Working together
NATS is committed to working in partnership with the windfarm community and key stakeholders to achieve a mutually acceptable approach to windfarm development.
Windfarms can appear as clutter on Air Traffic Radar Displays as well as degrading the performance of voice communications facilities and en-route navigation aids. This has an impact on the safety of the service provided to aircraft.
NATS has two distinct business areas dealing with wind farms, NATS (En-Route) Plc (NERL) and NATS Services Ltd (NSL). NERL offer pre-planning, operational impact assessments and mitigation services for proposals which affect En-Route assets such as long-range radar facilities. NSL as part of its contractual obligations safeguard the airport systems and operations at 15 of the UK’s major airports on behalf of the airport operators. NSL also provides safeguarding and pre-planning services, operational impact assessments and mitigation strategies, as well as regional solution planning and in-fill radar solutions and feasibility studies.
NERL has introduced a range of services aimed at helping those involved prepare for formal planning Applications. Applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis and by working together as early in the planning cycle as possible, our experts can often identify mitigations against potential impact on Air Traffic Control (ATC) operations.
NERL has produced a Mitigation Paper, the aim of which is that industry use it as an aid to help frame its approach to NERL when seeking engagement on potential applications. The paper sets out to explain as to why we object to developments and gives guidance for developers on what they need to do to successfully mitigate any impact.
These advisory processes are not mandatory and do not replace the formal submission of applications to the relevant planning authorities, neither do they replace NERL obligations under the Safeguarding Directives incorporated in the Town and Country Planning Act.
When working with NATS you have unique access to the only authority on Communications Navigation & Surveillance (CNS) sites and operations operated by NERL.
If you want to find out more, NATS has a dedicated technical training team that delivers high quality courses on the various systems and equipments employed within the Air Traffic Management arena. This Technical Training Services (TTS) team offers courses on topics including ATC Familiarisation and Radar Theory and Principles. For further information, including a full list of courses offered, visit our Training Course page or contact tts@nats.co.uk.