0:00:02 > 0:00:05Once, except for the birds, our skies were empty.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12Now they're a crowded place.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17It's like chaos, but it's controlled chaos.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19Every day, 6,000 planes...
0:00:19 > 0:00:21My pride and joy.
0:00:21 > 0:00:22There's nothing we can't transport.
0:00:22 > 0:00:26..and 600,000 people are in the skies above Britain.
0:00:31 > 0:00:35Guiding every plane is a hidden army of controllers...
0:00:35 > 0:00:38So we've got no option right now but to stop arrivals into Gatwick.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41..performing one of the world's greatest juggling acts.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43Unlike a computer game, you can't hit pause.
0:00:43 > 0:00:44They're coming.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48A place of adventure...
0:00:49 > 0:00:52Well, that was fantastic.
0:00:52 > 0:00:53..wonder...
0:00:53 > 0:00:56When you're up there, nothing else matters.
0:00:56 > 0:00:57..and danger.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00The less you know what's in front of you, the better.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02It gives you a sense of space and freedom
0:01:02 > 0:01:05and a feeling that you're part of something bigger.
0:01:05 > 0:01:06Every boy's little dream.
0:01:14 > 0:01:19London - one of the busiest cities on earth,
0:01:19 > 0:01:21and a magnet for business and tourism.
0:01:24 > 0:01:29It pulls 3,500 planes a day into its five major airports...
0:01:30 > 0:01:32..all bursting at the seams.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36THEY DIRECT PLANES
0:01:38 > 0:01:42Orchestrating this daily rush is the job of NATS, Swanwick -
0:01:42 > 0:01:45the UK's air traffic control hub.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50Here, controllers cram the growing number of flights into
0:01:50 > 0:01:52south-east England's limited airspace.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57We are a small island and we have five major airfields
0:01:57 > 0:01:59right in one little corner.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01It's a lot of planes to get into a very small space
0:02:01 > 0:02:03with limited amounts of tarmac.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05303, contact London...
0:02:07 > 0:02:10Adding to today's workload,
0:02:10 > 0:02:12cloudbursts of heavy rain.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20What's the weather looking like out your window then?
0:02:20 > 0:02:23Heathrow's just gone into Vis Two holding. Vis Two. Yeah.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25Because the weather has now got to Heathrow and the rain
0:02:25 > 0:02:28has got to Heathrow we've had to increase the spacing for
0:02:28 > 0:02:30all arrivals because the tower
0:02:30 > 0:02:33are having difficulty seeing parts of the runway.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35So part of the procedure is before you get into
0:02:35 > 0:02:38really low visibility procedures we go into something called Vis Two.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40We've just gone in Vis Two,
0:02:40 > 0:02:42which gives us a minimum of four-mile spacing.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44We just need to be aware
0:02:44 > 0:02:48of Gatwick movements on the ground.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51Increasing the distance between aircraft from three miles
0:02:51 > 0:02:54to four has a domino effect,
0:02:54 > 0:02:56slowing traffic at other airports,
0:02:56 > 0:02:58even if there's no local rain.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02Because of the weather that we've had in the airspace,
0:03:02 > 0:03:04we've had to restrict the departures,
0:03:04 > 0:03:07and so the knock-on effect of all of this
0:03:07 > 0:03:10is they're close to running out of stands at Gatwick now.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13The space on the ground, the tarmac, is becoming full.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22They're now requesting a rate of 16,
0:03:22 > 0:03:24based upon the capacity on the airfield.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26So do they know they're not going to get 16
0:03:26 > 0:03:28for at least an hour and a half?
0:03:28 > 0:03:31Yeah, they know. They know how it works. OK. Let's go for it.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33Terminal control, Ronnie speaking.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36To prevent a jam on the ground, Steve cuts the number
0:03:36 > 0:03:39of planes allowed into Gatwick's airspace
0:03:39 > 0:03:41from 27 an hour to 16.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44Battening down the hatches now until we can get through to the handover.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47Staffing looks good for this afternoon.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49The weather should be through just after the handover,
0:03:49 > 0:03:52so fingers crossed my colleague and his team will have
0:03:52 > 0:03:54a lovely afternoon while we go and have my cup of tea
0:03:54 > 0:03:58that's still long-awaited from eight o'clock this morning.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03It's the job with the highest pressure at NATS,
0:04:03 > 0:04:07keeping everyone safe entering or leaving London's airspace...
0:04:09 > 0:04:12..one of the busiest patches of sky in the world.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17Planes are threaded through a Spaghetti Junction of
0:04:17 > 0:04:21invisible highways into stacks above the five main airports.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25Manned by up to five controllers,
0:04:25 > 0:04:28the biggest, Heathrow, has four stacks,
0:04:28 > 0:04:31each filled with up to ten circling planes,
0:04:31 > 0:04:34all carrying an average of 200 passengers.
0:04:36 > 0:04:41This can put up to 4,000 people in the hands of just one controller.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44There are elements of stress. You come out with clammy hands sometimes
0:04:44 > 0:04:47and your heart's racing, a bit redder than you normally would be,
0:04:47 > 0:04:49but when you start thinking of each of those aircraft
0:04:49 > 0:04:52as hundreds of people, which then adds up to thousands of people
0:04:52 > 0:04:54that you're keeping safe and alive, ultimately,
0:04:54 > 0:04:56I think you'd just lose the plot, you'd go crazy.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59So none of us really think like that, I don't think, at all.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04It's little wonder the path to becoming a controller is so tough.
0:05:06 > 0:05:11Each year just 0.5% of the thousands who apply are accepted,
0:05:11 > 0:05:13making getting into NATS harder than
0:05:13 > 0:05:16winning a place at Oxford or Cambridge.
0:05:20 > 0:05:24Today, after passing a series of aptitude tests,
0:05:24 > 0:05:28five applicants have arrived to start the three-year course.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30Good morning, guys. You on the 241 Basic? Yes.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34Hello. Welcome. I'm Jane Howard. Good to meet you.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38Jane looks after new trainees at NATS.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40This is our aerodrome simulator,
0:05:40 > 0:05:42which is fab.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46It emulates looking out of a tower.
0:05:46 > 0:05:5123-year-old Tom Finch recently graduated with a maths degree.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54It's huge and ridiculous and really,
0:05:54 > 0:05:56like, amazing, the whole building.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58Make yourselves comfortable.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00If you just want to introduce yourself to me
0:06:00 > 0:06:03and maybe something interesting about yourself.
0:06:03 > 0:06:04I'm Tom. Hi, Tom.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08I am from Warrington in the north-west
0:06:08 > 0:06:12and I've cycled from Land's End to John o'Groats for charity
0:06:12 > 0:06:14and from Warrington to Paris.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16As I graduated, I applied for this
0:06:16 > 0:06:18because I saw them at the careers fair.
0:06:18 > 0:06:22I was just working at my local McDonald's, just trying to earn
0:06:22 > 0:06:24some money while I waited, and now I'm here.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27I mean, I don't really have an aviation background.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29I'm Tim. I'm from London.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32I used to do road cycling quite often.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34I haven't for a while because of injury from skateboarding.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37I was a bit reckless when I was younger and...
