NATS Altitude

As the world mourned the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, plans for the first state funeral of a British monarch in more than 70 years were being put into action.   As a mark of respect, it was agreed that aircraft would not overfly the funeral or procession from Central London to Windsor Castle - a period of over nine hours via a route just a few metres from Britain’s busiest airport, Hea...

From transforming how urgent goods are moved around the world to surveying infrastructure in remote, dangerous environments and aiding accurate, rapid emergency response, uncrewed aviation has long promised to revolutionise our lives and the aviation industry. But unleashing that potential means delivering safe and scalable Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations, something that remains the...

This year is the 21st anniversary of the tragic events of 11 September 2001. Those of us who are old enough to remember it will never forget where we were or what we were doing when we heard the news. Most of us probably then spent the next few hours glued, horrified to the rolling news coverage. But some - like the those involved with air traffic control on the day - had to process the news while...

This episode of Altitude we’re exploring the next generation of aviation and airspace users. Air taxis, mass drone operations and spaceports may sound like science fiction, but it is a future that is far closer than you might think Within a few years, a drone could be dropping your prescription at your front door as you book an electric air taxi to take you to the airport, while a few miles down t...

It’s airshow season! The sight and sound of stunning air displays and incredible aerobatic performances by some of the world’s best pilots is hard to beat. But with Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) just a week away, what does it take to plan, manage and safely deliver a truly spectacular airshow? How does the role of the air traffic controllers at a display differ from the day job? The tower...

After a tumultuous two years it feels like the aviation industry is finally emerging from the shadow of the Covid crisis. But while the skies are getting busier, the recovery remains uncertain and uneven, especially in many parts of the world. What role then, can air traffic management play in helping secure the recovery but also in future proofing airport operations as traffic levels begin to ret...

The weather influences all our lives, from whether you’ll regret not taking that umbrella to wishing you’d packed the sun cream, but for air traffic control the weather is an obsession.  Rain, wind, snow, fog and thunderstorms can all conspire to overturn well-rehearsed plans, resulting in a hugely challenging and complex environment where maintaining safety is always the first priority.  But why...

As the days get longer and the weather improves, aviation enthusiasts across the country will be taking to the skies in their thousands to explore the world from up above. After two years of Covid restrictions limiting the amount of flying time for many pilots, we’d like to support the General Aviation (GA) community on a safe return to flying and take the opportunity to talk about the tools and a...

On 17 January 2008, flight BAW38 crash landed short of the runway at Heathrow Airport following a total loss of power to both engines. Remarkably there were no fatalities, but it remains the most serious commercial aircraft accident in the UK in recent years. The fact that it did not end in tragedy is testament both to how incredibly safe modern aviation has become, and to the training and profess...

Aside from being one of the greatest Christmas movies of all time, the timeless classic Die Hard 2 also features some of the closest depictions of air traffic control yet committed to celluloid The story of how a terrorist group manages to commandeer an entire airport on Christmas Eve, while a man in a big jumper crawls through the baggage handling system to stop them, is a tale for the ages. But...

After a hiatus of 18 months, the World ATM Congress returns to Madrid at the end of the month, but what kind of show can we expect as the industry continues to feel the effects of the Covid crisis?     Despite encouraging signs of recovery, traffic levels remain far below pre-pandemic levels in many parts of world. Does that mean plans for expensive new technologies and ground based infrastructure...

Altitude is a monthly podcast from NATS. The last 18 months has been a period of extraordinary turmoil for the aviation industry, and even now as much of the rest of the world begins to recover, UK air traffic remains at around 50% of 2019 levels. So, what are the long-term prospects for aviation in the UK? What needs to be done to secure a better, brighter future as we learn to live alongside Cov...

Altitude is a monthly podcast from NATS.   It’s now 11 years since a huge volcanic eruption in Iceland grounded flights across the UK and much of northwest Europe. For six days in April 2010, the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull (or E-15) left millions of passengers stranded around the world. Fears over the effect of flying through clouds of ash rich in particles of glass left the industry, regulators...

Altitude is a monthly podcast from NATS. Heathrow air traffic controller Ady Dolan is joined by Rob Mitchell, Manager ATC Development, Ocean, and Aireon CTO Vinny Capezzuto for a lively discussion charting the highs and lows of introducing Space Based ADS-B over the North Atlantic.  Enjoy the show and find out more at nats.aero/altitude (Originally broadcast in December 2020) You can also watch an...

Altitude is a monthly podcast from NATS.   A decade ago, digital towers were a niche concept, confined to a small part of the industry. Today and they are an operational reality for airports around the world. From London to Singapore via Budapest and Colorado, airports of all sizes are now going ‘digital’. And while the initial attraction was in the use of cameras and high-speed data connections t...

Altitude is a monthly podcast from NATS. On 25 February 1920, the UK Air Ministry gave approval for the construction of a new building at London Croydon Airport, to be ‘erected 15 feet above ground level’ and with ‘large windows to be placed on all four walls’. This building was to be known as the ‘Aerodrome Control Tower’ and at a stroke coined both the term that has remained synonymous with Air...

Altitude is a monthly podcast from NATS.   COVID-19 has had a massive impact on air travel, with traffic and passenger figures reduced to pre-2000 levels in many regions, but there remains cause to be optimistic about the future… Unmanned aviation, Automation and Artificial Intelligence all promise to be the next paradigm shift in air traffic management, helping to build a better, more efficient a...

Altitude is a monthly podcast from NATS.   While the industry may now be eyeing the prospect of a recovery from the covid crisis, for many airports, plans for expensive new ground-based infrastructure may yet remain on ice for the foreseeable future. Being able to maximise the efficiency of existing runways, stands and terminals in order to keep costs and delays low is therefore going to be critic...

Altitude is a monthly podcast from NATS.   Climate change represents an existential challenge to the aviation industry. We need to act now not just because it’s the right thing to do for the future of our planet, but because failure to do so will see flying become more and more socially unacceptable. Technological advances like sustainable aviation fuels and electric aircraft are incredibly exciti...

Altitude is a monthly podcast from NATS.   From delivering fresh Norwegian crab to South Korea through to supporting the worldwide vaccine roll out, every year millions of tonnes of freight is flown in our skies in what is 24 hour a day choreography of logistics, just in time planning and human ingenuity. Join us for this episode of Altitude alongside DHL’s Chief Pilot, Richard Brew and Head of Ca...

Altitude is a monthly podcast from NATS.   From sonic booms and Quick Reaction Alert to deployments during Covid and military training exercises, are you ready to explore the world of 78 Squadron? The UK is one of the few countries around the world with a joint and integrated civil and military air traffic control service, with NATS and MoD controllers sitting side by side in the control centre at...