NATS Aberdeen

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Our business

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, available in full on the CAA website, 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:

The guiding principle of air traffic control is that safety is paramount. Controllers must therefore keep the aircraft they handle safely separated using internationally agreed standards. This is achieved by allocating different heights to aircraft or by arranging certain minimum horizontal distances between them. These distances vary according to circumstances, but aircraft flying along the airways under radar surveillance, for example, are kept five nautical miles apart horizontally or at least 1,000 feet vertically.

Within the airspace, a network of corridors has been established. These corridors, or airways, are usually ten miles wide and reach up to a height of 24,000 feet from a base of between 5,000 and 7,000 feet. They mainly link busy areas of airspace known as terminal control areas which are normally above major airports. At a lower level are the control zones which are established around each airport. The area above 24,500 feet is known as upper airspace.

All these areas are designated "controlled airspace" and aircraft fly in them under the supervision of air traffic controllers. Pilots are required to file a flight plan for each journey containing details such as destination, route, timing and height.

Within controlled airspace, pilots must follow controllers' instructions; outside controlled airspace they take full responsibility for their own safety although they can ask for assistance. In fact, military controllers, who work closely with their civilian colleagues to provide a fully integrated service to all users, offer an air traffic service to aircraft in uncontrolled airspace. Military personnel also provide services to aircraft crossing airways and for those flying above 24,500 feet. A priority task for them is aiding aircraft in distress.

Aircraft in the initial or final stages of their journey are managed by controllers at the airport itself. When aircraft join the airways system, responsibility for handling them passes to colleagues working at the appropriate area control centre. A flight through their airspace could pass through several "sectors" of airspace, each managed by a different team of controllers.

Executive Team

The Chief Executive Officer undertakes the day-to-day management of NATS with support from the executive team, who are responsible for the management of business within their areas of accountability in the two parts of the business, NATS En-route Ltd (NERL) and NATS Services Ltd (NSL). The focus of work at this level is on strategy development and performance management.

Chief Executive Officer, NATS: Richard Deakin

Richard was appointed Chief Executive Officer of NATS on April 1, 2010. Previously, he was Senior Vice President of the Air Systems Division for Thales and a member of the company’s Executive Committee. Based in Paris, his division recorded a turnover of €1.8bn and employed 7,000 staff across the world. Richard’s career started more than 25 years ago as an engineering apprentice at BAE Systems, where he spent 17 years in a number of roles, latterly as Vice-President Commercial Aerospace, based at Farnborough.

Moving to TRW Aeronautical Systems as European Operations Director, Richard ran nine factories in the UK, France and Germany producing high precision aerospace systems. Before joining Thales, Richard spent several years as Group Director Programmes with GKN Aerospace Services.

A Chartered Engineer, Richard holds a first-class honours degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Kingston University and an MBA from Cranfield School of Management. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Engineering from Kingston University in January 2006.

General Counsel and Company Secretary: Richard Churchill-Coleman

Richard started his career as an aeronautical engineer before qualifying as a solicitor. His interest in all things aviation led him to various legal positions with international airlines and an expert knowledge of aviation law. Before joining NATS, he was Group Legal Counsel for the TUI UK group of companies.

Finance Director: Nigel Fotherby

Nigel joined NATS in October 1999 as Finance Director.

He previously worked for Lex Service plc as Finance Director of its retail group and then for BT Cellnet, where he was Deputy Finance Director. Nigel began his career with Coopers & Lybrand where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant.

Operations Strategy and Standards Director: Ian Hall

Ian is spearheading the future of NATS, whilst ensuring coherence across all of our business strategies. He is accountable for the development of future concepts of operation and technology, including Functional Airspace Blocks and SESAR; for new airspace designs; for identifying available technologies and ensuring that new technology is aligned with our operating strategy. He is also be accountable for leading all our work on consultation and developing partnerships with other European ANSPs to increase capacity and improve efficiency.

He is an air traffic controller by background and has served in a variety of roles within the company in both operational and management capacities.

Safety Director: David Harrison

Dr David Harrison brings more than 20 years of experience of working at NATS to the role of Group Director of Safety. Reporting to the CEO, he is responsible for championing activities which support front-line safety benefits and performance. Prior to his appointment, he was General Manager of the Manchester Area Control Centre. He has also been in charge of the Chief Scientist’s Division, incorporating Operational Analysis, Research and Development and Human Factors. He also led the Architecture and Integrity function in Technology and Programmes.

Human Resources Director: Philip James

Philip was appointed NATS’ Human Resources Director in December 2002. A Chartered Occupational Psychologist, he has over 25 years’ experience in personnel management and joined NATS in 1990 to set up an HR planning function, subsequently holding various senior appointments within the HR department.

Before joining NATS Philip held a number of posts in the electricity supply industry, the BBC and GEC.

European and Government Affairs Director: Anne Lambert

Anne Lambert is the first Director, European and Government Affairs for NATS. She is responsible for developing strategies to engage both UK and European stakeholders in delivering ATM solutions which meet airline needs. Anne has 30 years’ experience in the UK Civil Service with particular expertise in regulation and in EU affairs. She has held senior positions with the DTI, OFTEL and two postings with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in Brussels. Her most recent position of UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the European Union in Brussels included responsibility for aviation.

Managing Director NERL: Ian Mills

Ian is responsible for our day-to-day operations; and for continuing to set new standards in safety management throughout the operations.

An experienced General Manager and Projects Director, Ian has spent over 20 years in operations and project management servicing the power, water and transportation industries. Ian trained as a Control and Instrumentation Engineer in the power sector, and joined Alstom Transport in 1997 as a Project Manager, becoming Operations Director in charge of businesses in Europe, Africa and South America. Ian developed project management methodology for the transportation sector, and is widely acknowledged as an expert in project management development and deployment.

Managing Director NSL: Paul Reid

Paul re-joined NSL in September 2009 as Chief Operating Officer accountable for the safe delivery of all established business activities.

Paul began his career in NATS aged 19, graduating from Hurn as top cadet. Paul validated at Glasgow on tower and approach, before becoming a Watch manager. Originally from Scotland he moved south to become a controller at Heathrow. Paul moved into management positions and has been Manager Air Traffic Services, London City; General Manager Gatwick and General Manager Swanwick.

Director, Corporate, Customer and Environmental Affairs: Rachael Reid

Rachael is responsible for customer affairs; for developing and driving forward NATS’ environmental strategy; for internal and external communications, and for corporate affairs and branding.

Prior to joining NATS and the Executive team in April 2003, Rachael has held a number of senior corporate affairs and communications roles in the utilities, oil & gas and aerospace sectors in the UK, Norway and the USA.

NERL Executive Team

NSL Executive Team