0:06:37 > 0:06:4120-year-old Tim Christophe gave up his place at university
0:06:41 > 0:06:44and has left home for the first time to be here.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47When my mum heard I got the job she just sort of screamed
0:06:47 > 0:06:49and then hugged me.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51She was, like, sad that I'm leaving home
0:06:51 > 0:06:52cos I've never moved away before
0:06:52 > 0:06:56and now it's like moving away for good, but she was so happy about it.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58You've probably heard it from all sorts of people
0:06:58 > 0:07:00and I will just say it again - there is a tremendous amount of study
0:07:00 > 0:07:03and the first four weeks is quite tough.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05After a month of basic training,
0:07:05 > 0:07:08they'll be plunged into a series of tests.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11Fail any one, and it's off the course.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16It is the level of study, the complexity of what they study,
0:07:16 > 0:07:19that puts a lot of pressure on them.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21Are you ready? Lovely. Thank you.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23From the point they leave here,
0:07:23 > 0:07:26which will hopefully be in nine months' time, they'll actually start
0:07:26 > 0:07:31working with live traffic, but with a valid controller by their side.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34Good morning.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36It's massive. It's a huge responsibility.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40Historically, I had one guy that was doing fabulously well
0:07:40 > 0:07:41and he came in one day and said,
0:07:41 > 0:07:44"I can't take the responsibility,"
0:07:44 > 0:07:46and withdrew from the course.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54Pressure on NATS is partly the result
0:07:54 > 0:07:57of an explosion in budget airlines.
0:07:57 > 0:08:0020 years ago, they carried around five million passengers a year.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05Now they fly well over 16 times that number.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12Today, Fergus Rak, a pilot for low-cost Norwegian Airlines,
0:08:12 > 0:08:17is scheduled to make two round trips to Europe in his Boeing 737.
0:08:17 > 0:08:22We fly low-cost airline and the aircraft need to be in the air
0:08:22 > 0:08:24for the longest possible time.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27So the name of the game for us is to be very efficient,
0:08:27 > 0:08:30all working very solidly. There's no pausing.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33We're going to try and aim to leave here at 8:05. OK.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37OK, so you can start your briefing now, if you like. OK.
0:08:37 > 0:08:41Between flights, the cabin crew clean the passenger compartment,
0:08:41 > 0:08:44while Fergus does standard safety checks.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47I'm checking that everything is where it should be,
0:08:47 > 0:08:50making sure there's no hydraulic leaks, no fuel leaks.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53I'm also doing a security check at the same time
0:08:53 > 0:08:55for stowaways and bombs
0:08:55 > 0:08:57and devices that may have been...
0:08:57 > 0:09:00set on board the aeroplane.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05During the 30-minute turnaround
0:09:05 > 0:09:1026,000 litres of kerosene is pumped into the wings,
0:09:10 > 0:09:15while up to 227 litres of waste is sucked out of the tanks.
0:09:15 > 0:09:20And before taking off, 125 safety checks are ticked off.
0:09:20 > 0:09:21We're just about ready to go now.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23We're just finishing off our last bit of paperwork
0:09:23 > 0:09:26and we can get ourselves under way for Berlin Schonefeld.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41I've asked them to request that the fueller comes out immediately. OK.
0:09:41 > 0:09:46If we can avoid having to do monitored fuelling, that will help.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56The stubby-shaped 737,
0:09:56 > 0:09:58affectionately known as the pig,
0:09:58 > 0:10:01is the bestselling civil aircraft ever built.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07Somewhere in the world, one takes off every five seconds,
0:10:07 > 0:10:09and Fergus is flying one of the latest.
0:10:20 > 0:10:25Once the flight is beginning I quite often say to the first officer,
0:10:25 > 0:10:27"And now we can relax."
0:10:27 > 0:10:31We've got away from the very busy, pressurised time on the ground
0:10:31 > 0:10:34and we're now just going to fly the aeroplane.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45Oh, my God!
0:10:47 > 0:10:49Whoo!
0:10:51 > 0:10:53Oh, look at that traffic jam on the M25, eh?
0:10:55 > 0:10:59Getting behind the controls of a jumbo jet means starting small...
0:10:59 > 0:11:01Easing right...now.
0:11:01 > 0:11:03..in one of the thousands of light aircraft
0:11:03 > 0:11:05registered to fly in London's airspace.
0:11:13 > 0:11:17We're on Myrtle Avenue, just watching the planes go over.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19It's amazing. It's so good.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23I don't how much it would cost to live here,
0:11:23 > 0:11:25but I would definitely love to.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27It's so cool.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33Ah! I love it.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38Lizzie Metcalfe has been learning to fly for the past six months.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42So far it's cost her ?5,000.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44I've not flown for about three weeks
0:11:44 > 0:11:48and it actually feels kind of like stuff's missing.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50Like, I'm going to the aerodrome all the time...
0:11:50 > 0:11:52PLANE ROARS OVERHEAD
0:11:56 > 0:12:00I'm going to the aerodrome all the time just to be there,
0:12:00 > 0:12:04just to be around the planes and be a bit of a scally
0:12:04 > 0:12:07and hitch lifts with people just to get in a plane,
0:12:07 > 0:12:10just a back seat and see what people are doing.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12Cos after a week of work
0:12:12 > 0:12:15it's kind of like, you kind of...
0:12:15 > 0:12:17I don't know, you just kind of get this feeling in your stomach
0:12:17 > 0:12:19that you just want to fly again.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21And it actually feels like something's missing in your life
0:12:21 > 0:12:23when you're not flying.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26Currently working as a designer on a magazine, for Lizzie
0:12:26 > 0:12:30becoming a commercial pilot goes back to childhood.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33My dad was in hospital throughout my whole life,
0:12:33 > 0:12:35always in and out.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40He got leukaemia when I was a baby.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42His dream was from when he was a very young boy,
0:12:42 > 0:12:44he wanted to be a pilot.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50But it was only when my dad left behind this list of things
0:12:50 > 0:12:52that he wanted to do
0:12:52 > 0:12:55and one of them was be a pilot that I thought,
0:12:55 > 0:12:58"I'm going to honour him. I want to do this for him,"
0:12:58 > 0:13:00and I got into flying.
0:13:02 > 0:13:03Shall we wave?
0:13:09 > 0:13:12That was a beast. Absolute beast.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15I don't know when the day is that I'll get there,
0:13:15 > 0:13:17but I think on that day I'll feel like,
0:13:17 > 0:13:21"Yes, I've finally made it. I've finally achieved this dream."
0:13:21 > 0:13:24Not just my own, my dad's dream.
0:13:28 > 0:13:33Lizzie's notched up 25 flying hours at Elstree Airfield.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37It's one of the most wonderful places you can go to because
0:13:37 > 0:13:40there's so much chance for adventure, you know?
0:13:40 > 0:13:43And I'm, like, crazy jealous of all the people
0:13:43 > 0:13:47that have their own planes and they can just go off somewhere.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50They just go, "Mm, I want to go to France for breakfast.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54It's such a crazy lifestyle that these people live. It's exciting.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56It's freedom, definitely.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59But before the freedom of flying solo...
0:13:59 > 0:14:01Make sure it's not too tight.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05..Lizzie, with instructor Ivan, must master the hardest part.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07My landings are awful.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11I just bounce my way down the runway like no tomorrow.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13But everything else is fine. Everything else seems to be great.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16You know, getting up there, going around.
0:14:16 > 0:14:17It's just nailing those landings
0:14:17 > 0:14:20that's biggest challenge for me at the moment.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24Oil pressure in the green arc.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26Golf, Bravo, Foxtrot, Lima, Uniform, ready for departure.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30Golf, Bravo, Foxtrot, Lima, Uniform, take off at your discretion.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42OK. We're ready to go.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45Gently raise the nose.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49Let it get up in the air. Get speed.
