Aviation is a major UK industry, carrying over 190 million passengers a year and over 2.5 million tonnes of freight. Demand for air travel continues to grow, although the full effects of the current economic situation have yet to be felt. According to the latest figures available from the Airport Operators Association, air travel in the UK has grown by 73% in the past ten years, and Heathrow is the world's busiest international airport. It also reports that, since 2001, the percentage of passenger traffic going to regional airports has increased from 39% to 48%. In terms of economic benefits, aviation supports 580,000 jobs, directly and indirectly, in the UK, and generates a £22 billion value-added contribution to GDP.

Aviation boasts occupancy rates of above 70%, more than double those of road and rail transportation. Air transport entirely covers its infrastructure costs in the developed world. Unlike road and rail, it is a net contributor to national treasuries through taxation. By improving fuel consumption, reducing waste and introducing more sustainable technologies, air transport has been able to reduce or contain its environmental impact. Aircraft entering today's fleets are 20 decibels quieter than comparable aircraft 40 years ago, with a further 50% reduction in noise during take-off and landing expected by 2020. Aircraft entering today's fleets are 70% more fuel efficient than they were 40 years ago. Carbon monoxide emissions have been reduced by 50%, while unburned hydrocarbon and smoke have been cut by 90%. Programmes aim to achieve a further 50% fuel and CO2 saving, and an 80% reduction in oxides of nitrogen by 2020. Enhancements in air traffic management have the potential to reduce fuel burn by 6-12%, while operational improvements can bring an additional 2-6% fuel saving.

Per passenger kilometre, air transport uses less than 1% of the land required for transport in the European Union. Air travel is safer than other modes of transport per passenger-kilometre - recent figures suggest just one accident per 1.3 million flights. The safety of air transport has constantly improved over time and safety will remain the most important driving factor for future aircraft development. While every rail journey in the UK is subsidised by nearly £5, air passenger duty raises billions of pounds for the Treasury.

Such a huge industry requires a vast number of people with a wide variety of skills. Skills specific to aviation include:

• pilots and cabin crew

• passenger services staff

• aviation engineers

• airport operations

• ticketing and tourism

• cargo managers and handlers

• air traffic controllers.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) works to the Department of Transport, and is the industry's regulator. It is charged with ensuring that civil aviation thrives and that the public is properly served by the industry, which includes adequate safety measures.

Aircraft movement is controlled by National Air Traffic Services Ltd (NATS), a wholly owned subsidiary of the CAA. It currently operates mainly at Swanwick, West Drayton, Manchester and Prestwick (although, by spring 2010, it will have consolidated its operations at two sites, Swanwick and Prestwick, as part of its major £1 billion modernisation programme), and also provides air traffic control at 15 UK airports and has a training college at Bournemouth. (There are two other non-NATS air traffic control training colleges at Cwmbran, and Shoreham and Gloucester.) NATS employs around 5,000 people, handling more than 2 million flights carrying over 220 million passengers annually.

Employment, training and qualifications

Airlines

Each individual airline employs its own flight crew (pilots and cabin crew), and will be able to advise anybody interested in such jobs about the qualifications they will need. Airlines run special training courses for candidates with the right aptitude for some of these positions, and have subcontracted other training to external suppliers. The personnel department of the airline will provide the criteria for each job and what each individual will need to be a candidate for it. Some general likely requirements are shown below.

Someone starting pilot training would:

• be aged between 18 and 26 and fluent in English, with a clear speaking voice

• have five GCSEs at grade C or above, including English language, maths and a science subject; and a minimum of two A-levels at grade C or above, or a second-class honours degree

• be physically fit and between 5'2" and 6'3" tall, with normal vision

• attend an 18-month course at a CAA-approved flying school anywhere in the world.

Cabin crew should:

• be physically fit, between 5'2" and 6'3" tall, and at least 19 years old

• have GCSE grade C or above in English and maths

• be fluent in English and a second language, or possess a relevant qualification

• have customer service experience

• complete a 30-hour distance learning programme

• take a five-week training course

• be confirmed as a fully qualified cabin crew member after six months' flying.

Passenger service staff issue and process tickets, check in passengers and baggage, and man information points. They need to:

• be aged at least 18

• have a year's customer service experience

• have GCSE grade C or above in English and maths

• complete a six-week training course.

Airline operations and dispatch staff (often employed by aircraft handling companies on behalf of the airlines) ensure that everything is correctly prepared and loaded for the aircraft to depart on schedule. This involves, among other things, monitoring cleaning, catering, refuelling, cargo and baggage loading, and making weight and balance calculations, obtaining slots and sending operational messages. They need to:

• be aged at least 18

• have a minimum of GCSE grade C or above in English and maths

• hold a current driving licence and not be colour blind

• complete in-house training or follow an appropriate (120-hour) distance learning course.

Airline contact details can be found through the CAA website, and recruitment opportunities and procedures should be obtained from them.

Air traffic control

Air traffic controllers provide instructions, advice and information to pilots by radio to keep air traffic flying safely, efficiently and quickly. They deal with weather changes, unscheduled traffic, near misses and emergencies. Area controllers look after aircraft transiting an area along routes; approach controllers take over as pilots get close to airports and guide them into landing patterns; while aerodrome controllers cover take-off, landing and movement on the ground.

Air traffic controllers must:

• be between 18 and 36 years old (experienced ex-military applicants may be older)

• have five GCSEs at grade C or above, including English and maths

• pass a selection process and meet basic medical stipulations

• attend a minimum six-month course.

Airports

Thousands of different government agencies and businesses work at airports, ranging from huge airlines to local taxi drivers. As well as carrying out its own business functions, airport management has to look after its 'lodger' organisations. Some employment areas are:

• security, including general guarding, baggage inspection and personal search

• police, immigration and HM Customs & Excise

• medical, information, customer services and escorting

• driving and parking

• cleaning and maintenance

• restaurants, bars and cafés

• shops and duty-free facilities.

Behind these functions is a business operation that may be multinational, or perhaps just managing one relatively small airport. Applicants will require the appropriate qualifications for their employment; up to one-third of all airport jobs are security-related. Anyone working at an airport needs to hold an appropriate security pass, and the issuing of passes is strictly controlled. Typical requirements are that potential holders have sufficient references, and can provide an unbroken record of employment or education for at least five years. Criminal records are investigated and it is unlikely that anyone with a record would be given a pass.

Further information

Civil Aviation Authority, CAA House, 45-59 Kingsway, London WC2B 6TE Tel: 020 7379 7311 Website: www.caa.co.uk

CAA Safety Regulation Group, Aviation House, Gatwick Airport South, West Sussex RH6 0YR Tel: 01293 567171 Website: www.srg.caa.co.uk

Airlines recruit individually; the CAA website (see above) has useful links

British Airport Authority plc recruits by airport with no central department Website: www.baa.com

National Air Traffic Services Ltd, Corporate and Technical Centre, 4000 Parkway, Whiteley, Fareham, Hampshire PO15 7FL Tel: 01489 616001 Website: www.nats.co.uk