee.

Politics
In January 2018, he became a member of academician Jiří Drahoš’s team as part of his candidacy for the President of the Czech Republic, as his expert adviser.

Awards
In 2015, he received the award of the Parliament of the Czech Republic for “long-term contribution to the development of Czech civil aviation”. In 2016, he was a finalist of the “Manager of the Year” contest organized by the Czech Management Association.

Education
In 1985, he graduated from the University of Transport and Communications in Žilina, specializing in aviation. He speaks several foreign languages, communicating in English, French and Russian (both spoken and written form).

Academic activity
He is a member of the Scientific Board of the Faculty of Operation and Economics of Transport and Communications at the University of Žilina and a member of the Scientific Board of the University College of Business in Prague.

Family and social responsibility
He is married and has 3 children. As a result of his personal story, he has focused on both expert and fundraising activities to help mentally disabled people for more than 25 years. His daughter, now adult, suffers from an autism spectrum disorder. In this context, Jan Klas worked as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Child’s Brain (Dětský mozek) foundation, and currently serves as the establisher of the Welcome ... (Vítej...) public benefit organization, operating protected community housing for adults with serious forms of autism.