0:14:49 > 0:14:5265, staying alive. Excellent.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58The high-winged Cessna 125 single-engine plane
0:14:58 > 0:15:02is light, agile and sturdy -
0:15:02 > 0:15:04ideal for learning.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07This turn that you're doing, no more than 30 degrees.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10Just medium-level turn. Yeah.
0:15:10 > 0:15:14Sorry, I'm used to it being like a fighter jet.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17Well, maybe in the future.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23It's just this feeling of being entirely free.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25You control everything that happens,
0:15:25 > 0:15:27like realising a dream.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31All of the chaos that goes on in daily life,
0:15:31 > 0:15:33once you take off you can just
0:15:33 > 0:15:35leave all of your problems on the ground,
0:15:35 > 0:15:38and that's a great feeling.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41INDISTINCT RADIO COMMUNICATION
0:15:46 > 0:15:49As Lizzie comes in to land
0:15:49 > 0:15:53she needs to get the plane to stick, not bounce.
0:15:53 > 0:15:54Looking good.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59Let's go a little bit on this side.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04And pull back.
0:16:04 > 0:16:05Gently raise the nose a bit more.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12That felt good.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15It felt good, and it was almost there.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21It was a bit bumpy.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24But, yeah, I'm learning. We're getting there.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32The sight of a 450-tonne jumbo streaking across the sky
0:16:32 > 0:16:35inspires wonder in some.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38But for others, it's pure terror.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41The last flight I went on when I was coming back from Spain,
0:16:41 > 0:16:43I couldn't stop crying.
0:16:43 > 0:16:4728-year-old Sarah Howley, who works as a civil servant,
0:16:47 > 0:16:50suffers panic attacks when she gets on a plane.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52The last time we went away was three years ago and I feel like
0:16:52 > 0:16:57I'm now at a point where I would have loved a holiday this year,
0:16:57 > 0:16:58it would be great to get away,
0:16:58 > 0:17:02but I didn't want to get on a plane.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05Now Sarah might have found a solution.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08I just finished doing hypnotherapy sessions
0:17:08 > 0:17:12and I just felt it wasn't working for me.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15And I kind of thought there must be
0:17:15 > 0:17:18some other way of curing this.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20I mean, I've heard of people being cured
0:17:20 > 0:17:23so I thought I'd go on YouTube to see if there was any sort of
0:17:23 > 0:17:27expert in that field and that's how I came across Christopher.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30It says he's a breakthrough expert.
0:17:30 > 0:17:35"He can rapidly and effectively take a client from extreme flying phobia
0:17:35 > 0:17:39"to them booking their overseas trip with passion and excitement."
0:17:39 > 0:17:40It sounds good.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45I suppose I was looking for this magic cure
0:17:45 > 0:17:49and I feel like I might have found it.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53In an attempt to break through her fears,
0:17:53 > 0:17:55Sarah's booked a session in London,
0:17:55 > 0:17:58but she's got to fly to get there.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00It's one more flight.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03And if it's only one more flight that I have to do
0:18:03 > 0:18:07to be cured of this then it's not too much to ask.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09I am nervous cos...
0:18:10 > 0:18:14..it's a pretty windy day as well.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16I think what I'm most nervous, like,
0:18:16 > 0:18:20what I get most nervous about is turbulence.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24And a windy day says to me there's going to be a bit of turbulence.
0:18:25 > 0:18:29Sometimes it can be quite manic and she can be quite upset,
0:18:29 > 0:18:32but other times she can be really quite quiet.
0:18:32 > 0:18:36I wish I knew what to say or what to do.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38I just feel a bit helpless, really.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43Every time I get on a plane the worse the fear gets.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46I'm thinking, you know, that's some other flight that
0:18:46 > 0:18:50nothing's happened, so the next time something's going to happen.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54How are you feeling? Aye, getting a little bit nervous.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57It's a bit real now.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01Proper fear really kicks in when I get to the airport.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04It's like a big knot in your stomach.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06You're all right? Yeah.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09I suppose you feel out of control a little bit.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11You're putting your life in somebody else's hands.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14You're trusting them to fly that plane.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17Please place guaranteed cabin bags and smaller items
0:19:17 > 0:19:19under the seat in front of you.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45It's struggling, isn't it? Yeah.
0:19:45 > 0:19:4710,000 feet above Kent,
0:19:47 > 0:19:49on his return leg from Berlin,
0:19:49 > 0:19:52Fergus is struggling with turbulence.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54It has no problem getting up to 41,
0:19:54 > 0:19:57it's just... It's a 10 or a 15.
0:20:01 > 0:20:06We lost 12 knots now and probably lose another 10 or 15.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11There is a strong headwind - the tail end of Abigail,
0:20:11 > 0:20:14the storm that tore through Britain days before.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17CONTROLLER: Reduce speed to 180 knots.
0:20:18 > 0:20:1950-mile-an-hour winds plus,
0:20:19 > 0:20:22it brings something extra to the day.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25It's a good opportunity for us to exercise our skills
0:20:25 > 0:20:28and to fly the aeroplane.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31Golf Victor, turn left, heading 285.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33When established, descend on the glide path.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35500.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37With the autopilot off
0:20:37 > 0:20:41and air traffic control guiding him through final approaches,
0:20:41 > 0:20:45Fergus manoeuvres his fully loaded 737 toward Gatwick.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50All the way down that final approach into landing
0:20:50 > 0:20:54you're wrestling with the controls of the aeroplane to make sure
0:20:54 > 0:20:57that you put yourself in that best position to land.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01You're thinking about whether or not you can land the aeroplane
0:21:01 > 0:21:05or go around and have another go.
0:21:05 > 0:21:06There's a lot of pressure
0:21:06 > 0:21:09but there's also a huge amount of satisfaction.
0:21:09 > 0:21:10200.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18100.
0:21:21 > 0:21:2350.
0:21:23 > 0:21:2440. 30.
0:21:24 > 0:21:2620. 10.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45Well done, Peter. Thank you very much. Cheers.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48For me, personally, a day like today is perfect because I like
0:21:48 > 0:21:51that extra challenge of something different.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53You don't want to be flying like this every day
0:21:53 > 0:21:55because it is very tiring. You can probably tell
0:21:55 > 0:21:57by looking at me that I'm probably looking a bit weary,
0:21:57 > 0:22:00but a good day's work.
0:22:00 > 0:22:032584, climb to altitude 6,000.
0:22:03 > 0:22:04Never stops.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07PHONE RINGS Terminal control, Op supervisor. Hello.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09At NATS, the routine of keeping
0:22:09 > 0:22:11thousands of passengers safe continues.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14HE DIRECTS PLANE
0:22:14 > 0:22:17We've got a lot of weather problems on the Midlands sector.
0:22:17 > 0:22:19Roger.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21And training to become a next-generation
0:22:21 > 0:22:25air-traffic controller, it's Tim's turn on the simulator.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30Welcome to aerodrome. I know it's your first one, so no worries.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32We'll get you confident and everything else. All right.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35Are you happy about how to look around the airfield?
0:22:35 > 0:22:37If you had to look at the apron, how would you do that?
0:22:37 > 0:22:40Oh, you can do the... That makes me feel dizzy, but... I know.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42Do it nice and easy, yeah?
