Since George Best Belfast City Airport opened for commercial flights 25 years ago, there has been one constant presence at the airfield — Martin Wallace.

Martin, an Air Traffic Control Assistant, astonishingly has never has never missed a day’s work since starting at what was then Belfast Harbour Airport on January 31, 1983.

His remarkable achievement was marked earlier this year with an exceptional attendance award.

Martin (63), who has 22 months to serve before retirement, credits his work record to two factors — being blessed with good health and having a strong work ethic instilled in him by his parents.

“I have been ill with the usual sort of colds and ailments that affect most people, but these have always coincided with leave time. If I felt ill I worked through to the end of my week’s shift and then took my time off to recover,” he says.

“People now say to me that I must have a huge bank of sick leave owed to me and that I should take it in the run-up to retirement, but I am not like that. My mother and father brought me up not to take days off work. That was their outlook and that is mine also.”

He is proud to have played his part in the development of the airport which has grown from an operation based on converted sheds and a wartime Nissen hut to one now operating from new and expanding terminal buildings and expecting to handle around 2.7m passengers in the coming year.

Originally the airfield was opened in 1937 by plane makers Shorts, now Bombardier Aerospace, before being requisitioned by the Royal Navy during World War 2. It continued to be used for military purposes until the 1970s and then opened for commercial flights in 1983.

At first there were just four staff and in the first year of operations 84,000 passengers passed through the primitive terminal buildings.

In the early days airport staff were regularly sent out to purchase fish and chips for passengers whose flights were delayed.

The first arrival at the airport was a SpaceGrand flight going from Belfast International Airport to Blackpool, which called at the harbour facility to collect a passenger who had gone to the wrong airport.

In those days Martin was a fireman, but spent a lot of his time on other duties.

“We were also baggage handlers and we marshalled the aircraft when they landed at the airfield. I even placed the chocks under the aircraft wheels.

“The year after starting, I went to Teeside for further training as a fireman and as time went by new Civil Aviation Authority regulations meant that we were no longer allowed to do other duties.”

He was called into action a few times, mostly to monitor the landing of light aircraft which reported difficulties in coming into land, but, fortunately, there were no serious accidents.

In 1987 he switched jobs to his present role as Air Traffic Control Assistant — essentially aiding the airfield’s 13 Air Traffic Controllers by drawing up flight plans and progress reports on aircraft arriving and departing. He would also provide the controllers with the half-hourly Met Office reports.

It is a job which can see him at the airport before 6am on occasions and he admits the early starts are becoming more difficult. “I would get up around 4.45am when I am on the early shift and I find those early mornings are catching up on me.”

But aviation is an abiding passion even when he is away from work. “From when I was in short trousers I was interested in aviation and when I go to Britain I would often call into other airfields and talk to the people working in air traffic control. I find that helps if I ever have to contact them again in the course of my work. They can put a face to the name.”

Born in Bangor, he spent many hours at Newtownards Airfield as a schoolboy. “One of the aviators there sort of took me under his wing when he realised how interested I was. I learned how to refuel the aircraft and learned some of the safety aspects of aviation. I was also a message boy for the people working there, but I loved it.”

His other great passion is motor-racing — he has three trips to the Brands Hatch circuit in England planned for later this year.

“I am not really interested in Formula One racing, but rather European and British Touring Cars championships and Formula Ford classes.

“I really love the excitement of those races and, of course, when I am in England for the races I can also visit other airfields. So I get the best of both worlds.”

So has he a secret for keeping in rude health. “A doctor once told me to avoid the three Ss — stress, salt and sugar. I have stopped taking salt and sugar and I don’t know what it is like to be stressed. Maybe the Air Traffic Controllers who have to constantly monitor flights in their area feel stress, but I don’t.”

It might also help to have good genes. His father Francis, aged 91, still lives independently in a fold in Newtownards.

Now, Martin is planning a two day break in one of Northern Ireland’s top hotels as part of his reward for his unbroken service. Needless to say, he will not be taking time off work.