Inside the Operations Room – Keeping Aircraft Moving Safely

When you picture someone managing thousands of aircraft moving through the sky, you might imagine a stressed‑out person staring at dozens of screens. Gaz Richardson laughs at that idea. For him, air traffic control has become so familiar – after years of training – that he describes it as exciting, rewarding and lots of the time fun. 

Today, he works as a Deputy Operations Supervisor at NATS, helping run the huge operations room that manages low‑level airspace around London. It’s one of the busiest and most complex pieces of airspace in the world. But Gaz’s enthusiasm for the job is obvious – he’s been with NATS for 20 years and says he still looks forward to every shift.

Getting started

Gaz didn’t follow a traditional academic path.
He joined NATS straight out of college at 18, after completing only the first year of his A‑levels. A‑levels – or a degree – aren’t required. You just need five GCSEs, including maths and English. 

The training pathway is long and tough. New recruits spend around a year at the NATS Air Traffic College learning the basics – rules, procedures, communication skills and all the theory they need. After that, trainees move to an operational unit for simulator work and live training, which can take between two and four years depending on the role and the unit. 

‘It’s a long, old slog,’ Gaz admits. ‘It’s exhausting at times, but once you get there, it’s absolutely worth it.’ 

In the early part of his career, Gaz worked as an approach controller – lining aircraft up on their final approach into airports like Luton, London City and Biggin Hill. Later, he trained as an instructor, an assessor and eventually an examiner before progressing into supervisory roles. 

A shift in the Ops room

One thing Gaz is sure about: air traffic control is never boring.

He works a rotating pattern: two morning shifts, two afternoon shifts and two night shifts, followed by four days off. A typical early shift starts at 7am, and he arrives early to log in, read briefings and check the weather. Briefings can include anything from changed procedures to special events like fly‑pasts or even drone activity near the area. 

The operations room itself is organised like a giant square. Controllers, around the edges of the room, manage different pieces of the sky. In the middle, raised slightly above everything else, are the supervisors – including Gaz when he’s on duty. It’s his job to take a handover from the previous supervisor, then formally sign for the room. From that point, the safety of the whole operation is his responsibility. 

During the shift he is constantly:

• Checking traffic levels
• Looking at busy sectors
• Speaking with supervisors
• Receiving forecasts from the Met Office team located inside the ops room
• Making decisions, including when to slow aircraft or add capacity where needed 

Some shifts run smoothly. Others move fast. ‘The shift almost runs itself once everyone is settled in,’ he says, ‘but you’re always monitoring what’s happening.’ 

He also fits in people‑focused work – line management conversations, checking on the eight or nine controllers he directly supports, and making sure the whole team has what they need to do their job well. 

Handling emergencies

When emergencies happen – which is rare – Gaz says the training kicks in instantly. He remembers one moment especially clearly: one of his first shifts after qualifying, a plane leaving Luton declared a Mayday with an engine failure.

‘I remember thinking, oh my God, this is really happening,’ he says. ‘But then the switch flicks. You’ve trained for it, you know what to do, and you just get on with it.’

The aircraft landed safely, and once it was all over, the realisation hit him – but not during the moment itself. Staying calm is part of the job.

‘We’re trained from day one,’ he says. ‘People think it must be so stressful, but it isn’t. We’re prepared for it.’ 

Teamwork at the heart of everything

Gaz is quick to point out that the ops room is one huge team effort. No controller or supervisor ever works alone.

‘It’s absolutely a team game,’ he says. ‘You can’t do the job without the team behind you.’ 

When something unusual happens, the whole room reacts together. People support one another instinctively – sometimes relying on colleagues they don’t even know well, because each watch includes around 60 controllers. 

Everyone has the same goal: keeping the airspace safe.

The hard parts

Shift work can be challenging. Swapping between mornings, afternoons and nights can disrupt your sleep, and Gaz admits he has sometimes missed family events or celebrations. Booking annual leave a year in advance also makes planning difficult.

But despite all that, he says the career is more than worth it.
He describes it as exciting, fun and endlessly interesting – a job where you can see the impact of your work every single day.

What you need to succeed

So what does it take to work in air traffic control?

Gaz highlights a few qualities:

• Calm under pressure – things can change fast.
• Problem‑solving – you need to enjoy complex puzzles.
• Good communication – the only tool controllers have is their voice.
• Spatial awareness – imagining aircraft moving in 3D.
• Teamwork – absolutely essential.
• Perseverance – most applicants don’t get in on their first attempt.

Recruitment is tough. Only a small number of people make it through the multi‑stage selection process. But Gaz is clear: if you want it, stick at it.

‘It’s very difficult,’ he says, ‘but don’t be disheartened if you don’t get in first time. That’s normal.’ 

Here for the long term 

For Gaz, aviation isn’t just a career – it’s a place where passion, teamwork and skill come together. It’s clear he wouldn’t want to work anywhere else. He loves the variety, the responsibility and the feeling of being part of something big. ‘It’s not a nine‑to‑five job,’ he says. ‘Every day is different. Sometimes you see something you’ve never seen before. And you just get on with it.’ He loves the variety, the responsibility and the feeling of being part of something big. ‘It’s not a nine‑to‑five job,’ he says. ‘Every day is different. Sometimes you see something you’ve never seen before. And you just get on with it.’

‘It’s the sort of career people stay in for 30 or 40 years,’ he says. ‘Some colleagues have been here for over 50. That tells you everything you need to know. I still love going to work every day. It’s such a fantastic job, and I’d recommend it to anyone.’