0:22:42 > 0:22:45All right. Let's have a play.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49Golf, Alpha, Sierra, Lima, Victor,
0:22:49 > 0:22:51taxi to Stand 33, crossing Runway 17.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53So where's he going from? He can do that.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55There's no-one in his way and he doesn't need to cross
0:22:55 > 0:22:57a runway or anything.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59He must show the instructor he understands the unique
0:22:59 > 0:23:02controller-to-cockpit language.
0:23:02 > 0:23:03Can you shorten his call sign now?
0:23:03 > 0:23:05You can now you've established two-way communication,
0:23:05 > 0:23:07just like on Basic, yeah? Nothing's changed.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10Is there a speed limit on the apron? I don't actually know that.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13He won't. He won't do 100mph, so you can just follow him.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17So when you've got a lot of aircraft landing, how will you manage
0:23:17 > 0:23:18to fit ones crossing the runway?
0:23:18 > 0:23:20It's all about sort of key words
0:23:20 > 0:23:23that mean really important things to the pilots.
0:23:23 > 0:23:25Happy? Yeah. It's not difficult, is it?
0:23:25 > 0:23:27It's just new.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29When you first get into it it's daunting,
0:23:29 > 0:23:33but now I know what to say, it seems really fun.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35Now you can tell everybody else how much you enjoyed it.
0:23:35 > 0:23:36I thought it was going to be really scary
0:23:36 > 0:23:38because I haven't got a clue what to say
0:23:38 > 0:23:41cos the phraseology is different to what we were doing before,
0:23:41 > 0:23:45but when you've done about two, three sentences' worth of stuff
0:23:45 > 0:23:47it's all just repeats.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49It sort of clicks and you know what to say
0:23:49 > 0:23:52and it's so much less scary than I was thinking.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56It wasn't scary at all once I actually got into it.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59Staying calmly confident in life and death situations
0:23:59 > 0:24:02is something each trainee must master,
0:24:02 > 0:24:06but right now there's a huge amount of new information to remember.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09OK. 80 minutes. Good luck.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13Four weeks in, they're sitting their first exam.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16The stakes are so high, you know,
0:24:16 > 0:24:17you've got to have people that
0:24:17 > 0:24:19have got that tenacity.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22They've got to really want to do it because you're talking about
0:24:22 > 0:24:2540 aircraft in an hour in a sector, with 300 people on each aircraft.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28That a lot of people. It's quite definite -
0:24:28 > 0:24:30if you don't pass at this stage
0:24:30 > 0:24:32then this is probably not the right job for you.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34The wind's just picking up, and it's 42.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38I don't think it's going to be tenable. I think we're going to need to go down to 38.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45My course started with 23 people on it, from memory.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47I think six are still in NATS.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51Some left to go to work in other climates after qualifying
0:24:51 > 0:24:54but pretty much I think we were slayed by 50%
0:24:54 > 0:24:56before we left the college.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59An hour later, the test is over.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01It was difficult.
0:25:01 > 0:25:02Did you leave any questions? No.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05Even if you don't know, just fill it out with something,
0:25:05 > 0:25:06which is what I did with a few of them.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10So do you feel like you might have passed? Yeah, I think I did OK. Yeah, I think I've passed.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13Yes. Yeah. By the skin of my teeth. Hopefully.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16It will be close. Nah, it'll be all right, I think.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18I think I knew enough.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20The problem is now we'll all compare each other's answers
0:25:20 > 0:25:23for the rest of the day until we get the results.
0:25:29 > 0:25:34To pass, the trainees need a mark of 75% or higher.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40Right, cut to the chase.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43Four of you did pretty well, two of you were not so good.
0:25:44 > 0:25:45Kieran.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48Here you go.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50Anybody particularly surprised?
0:25:50 > 0:25:53Obviously a little bit disappointed, maybe.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55I got 73%,
0:25:55 > 0:25:58needed 75% to pass.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00I didn't pass the exam.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04With 73%, Tim is in danger of failing.
0:26:04 > 0:26:06I'm quite shocked at that, really.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08A few of the questions went straight over my head.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10I didn't know them at all.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12I call my mum up after every exam, so when I go home I'll have to
0:26:12 > 0:26:15call her and tell her I didn't pass.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18Tim and Matt must resit the exam.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22I have to be a bit worried, because if I fail, I'm out.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35The number of passengers flying through London
0:26:35 > 0:26:41has more than doubled in the last 40 years to 165 million.
0:26:44 > 0:26:48You're looking at the busiest patch of sky on the planet.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52The airspace is congested, there's no getting away from that,
0:26:52 > 0:26:55and whether we can expand any more,
0:26:55 > 0:26:56I'm not sure.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58This explosion in air traffic
0:26:58 > 0:27:01is meeting increasingly strong opposition,
0:27:01 > 0:27:04and at Heathrow, where passenger numbers are at bursting point,
0:27:04 > 0:27:07the airport has become a target for pressure groups.
0:27:07 > 0:27:11We arrived for a morning shift that starts at seven o'clock
0:27:11 > 0:27:17and we found out that there was a polar bear on the runway.
0:27:18 > 0:27:21No third runway! THEY CHANT: No third runway!
0:27:21 > 0:27:24As the sun came up you could clearly make out
0:27:24 > 0:27:27there's a group of people who were on Runway 27 Right,
0:27:27 > 0:27:32which at that time of the day is normally being landed on with 747s.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34THEY CHANT: No third runway! No third runway!
0:27:34 > 0:27:37Probably one of the weirdest things that I've ever seen here.
0:27:37 > 0:27:41Environmental protesters closed a runway at Heathrow this morning
0:27:41 > 0:27:44after breaking through a perimeter fence and chaining themselves up.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47This is just the latest protest from the network of activists
0:27:47 > 0:27:49known as Plane Stupid.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51Here they come, here they come.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54THEY CHANT: No ifs, no buts, no third runway.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57As soon as we were set up on the runway we rang the police to
0:27:57 > 0:28:02let them know we were there, to make sure that they knew
0:28:02 > 0:28:06that we were staying and that planes couldn't land there.
0:28:06 > 0:28:10Sheila Menon belongs to the protest group Plane Stupid.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13They oppose growth in aviation, which they believe is
0:28:13 > 0:28:16the biggest growing cause of air pollution and climate change.
0:28:16 > 0:28:22All I remember seeing were the feet of the 60-odd police officers
0:28:22 > 0:28:25who were around us, all just standing around looking at us
0:28:25 > 0:28:28as if we were some kind of weird science experiment.
0:28:28 > 0:28:32They actually decided to remove us from the runway
0:28:32 > 0:28:35whilst still with our arms locked together in tubes.
0:28:35 > 0:28:39So they put us onto stretchers and drove us off and then took
0:28:39 > 0:28:43an axle grinder to the tubes that were joining our arms.
0:28:45 > 0:28:49We halted somewhere between 13 and 22 flights.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52That's a sizeable amount of carbon that we stopped from
0:28:52 > 0:28:56being emitted into the atmosphere on that day.
0:28:56 > 0:29:02It wasn't a decision that I spent a long time deliberating over.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05If you think too much about it
0:29:05 > 0:29:08maybe you might convince yourself not to.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12I studied maths and business management
0:29:12 > 0:29:14at Kings in central London
0:29:14 > 0:29:18and I went on to work in the City for seven years.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21And it's only really when you step out of that
0:29:21 > 0:29:23that you can actually see that
0:29:23 > 0:29:26that's just one way of approaching life.
