South-West England · NATS Air Traffic Control
Applying for an ATC role at Bristol Airport?
Bristol Airport is the South-West's busiest airport, handling over 8 million passengers per year. NATS provides ATC services and trainee controller recruitment follows the same national aptitude test pathway as all NATS locations.
Bristol's airspace connects with Cardiff and Exeter to the west, while coordinating with London ATCC above. Controllers manage a busy mix of domestic, charter and European scheduled traffic.
Stage 1 of NATS recruitment is completed online from home and takes approximately 75 minutes. It covers nine tests across spatial reasoning, numerical ability, logical thinking and related cognitive skills.
ATC Practice provides targeted practice for all four key test types with full explanations and randomised questions — the most effective way to build confidence and accuracy before your assessment.
What's included in ATC Practice
Spatial Reasoning
40 questions · 20 min
Numerical Reasoning
40 questions · 20 min
Logical Reasoning
40 questions · 20 min
Situational Judgement
35 questions · 25 min
NDB Direction
24 questions
Switch — Dual Task
6 rounds
About NATS Stage 1 selection
What tests are in the NATS Stage 1 aptitude assessment?
The NATS Stage 1 online assessment covers spatial reasoning, numerical reasoning, logical reasoning and situational judgement. These cognitive aptitudes are proven predictors of air traffic control training success. Candidates who practice under timed conditions perform significantly better.
How competitive is NATS air traffic controller selection?
NATS receives thousands of applications each year for a limited number of trainee places, making it one of the most competitive selection processes in UK aviation. Strong aptitude-test performance at Stage 1 is essential to progress to the assessment centre.
Do I need experience or a degree to apply?
No. NATS does not require a degree or prior aviation experience for trainee air traffic controller roles. You typically need to be 18 or over and meet GCSE requirements in maths and English, along with medical and eyesight standards. Selection is based primarily on aptitude.
What does ATC Practice include?
ATC Practice covers Spatial Reasoning, Numerical Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, Situational Judgement, NDB Direction and a dual-task simulation — all timed, full-length and with explanations. One payment of £10 gives unlimited access with no subscription.
Start practicing for Bristol Airport today
One payment of £10 gives you unlimited access to all the NATS Stage 1 practice simulations. No subscription, access never expires.
Get full access — £10↩ 14-day satisfaction guarantee · No subscription