At NATS, we believe in that same spirit of collaboration. Take Intelligent Approach as an example. It owes its origins to collaboration: NATS, Leidos, Heathrow, Think, Eurocontrol, SESAR. Each partner brought something unique to the table, and together, we have created something transformative.

Pairwise is the latest example of how Intelligent Approach is helping airports to make the absolute most out of their available runways, but we’re also working on some other developments on the longer-term horizon. The one I’m most excited about is called Curved Approach.

With global air traffic now matching or exceeding pre-pandemic levels, airports face growing pressure to optimise existing resources. Ahead of the International Airport Summit (IAS) in Berlin this November, International Airport Review (IAR) editor Holly Miles spoke with Chris Miles (Calgary Airport Authority) and Marco Rueckert (Searidge Technologies) about why this challenge is so urgent, the possible solutions, and what’s on the horizon.

As we pay tribute to the courage, commitment and sacrifice of our armed forces community during Armed Forces Week, two members of RAF 78 Squadron, our military colleagues at Swanwick, tell us about their part in the King’s Birthday Flypast. Flight Lieutenant Ross Hammerton and Sergeant Jack Ford were aboard the Voyager aircraft that flew over Buckingham Palace earlier this month.

Project AMEC has directly helped inform the development of our Concepts of Operation (CONOPs), enabling us to understand how we would integrate a large number of eVTOLs – and other new airspace users – into UK airspace.

Earlier this month was my first time attending Airspace World. As expected, many of the themes were familiar: the urgency of achieving net zero, the critical role of innovation, and the shared belief that collaboration is no longer optional, but what struck me was how that message was sharpened by the specific lens of airspace.

This month on Altitude, we stood at the crossroads of the old and the new, guided by three people who are shaping aviation’s digital journey: Marco Rueckert, CTO of Searidge Technologies; Michelle Ho, former Manager of Airfield Digital Transformation at Hong Kong International Airport; and Andy Taylor, Chief Solutions Officer at NATS. Together with our host, Russell Porter, they laid out a compelling vision of what happens when we rewire the airport for the 21st century. 

Now the results are in from the recent consultation on NATS OpenAir, we are moving into the next phase of our project aimed at designing a digital data backbone to pave the way to an integrated UK airspace of the future.

On the latest episode of Altitude, our expert panel explored the progress made in aviation sustainability and the challenges that remain. Their insights revealed a mix of optimism, determination, and a clear commitment to a more sustainable future. The key question: are we doing enough to shift the trajectory?

Our series of data visualisation videos showcase the complex role of air traffic control and the impressive work our controllers do to juggle the demands and challenges of our skies every day.