0:29:26 > 0:29:31The runway sit-in led to prosecution and a court case.
0:29:31 > 0:29:32But while awaiting the verdict,
0:29:32 > 0:29:35Shelia continues to stir things up.
0:29:35 > 0:29:37That's going to say "# No new runways,"
0:29:37 > 0:29:39that's going to say "# No ifs, no buts."
0:29:39 > 0:29:41We're hanging a banner.
0:29:41 > 0:29:44There's no law that says you can't hang a banner.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46We have the right to protest
0:29:46 > 0:29:48and we are exercising that right to protest.
0:29:58 > 0:30:00We've chosen this spot because it's in front of
0:30:00 > 0:30:03the Houses of Parliament. We want to send a strong message.
0:30:03 > 0:30:07Today's stunt is designed to coincide with a Green Party event
0:30:07 > 0:30:09against runway expansion.
0:30:09 > 0:30:11With the picture that we take
0:30:11 > 0:30:13we'll able to send that out on social media.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16They're carrying it. They're doing it. They're doing it.
0:30:21 > 0:30:23Now it's getting really windy.
0:30:29 > 0:30:30Wow. It's amazing.
0:30:30 > 0:30:33That banner is so big
0:30:34 > 0:30:38and it's amazing how much it just gets swallowed up
0:30:38 > 0:30:40by the size of the bridge.
0:30:40 > 0:30:45I mean, it's 15 metres long and three metres deep.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47That's just incredible. But it does look good.
0:30:47 > 0:30:49But our weights are not heavy enough
0:30:49 > 0:30:52and it's not hanging down.
0:30:52 > 0:30:54Clearly we haven't done this before.
0:31:07 > 0:31:1140 miles from London, the once peaceful Tudor village of Penshurst
0:31:11 > 0:31:15now finds itself right underneath Gatwick's flight path.
0:31:15 > 0:31:18Bang. Superhighway over your head.
0:31:18 > 0:31:20Technically a plane a minute.
0:31:20 > 0:31:24They try and land 55 planes an hour at Gatwick at the moment.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27They even boasted recently of a world record for a single runway.
0:31:27 > 0:31:30That plane there's about 4,500 feet.
0:31:30 > 0:31:32I wish I didn't know that.
0:31:32 > 0:31:34And usually they're lower than 3,000,
0:31:34 > 0:31:37and it makes a massive difference. Noise is exponential.
0:31:37 > 0:31:38t doesn't disappear proportionally -
0:31:38 > 0:31:42if it comes down twice as near it's more than four times louder.
0:31:42 > 0:31:44It's really... It's not good.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49Photographer Martin Barraud leads a group taking on
0:31:49 > 0:31:51the Civil Aviation Authority,
0:31:51 > 0:31:54claiming they allowed Gatwick flight paths
0:31:54 > 0:31:56to change without consultation.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01Well, we've done newsletters, we've done a leaflet drops.
0:32:01 > 0:32:03I've been on the radio,
0:32:03 > 0:32:06but there's nothing like a road sign.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11Just remind them every day, every day, every day.
0:32:11 > 0:32:15The legal fees for his campaign could run to ?100,000,
0:32:15 > 0:32:18so he's organised a fundraiser in a field.
0:32:18 > 0:32:21Everyone's really concerned about this.
0:32:21 > 0:32:22But it's Sunday afternoon,
0:32:22 > 0:32:25they might have had a drink, it's a bit cloudy.
0:32:25 > 0:32:26"Shall we go, shall we not go?"
0:32:26 > 0:32:28You've got to get them down here.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35We not only get the arrivals, we also get departures.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38So we get the concentration of both and they're very, very low.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41I mean, they're passing at sort of 2,700 feet,
0:32:41 > 0:32:45and when you're at an elevated location as well that's very low.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50If you asked this question to my wife
0:32:50 > 0:32:53she would say it's extremely irritating all the time.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57I practice yoga myself and a spot of meditation,
0:32:57 > 0:33:01so I'm to some extent able to live with it.
0:33:01 > 0:33:04What happens is that when you allow it to annoy you
0:33:04 > 0:33:06then it really does annoy you.
0:33:12 > 0:33:16If every person here gave ?100
0:33:16 > 0:33:18we would be home and dry.
0:33:18 > 0:33:23We'd have 60 or ?70,000 in the bank tonight.
0:33:23 > 0:33:25I need you to be engaged.
0:33:25 > 0:33:29So I want you to start humming what I say go.
0:33:29 > 0:33:33I want that hum to turn into the sound of a thousand easyJets,
0:33:33 > 0:33:37and I want it to get louder and louder and louder.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40Let's start the hum. THEY HUM QUIETLY
0:33:44 > 0:33:45Think of those easyJets.
0:33:45 > 0:33:47Louder, louder.
0:33:47 > 0:33:52Bring it up. Louder. Louder. HUMMING INTENSIFIES
0:33:52 > 0:33:55HUMMING CONTINUES TO INTENSIFY
0:33:57 > 0:34:00HUMMING STOPS
0:34:00 > 0:34:04Now, the aviation industry thinks it's their sky.
0:34:04 > 0:34:06I think it's our sky.
0:34:06 > 0:34:08Whose sky do you think it is?
0:34:08 > 0:34:10THEY SHOUT: Ours!
0:34:10 > 0:34:15I have not given up a year of my life for nothing.
0:34:15 > 0:34:20And we will stop at nothing to bring back that tranquillity.
0:34:41 > 0:34:43Come towards the middle, everybody.
0:34:43 > 0:34:44There's a sort of gap in the middle.
0:34:44 > 0:34:48Those of you at the gate end, keep coming in.
0:34:48 > 0:34:51THEY CHEER
0:35:05 > 0:35:08In Manchester, Sheila and Plane Stupid
0:35:08 > 0:35:12are making their own stand against aircraft noise.
0:35:12 > 0:35:16It's about four o'clock in the morning.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19It's quite late. It's very quiet.
0:35:19 > 0:35:22We're here to make some noise,
0:35:22 > 0:35:24quite literally.
0:35:24 > 0:35:26They're in an alley behind the hotel
0:35:26 > 0:35:29where Conservative Party Conference-goers are sleeping.
0:35:29 > 0:35:33RUMBLE OF AEROPLANE ENGINES
0:35:37 > 0:35:40In the bin, a speaker plays the sounds of low-flying jumbos.
0:35:46 > 0:35:52The point to bring it here and put it outside the rooms of the hotel
0:35:52 > 0:35:55where the conference members are staying
0:35:55 > 0:36:00so that they get a taste of what that actually feels like.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03So that noise, real people
0:36:03 > 0:36:07are having to deal with that reality every day,
0:36:07 > 0:36:09seven days a week.
0:36:13 > 0:36:16But their jet-powered wheelie bin attracts the police,
0:36:16 > 0:36:18and it's over.
0:36:18 > 0:36:20It's just a shame that it wasn't louder
0:36:20 > 0:36:22and it's a shame that it didn't go on for longer,
0:36:22 > 0:36:27but it was still a point well made, I think.
0:36:37 > 0:36:40Climb to altitude 6,000 feet.
0:36:40 > 0:36:42639, cancel the halt, turn left.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44Bird strike on departure.
0:36:44 > 0:36:48Aeroplane out of London City had a multiple bird strike on departure.
