Altitude

The sight and sound of stunning air displays and incredible aerobatic performances by some of the world’s best pilots is hard to beat.

But with Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) just a week away, what does it take to plan, manage and safely deliver a truly spectacular airshow? How does the role of the air traffic controllers at a display differ from the day job?

The tower at RIAT is made up of volunteer controllers from all over the UK who work incredibly hard to make the show a safe and exciting experience for the thousands who attend, but that work starts long before the doors open to the public.

In this episode of Altitude we welcome two guests - Heathrow air traffic controllers by day who have also worked at some of the world’s busiest and biggest airshows.