Following the disappearance of MH370, what does the future hold for aircraft tracking and surveillance?

Ongoing global events and most recently, activity at the Bardarbunga volcano in Iceland, have brought the word ‘NOTAM’, or ‘Notice to Airmen’ into the public domain as it is discussed on news broadcasts and online. But what is a NOTAM, who is in charge of them and how do they affect where aircraft fly?

The Middle East’s challenges with airspace congestion have been well documented, but it is time to move on and begin pursuing solutions and opportunities.

With the launch of #NATS365 today, Monday 1st September, we will be sharing a photo each day for a year to help provide a greater insight into various different aspects and areas of our business.

Conditional routes typically go through areas of airspace which are used by the military for their operations. When the military are not using these areas of airspace, they are available (together with the CDRs that go through them) for non-military aircraft. By their nature, CDRs are not available all of the time.

How does Southampton air traffic tower cope with traffic peaks when it seems like half of the UK wants to fly on the same weekend?

The Icelandic Met Office currently has an ‘Orange’ risk warning over Bárdarbunga volcano and we thought it would be useful to set out in clear steps the impact it might have on UK aviation.

You could be lost, facing a medical emergency, suffering from engine failure or have a fuel leak – the list of reasons why a pilot may declare a PAN or a MAYDAY is endless and a frightening prospect for even the most experienced pilots.

NATS manages some of the most complex airspace in the world and we have achieved excellent levels of safety performance. However, the ATM world is undergoing unprecedented change and a number of new challenges face our industry.

Satellite technology can help integrate Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS) in much the same way as manned aircraft, both from a technical and an operational perspective.