These may be uncertain times, but one thing we know for sure is that flying in the future will look very different from the past. Flying taxis, all-electric aircraft, drone deliveries, even commercial space travel… they are not so far away. That Sixties world of The Jetsons is now knocking at our door! We are already planning to modernise the UK’s airspace and enable access for new types of aircraft, which also means changing the way we manage the airspace.

The dramatic fall in traffic we’ve seen across the Atlantic has given us a window of opportunity to do things differently, and to introduce things more quickly than otherwise might have been possible. So, we’re going to disband the Organised Track Structure on days where we don’t believe they are necessary.

Despite the ongoing impact of the pandemic on our industry, there is much to be optimistic about, and there has never been a better time to recalibrate and change our collective mindset to do things differently in the future. Martin Rolfe, CEO, tells more about the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in the new decade.

To allay any anxiety that 2020 may have derailed normal operations, we thought you’d appreciate getting a behind the scenes view of the flight planning process has gone so you can reassure anyone expected a delivery on Christmas Eve. 

During a series of trial flights, NATS has been working closely with the Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) to assess how remotely piloted and unmanned aircraft can be used for search and rescue operations by HM Coastguard.

White cloud streaks high up in the sky are one of the ways you can tell a plane has been overhead. And although they can form striking patterns in the sky, these contrails and the cirrus clouds they induce, impact climate change, possibly greater than the effect from CO2 emissions.

For many years the default position for big public consultations has been to have a consultation document buttressed by a range of engagement processes, most notably public roadshows. The pandemic has made us rethink how we approach a consultation, and it has resulted in a more effective approach that now might well become the new default position. 

There’s no doubt that this is a year like no other. And while Covid-19 means that there are far fewer planes in the sky right now, our controllers and planning teams have still been preparing for Remembrance Day to ensure that we can honour our wartime heroes without interruption. The pandemic has resulted in the […]

Happy International Day of the air traffic controller, our favourite day of the year!

At NATS, every day is a day to celebrate the amazing work that our controllers do, but we always like doing something extra special on October 20th.

How we build back better is at the forefront of many people’s minds. But it is wrong to assume that it is only the pandemic that has spurred this action from the aviation industry. In fact, it has only accelerated the work that was already happening to improve the sustainability of flying.