0:36:48 > 0:36:51The aircraft's just called us up and is quite happy to continue.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54So there'll be a smell of roasting duck or something down near Thames.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57So, exactly the same format as earlier in the week.
0:36:57 > 0:36:5918 questions.
0:36:59 > 0:37:03At NATS, trainees Matt and Tim have one chance to retake
0:37:03 > 0:37:05the test they failed last week.
0:37:05 > 0:37:07Right. Good luck.
0:37:09 > 0:37:12This is actually a job I really, really want.
0:37:12 > 0:37:13It's a whole career, not just a job.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16It's, like, my life from now on if I get it.
0:37:19 > 0:37:21Continue on the heading and speed.
0:37:21 > 0:37:23Delays about five to 10.
0:37:23 > 0:37:25It's a fantastic job.
0:37:25 > 0:37:29It's different every day, talking to different planes, you're working in different sectors.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31But the thing that makes it a really great job is the people
0:37:31 > 0:37:32that you work with, really.
0:37:32 > 0:37:34One, two, three, Roger. Continue on the radar heading.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37Why did you want to become an air traffic controller?
0:37:39 > 0:37:41Do you want the truthful answer? Yeah.
0:37:41 > 0:37:43The money. How much do you get paid?
0:37:43 > 0:37:46About ?110,000 a year.
0:37:57 > 0:38:00PHONE RINGS
0:38:00 > 0:38:02Hello? Hello, Mum.
0:38:02 > 0:38:04Hello, dear. Hiya.
0:38:04 > 0:38:07I got the resit results.
0:38:07 > 0:38:08Yeah?
0:38:08 > 0:38:10I got 99.5%.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13Oh! That's bloody good news.
0:38:21 > 0:38:23Felt good saying that.
0:38:23 > 0:38:27Being able to say "99.5%" and tell my parents that I passed.
0:38:27 > 0:38:29They know how much it means to me,
0:38:29 > 0:38:31so it means a lot to them, of course.
0:38:37 > 0:38:39Ah!
0:38:40 > 0:38:42Look, no hands!
0:38:43 > 0:38:46You can see for 50 miles, perhaps.
0:38:46 > 0:38:48And you can just enjoy the countryside.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55At Elstree, it's the day of pilot-in-training Lizzie's
0:38:55 > 0:38:56first solo flight.
0:38:58 > 0:39:00I think my heart's going like... IMITATES FAST HEARTBEAT
0:39:00 > 0:39:03I'm feeling very excited because hopefully
0:39:03 > 0:39:06I'm going to be soloing, if the wind is all good.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08Finally, after so long.
0:39:09 > 0:39:11So I'm getting my plane ready
0:39:11 > 0:39:13and then we're going to see if I can go fly.
0:39:13 > 0:39:14And solo, finally.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20She's spent the last six months working towards today,
0:39:20 > 0:39:23to fulfil one of her late father's ambitions.
0:39:50 > 0:39:52INAUDIBLE
0:40:10 > 0:40:12'It was kind of strange,
0:40:12 > 0:40:15'because there was this one moment when I was in the air
0:40:15 > 0:40:18'and I was looking around and I was thinking,'
0:40:18 > 0:40:22"I hope he can see me here. I hope he can see what I'm doing.
0:40:22 > 0:40:26"Cos I feel it, and I feel like he's there." You know?
0:40:26 > 0:40:28Ivan's jumped out, but my dad's jumped in.
0:40:32 > 0:40:34You know, I don't...
0:40:34 > 0:40:37I don't know if there is such a thing as guardian angels,
0:40:37 > 0:40:39but I believe that he's one of them.
0:40:39 > 0:40:43Because I've done so many great things, and aviation is one of them.
0:40:55 > 0:40:59This first solo landing, it's quite a stressful event for a pilot,
0:40:59 > 0:41:02so I'll be happy if she has a good landing.
0:41:05 > 0:41:09As I was coming into land, I'm looking at the ground, thinking,
0:41:09 > 0:41:12"I want to really show that I can do this."
0:41:13 > 0:41:14And then I pull up.
0:41:14 > 0:41:16WHEELS CRUNCH
0:41:16 > 0:41:19And I can just feel the wheels hit the gravel on the runway
0:41:19 > 0:41:23and it was just like, "Yes! I've done it! I've done it!"
0:41:24 > 0:41:27It's one of the most amazing feelings,
0:41:27 > 0:41:29that you've managed to do that.
0:41:33 > 0:41:35That was a very good landing.
0:41:35 > 0:41:36RADIO: '..very nice.'
0:41:38 > 0:41:40Even the controller approved.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48Hello. I'm alive! How was it? Yeah, that was really good. Excellent.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51It was really good. And the landing was very good as well. Yes!
0:41:51 > 0:41:53Excellent. How did it feel inside?
0:41:53 > 0:41:55It felt good, it felt really good. Yeah? Yeah.
0:41:55 > 0:41:59I don't think there was any wind on the last one, so it was even better.
0:41:59 > 0:42:02So I was really lucky. You're very lucky, yeah. Aah!
0:42:02 > 0:42:03OK. Well done again. Thanks.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06Lizzie is a small step closer
0:42:06 > 0:42:08to winning her dream of a commercial pilot's licence.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11SHE LAUGHS Woohoo! Woohoo!
0:42:11 > 0:42:13This is it, your First Solo certificate.
0:42:13 > 0:42:15Thank you. LIZZIE LAUGHS
0:42:15 > 0:42:16This is awesome. (Thank you.)
0:42:16 > 0:42:17I can't explain it. It's just...
0:42:17 > 0:42:21It's a great feeling, going up there on your own and just...
0:42:21 > 0:42:22Yeah, it's amazing.
0:42:22 > 0:42:24Now take that...
0:42:24 > 0:42:25LIZZIE LAUGHS
0:42:25 > 0:42:27Thanks! This is cool.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30Officially, you're a Top Gun. Thank you.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41I'll see you in a bit. You'll be fine, I know you will.
0:42:41 > 0:42:43Yeah, I will.
0:42:43 > 0:42:45Next time I see you, you'll be looking for a flight.
0:42:45 > 0:42:46SHE LAUGHS Let's hope so!
0:42:48 > 0:42:49Back on the ground in London,
0:42:49 > 0:42:52Sarah's off to meet Chris, an integrated therapist,
0:42:52 > 0:42:56who claims he can cure her lifetime fear of flying
0:42:56 > 0:42:57in one short session.
0:42:57 > 0:43:00Hiya. I'm Chris. How you doing? Nice to meet you. I'm Sarah.
0:43:00 > 0:43:02How you doing? Grab a seat.
0:43:02 > 0:43:05Right, you focus on the tip of this pen.
0:43:05 > 0:43:07Just allow your eyes to go from left to right
0:43:07 > 0:43:09as you think about that event now.
0:43:09 > 0:43:12The treatment involves an unconventional blend
0:43:12 > 0:43:16of mainstream psychology and more experimental techniques.
0:43:16 > 0:43:17Be with it.
0:43:17 > 0:43:19In front of us... OK.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22And we're going to expand our awareness so it can still see
0:43:22 > 0:43:26both fingers, but we're looking straight ahead, if that makes sense.
0:43:26 > 0:43:29And now I want to talk to the part that stores all your emotions.
0:43:29 > 0:43:32The aim is to uncover the key event
0:43:32 > 0:43:34that triggered Sarah's fear of flying.
0:43:34 > 0:43:36When I was at primary school... Mm-hm.
