24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year, the special Air Traffic Controllers at NATS keep around 2.5 million flights and 250 million people flying above our heads in the UK safe.
The UK, like many countries, has ‘controlled’ and ‘uncontrolled’ airspace. In controlled airspace, pilots take instructions from Air Traffic Controllers on where, when and how to position their aircraft. Most commercial aircraft operate in controlled airspace.
For the first time since before the pandemic, people can apply to join NATS’ student controller scheme, with basic training based at one of their two training facilities in Hampshire and Gloucester. Once passing an online assessment, successful candidates go through around nine months of vigorous initial training, before being posted to an airport tower or control centre to complete their learning and assessments.
Successful controllers come from all walks of life, but NATS is seeking to redress the gender imbalance that exists across the aviation industry, with the ambition that half of its new intake to be made up of women.
Do you want to learn more first-hand what it is like to be an Air traffic Controller? NATS is having a special event tomorrow at 14:00. For more details please visit this site.