Profile of Engineer José María Martínez Cal, may he rest in peace. After completing his secondary education at the Naval Lyceum, which he held dearly, he pursued a degree in Civil Engineering and graduated from the University of Buenos Aires in 1982. He further complemented his education by completing the Specialization Course on “Airport Pavement Design” offered by the Federal Aviation Administration (USA) and attended various seminars on airport infrastructure.
Throughout his professional career, starting from his graduation, he was dedicated to airport infrastructure engineering, particularly in the aeronautical field. Initially, he worked within the Argentine Air Force, where he achieved the position of Deputy Head of the Runways Department at the General Directorate of Infrastructure and retired in 1997. Subsequently, he joined the concessionaire company Aeropuertos Argentina 2000 as the Head of the Infrastructure Area in the Operations Department. Later, he worked in the Projects Area of the Infrastructure Department until his retirement in 2001.
Following his time at Aeropuertos Argentina 2000, he worked at the consulting firm Oscar G. Grimaux y Asociados S.A.T. as the Head of Airport Infrastructure Projects until 2009. From that point until recently, he served at ANAC (National Civil Aviation Administration) as the Head of the Pavement Management Department.
Apart from his work in the field of airports, he maintained a keen interest in professional education in this area. He enthusiastically and dedicatedly taught at the Department of Transportation in the specialty of “Airports” from 2003 until recently, serving as an Assistant Professor from 2006 onwards. Additionally, he was a member of the Advisory Board of the Department, elected to represent his fellow teachers at the faculty.
In his final years, he held the position of Vice President of ALACPA (Latin American and Caribbean Association of Airport Pavements), where he was responsible for organizing the annual congresses held in different countries. This role involved continuous interaction with authorities and technical personnel from ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization), FAA (Federal Aviation Administration of the USA), IATA (International Air Transport Association), Boeing Airplane Company, and Airbus Industries.
His technical integrity was complemented by a personal warmth that set him apart and made him an example of life for anyone who worked with him. He was characterized by his moderation, commitment, loyalty, and respect in all actions, along with an unwavering faith and inner joy that radiated peace. This same demeanor helped him and those who shared his last, very challenging year of life, until he left us on February 14th of last year at the young age of 61. He bid farewell with his classic intelligent smile, always ready to provide a solution with the kindness of someone who never forgets those in need—a smile that will be his symbol in our memories.
Advisory Board of the Department of Transportation
Faculty of Engineering
University of Buenos Aires
April 5, 2017
