We provide Air Traffic Control (ATC) services at 13 UK airports. At BIA we provide
tower, approach and engineering services.
Tower Services
This is an ATC service provided for the airport and
surrounding airspace. The controllers will look
out of the tower windows, as well as at the ATC
equipment, to give aircraft clearance to taxi,
take-off and land.
Approach
This is a radar-based control service located in
the lower part of the tower. Incoming aircraft are
managed from approximately 40 miles away
from the aerodrome, generally under 10,000ft.
Engineering
An engineering team, based at the airport, are
responsible for maintaining air traffic control
services, such as radar and the Instrument
Landing System (ILS).
The Operation: 2018
The current tower opened in 1987 and NATS has
been providing an ATC service since then.
BIA handles over 60% of Northern Ireland’s
business related air travel.
Furthest direct route travelled to: Las Vegas, USA
Most travelled to destination: Spain
Airports served: 70
The Airport
There are some special residents that make BIA
a unique airport, it has a c.60 hares living on the
airfield. BIA operate a long grass policy to deter
the birds, however the hares love it.