NATS (NSL)

NATS provides air traffic control services at 15 of the UK's biggest airports and "en-route" air traffic services for aircraft flying through UK airspace. This year we will handle more than two million flights carrying over 220 million passengers.  Safety is NATS' first and foremost priority but we also aim to provide our service in an efficient and cost-effective way.

We compete for our business at the airports and have won all 15 of our contracts by being extremely good at what we do and the service we can offer. In 2005 we won our first overseas contract, for RAF Gibraltar.

Our "en route" business is regulated, and we operate under licence from the Civil Aviation Authority. The terms of our licence, require NATS to be capable of meeting on a continuous basis any reasonable level of overall demand. We are charged with permitting access to airspace on the part of all users, whilst making the most efficient overall use of airspace.

NATS is leading the industry in terms of technological and business development and sells a range of product and consultancy services.

The showcase for many of these products is our own operation where we:

• operate and maintain a nationwide communications, surveillance and navigation network
• provide engineering support at all operational units
• carry out advanced research and development
• develop ground breaking software for current and new systems
• have world class training for air traffic controllers and engineers