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?

An innovative tool that eases the process of aligning microwave link dishes looks set to save NATS time and increase efficiency when replacing communication towers.

Regular readers of our blog will have noticed our post on our new ATC games to see if you have what it takes to be a controller. Maybe you have had a go already! We decided to take the games to Parliament to test the skills of our elected representatives, and see if they had perhaps chosen the wrong career!

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.

From Edinburgh’s sleek lines to Sydney’s helter-skelter – the air traffic control tower is often an iconic airport landmark. But could its days be numbered?

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.

Imagining the future is a tricky business. The fun part is letting your imagination run free, thinking impossible thoughts, connecting far distant dots and dreaming the sky in a new shade of blue.

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.