0:43:36 > 0:43:39..thinking about going up to high school.
0:43:39 > 0:43:41It's change. Change. I don't like change.
0:43:41 > 0:43:43Fear of change. OK.
0:43:43 > 0:43:46'Very often, it's not related to fear of flying at all.
0:43:46 > 0:43:49'It could be a fear of control, it can be a fear of letting go,'
0:43:49 > 0:43:51but the unconscious mind has made those two the same
0:43:51 > 0:43:53and when you untangle one,
0:43:53 > 0:43:55often the other one will start to untangle and fall away.
0:43:55 > 0:43:57With me. Mm-hm. Focus on that event.
0:43:59 > 0:44:01Just tap here. "Even though I need to relax."
0:44:01 > 0:44:02Even though I need to relax.
0:44:02 > 0:44:04"I totally love and accept myself."
0:44:04 > 0:44:05I totally love and accept myself.
0:44:05 > 0:44:07Notice what thoughts and feelings come out,
0:44:07 > 0:44:09notice what comes into your awareness.
0:44:09 > 0:44:11Just lots of worrying.
0:44:11 > 0:44:13People telling me I'm being silly, but...
0:44:15 > 0:44:18Just still can't forget it. Yes.
0:44:19 > 0:44:23Tapping on acupressure points claims to remove negative emotions.
0:44:25 > 0:44:28If you'd never gone to high school, what would you have not had?
0:44:28 > 0:44:30So if I hadn't went, I wouldn't have...
0:44:30 > 0:44:33Yeah, I wouldn't have gained an education, I suppose, yeah.
0:44:33 > 0:44:35And so when it comes to your fear of flying,
0:44:35 > 0:44:36what would you tell yourself?
0:44:36 > 0:44:38That future you that HAS got over it.
0:44:38 > 0:44:42Just relax and enjoy yourself, and make it part of your holiday. Yeah.
0:44:42 > 0:44:45Make it an enjoyable part of your holiday, and it CAN be.
0:44:45 > 0:44:47Feels OK. It doesn't feel...
0:44:48 > 0:44:50It doesn't feel bad.
0:44:50 > 0:44:52Thank you very much for coming. Thank you.
0:44:53 > 0:44:55Thank you very much.
0:44:55 > 0:44:58The true test will be Sarah's flight home.
0:45:00 > 0:45:02I just feel really...
0:45:02 > 0:45:04I just feel really relaxed and...
0:45:05 > 0:45:08..the thought of the flight tonight...
0:45:08 > 0:45:10Just, it's not really bothering me.
0:45:12 > 0:45:16So how's it going? You all right? Yep. I'm feeling fine.
0:45:16 > 0:45:20Looking forward to getting on the plane and reading my book.
0:45:20 > 0:45:24It's not bothering me at all. Let's go. Yeah? Yeah. Let's do it.
0:45:24 > 0:45:25Yep, let's go. Yeah!
0:45:25 > 0:45:28People at work bring these back when they've been on holiday. Nice.
0:45:28 > 0:45:30So I'm going to do it this time,
0:45:30 > 0:45:32cos I'm coming back from the airport.
0:45:58 > 0:46:00We just lost contact with this outbound.
0:46:00 > 0:46:03The last we heard from him, he was climbing towards Tamar,
0:46:03 > 0:46:05going to 5,000 feet.
0:46:06 > 0:46:08How far apart are those two aircraft going to be?
0:46:08 > 0:46:11Is there a QFE for...? The QFE? Yeah, it depends on the QFE.
0:46:11 > 0:46:13What does the QFE give you?
0:46:13 > 0:46:17It gives you the aerodrome elevation. The aerodrome elevation?
0:46:17 > 0:46:19Which is it? The runway elevation or the aerodrome elevation?
0:46:19 > 0:46:24The NATS trainees are facing one crucial test after another.
0:46:24 > 0:46:26The next is in two days' time.
0:46:26 > 0:46:29Can't remember. Mm-hm.
0:46:29 > 0:46:32Have you passed him the shovel or what?
0:46:32 > 0:46:36This is basic stuff, guys. Really is basic stuff.
0:46:36 > 0:46:38I think that's a bit of a kick up the arse.
0:46:38 > 0:46:41A bit like kicking a puppy at the end, to say,
0:46:41 > 0:46:44you know, they've got one shot, but they have.
0:46:44 > 0:46:47If they don't pass this, they're off the course.
0:46:47 > 0:46:50You know, and they're potentially looking at a P45.
0:46:50 > 0:46:52It feels really important now.
0:46:52 > 0:46:55You have to explain that you understand
0:46:55 > 0:46:57all the pages and pages and pages
0:46:57 > 0:47:00that we've had thrown at us over the last seven weeks.
0:47:00 > 0:47:04If they see anything that they don't like, then, you know...
0:47:05 > 0:47:07..there's a chance that you'll be gone.
0:47:07 > 0:47:11Pressure's also mounting in the operations room.
0:47:11 > 0:47:14What's the latest weather map? The wind's just picking up, and it's 42.
0:47:14 > 0:47:16I don't think it's going to be tenable.
0:47:16 > 0:47:18So we could be into a runaway change
0:47:18 > 0:47:20within the next hour, hour and a half. Oops.
0:47:21 > 0:47:25A small change in weather is set to disrupt the landing patterns
0:47:25 > 0:47:28of every plane coming in and out of Heathrow.
0:47:28 > 0:47:30Aircraft need to land into wind,
0:47:30 > 0:47:32so they need to land with the wind pointing at them
0:47:32 > 0:47:33so that they can land slower,
0:47:33 > 0:47:35because the last thing you want to do
0:47:35 > 0:47:36is land at a higher speed than necessary.
0:47:36 > 0:47:38Cos obviously you want to stop on the tarmac.
0:47:38 > 0:47:40So when the winds change direction,
0:47:40 > 0:47:44we have to respond to that so that the operations can continue safely.
0:47:44 > 0:47:48Operational supervisor Steve must pick the right moment
0:47:48 > 0:47:50to change the direction of takeoff and landing
0:47:50 > 0:47:53of every incoming and outgoing plane.
0:47:53 > 0:47:5610.45 is... 10.45 is the time of change. Right.
0:47:56 > 0:48:00We've still got the team after the hour. After the change.
0:48:00 > 0:48:03Have you put the change in yet? Yeah, that's the change in. Oh, OK.
0:48:03 > 0:48:04That's with the change.
0:48:04 > 0:48:05After you. Thank you.
0:48:05 > 0:48:07I'll just communicate the plan round the room now.
0:48:07 > 0:48:09Swiss 5 on top.
0:48:09 > 0:48:12NORTRANS 2873, turn left, heading 3-2-0 degrees.
0:48:14 > 0:48:16The change affects 150 planes,
0:48:16 > 0:48:19so the switch must be precisely synchronised.
0:48:21 > 0:48:25NORTRANS 2873, descend - flight level 1-1-0.
0:48:25 > 0:48:28As the first re-routed planes touch down,
0:48:28 > 0:48:31a reminder of which direction aircraft are landing
0:48:31 > 0:48:34is moved into place - a miniature Concorde.
0:48:34 > 0:48:36A finely balanced juggling act.
0:48:36 > 0:48:38Everyone has an opinion. HE LAUGHS
0:48:38 > 0:48:39And wants to express it to me!
