Past, Present & Future in Hong Kong – Celebrating in the Year of the Rabbit and symbolising longevity

Just over fifteen years ago, NATS made its first foray into the Hong Kong aviation landscape, one of the world’s busiest and most dynamic regions.  Since then, through a combination of collaborative partnerships and a dedicated team of aviation experts, we are proud of the innovative, safe and efficient solutions we have helped introduce to the skies of Hong Kong.

A decade and a half after arriving, we find ourselves celebrating another milestone with the opening of our new offices and I’m relieved to say that, true to Chinese tradition, the pig predicts a smooth and prosperous year ahead.

Last week, along with our Managing Director, Guy Adams, we enjoyed the company of colleagues and many of our customers – among them AAHK, CAD and HKIAA – when we celebrated the successes of a fifteen-year tenure in this wonderful city. We reflected that we are in a very different place than in 2008; colleagues have become friends through shared experiences, and we hope that we are also considered close, trusted partners to the customers that we support here.

The NATS Hong Kong team

The traditional pig cutting ceremony

The Praying Ceremony

As one of the busiest airports in the world, we have been privileged to support HKIA’s expansion of its third runway and goal to becoming a regional mega ‘Airport City’ in the coming years ahead.  From the provision of operational ATCOs to the technology solutions we provide to complement their investment in the future, they are reaping the benefits of implementation of RECAT and tools such as S-ACM, the world’s largest digital towers and AI solutions.  These innovations and solutions not only improve operational efficiency but also set new standards for Air Traffic Management worldwide.

Mr Chapman Fong (Deputy Director, Airport Operations AAHK), Captain Victor Liu (Director General CAD) accept gift representing collaborative working and successful partnerships from Guy Adams (NATS Services Managing Director) & Ben Kiff (NATS International Director).

When one thinks of Hong Kong, modern technology and innovation come to mind, so it may surprise you that although we embrace that wholeheartedly, we recognise that it is powered by the relationships and collaborations with people behind the tech:  from the NATS team in the tower providing air traffic services (for which we’re currently recruiting!), to the engineers who provide essential services for operations to run smoothly and CAD, managing the airspace overhead.

Our continuous research into sustainable aviation and our airspace change reviews have also contributed to a more sustainable airspace in a world where finding a balance between environmental performance and industry growth is constant.

Safety is always the first priority in aviation, and in this regard we have contributed in a number of areas – from airfield and systems design, vehicular access and multiple technical safeguarding studies.

With a steadfast focus on harnessing the power of emerging technologies and fostering international collaborations, NATS is poised to continue contributing to shaping the future of aviation.

Here’s to the next fifteen years of innovation, sustainability and safe skies over Hong Kong.