0:48:39 > 0:48:42You listen to everyone's opinion, and you juggle them in the air
0:48:42 > 0:48:44and you think, "Which one actually matches the situation?"
0:48:44 > 0:48:46Cos, ultimately, the airfield will have a view,
0:48:46 > 0:48:49the customers will have a view - so British Airways, for example,
0:48:49 > 0:48:51will have a view, easyJet, whomever else -
0:48:51 > 0:48:55and, of course, my overriding thought is for safety
0:48:55 > 0:48:58and the accountabilities I have for the service provision of this room.
0:49:11 > 0:49:13Facing charges of aggravated trespass
0:49:13 > 0:49:15after blocking a runway at Heathrow,
0:49:15 > 0:49:19it's the final day in court for Plane Stupid and Sheila.
0:49:19 > 0:49:21We heard closing speeches from our lawyers this morning
0:49:21 > 0:49:25and we're about to go back into court to hear the final verdict.
0:49:25 > 0:49:28We're not sure whether we're going to get sentencing.
0:49:28 > 0:49:30I think it depends on the severity of the sentence.
0:49:30 > 0:49:32If we get sentenced today, then that's a good sign -
0:49:32 > 0:49:34that means that they're going...
0:49:34 > 0:49:36Lower. ..leniently on us.
0:49:36 > 0:49:40A typical punishment might be community service, or just a fine.
0:49:40 > 0:49:42But prison is a possibility.
0:49:53 > 0:49:56Well, Judge Deborah Wright told all the defendants
0:49:56 > 0:49:58that they should expect that they will go to jail -
0:49:58 > 0:50:01something that came as a surprise to many in the dock.
0:50:01 > 0:50:02Are you shocked?
0:50:02 > 0:50:05Um, I... We think that the sentence is very harsh.
0:50:05 > 0:50:07The lawyers are quite surprised.
0:50:07 > 0:50:11But, as I said, you know, the legal system comes down very hard
0:50:11 > 0:50:14on people that take a principled stand on these issues.
0:50:14 > 0:50:16Would you do it again? Absolutely.
0:50:20 > 0:50:22'I don't want to go to prison.
0:50:22 > 0:50:24'I don't want a criminal record.
0:50:26 > 0:50:30'Having a criminal record for the rest of my life'
0:50:30 > 0:50:33is not something that I...
0:50:35 > 0:50:36..am taking lightly.
0:50:36 > 0:50:39It's a huge price to pay for us as individuals,
0:50:39 > 0:50:43but, right now, we need to be doing everything that we can
0:50:43 > 0:50:48to stop pollution, for everybody's sake.
0:51:06 > 0:51:09At NATS, the trainees face their verbal test.
0:51:11 > 0:51:15Each air traffic scenario must be answered correctly.
0:51:15 > 0:51:17Morning, boys. TRAINEES: Morning.
0:51:17 > 0:51:20Looking nice and smart. Very good, very good.
0:51:20 > 0:51:22'Today's their final assessment for the basic course,
0:51:22 > 0:51:24'and this is their final chance.'
0:51:24 > 0:51:26Passing the course, basically,
0:51:26 > 0:51:28comes down to saying the right words today.
0:51:28 > 0:51:30Just relax.
0:51:30 > 0:51:33As you've done all the work, all you've got to do is talk.
0:51:33 > 0:51:35Their plans, their hopes, their dreams for their career
0:51:35 > 0:51:37all depend on the next 30 minutes.
0:51:39 > 0:51:40I'm a little worried,
0:51:40 > 0:51:43but I'd panic even if I'd got every single thing right,
0:51:43 > 0:51:46so it's just the same either way. Hopefully, it'll be nice.
0:51:46 > 0:51:49Good luck, Tom. Good luck.
0:51:49 > 0:51:52So if you've got... Say you work it out at 2,400... Yeah.
0:51:52 > 0:51:55..you'll also have a flight level at 2,500.
0:51:55 > 0:51:58You're not separated, but...
0:51:58 > 0:52:01It's a bit of a weird one, because the UK's the only place
0:52:01 > 0:52:04which doesn't provide the separation with the lowest level.
0:52:04 > 0:52:06'I'm nervous, but I think I'm as ready as I can be, really.
0:52:06 > 0:52:08'Heart thumping in my chest.'
0:52:08 > 0:52:11Just cramming every single thing I can find into my head,
0:52:11 > 0:52:14just reading through the book over and over and over,
0:52:14 > 0:52:15going through my notes over and over,
0:52:15 > 0:52:18writing them out about ten times each to make them stick in.
0:52:18 > 0:52:20I'm just really, really nervous, to be honest.
0:52:20 > 0:52:23But I think I'll pass. I'm confident of it.
0:52:35 > 0:52:37It's more pressure now, just sat here, like, "Please pass me."
0:52:37 > 0:52:40Just staring at those doors, like, "Come on, surely you can pass me.
0:52:40 > 0:52:43"I've done enough." Hopefully I got enough right.
0:52:44 > 0:52:46For six of the sections, I'm like,
0:52:46 > 0:52:48"Yeah, nailed that, didn't get anything wrong."
0:52:48 > 0:52:51One of the sections, I'm like, "Oh, God, I got two things wrong.
0:52:51 > 0:52:52"What if that failed me?"
0:53:02 > 0:53:04Classroom four. Classroom four? Right.
0:53:22 > 0:53:26OK, so there is good news and there is not so good news.
0:53:26 > 0:53:29For those that have been successful, Tom...
0:53:29 > 0:53:30well done.
0:53:30 > 0:53:34Yeah, well done, Tom. Well done. Cheers, thanks. Good effort.
0:53:34 > 0:53:37You can go, and I'll see you on Wednesday. Yeah.
0:53:37 > 0:53:39Tom is on to the next stage of the course.
0:53:41 > 0:53:43Oh, I was over the moon.
0:53:43 > 0:53:45I, like, walked out and did a little fist pump.
0:53:45 > 0:53:47Couldn't believe it.
0:53:47 > 0:53:50I'm so happy. I'm so relieved!
0:53:50 > 0:53:52Pure joy, walking out of that room.
0:53:52 > 0:53:54I can go home and have a day off tomorrow, like,
0:53:54 > 0:53:57for the first time in nine weeks.
0:53:57 > 0:53:59Like, actually feel like I deserve a day off.
0:53:59 > 0:54:01HE CHUCKLES It's quite nice.
0:54:05 > 0:54:08There is a process that kicks into place now for you guys
0:54:08 > 0:54:11but, at the moment, your training is suspended at this point,
0:54:11 > 0:54:13until we go through the formal process.
0:54:13 > 0:54:16Tim and Ciaran haven't been so lucky.
0:54:21 > 0:54:23Disappointed I didn't pass.
0:54:24 > 0:54:25This bloody sucks.
0:54:27 > 0:54:28Yeah.
0:54:28 > 0:54:32That sinking feeling. You open it... I'm looking through and it's like,
0:54:32 > 0:54:34"S for satisfactory, S for satisfactory, U..."
0:54:34 > 0:54:36As soon as you see that first U, you're just, "Oh, crap."
0:54:36 > 0:54:40Your heart sinks. Cos you get one, they're all gone.
0:54:40 > 0:54:42I don't want to get a normal job.
0:54:42 > 0:54:46That's what I wanted to do in my future, so I don't know...
0:54:46 > 0:54:47No idea what I'll do now.
0:54:55 > 0:54:58"Gatwick campaign wins review of 'intolerable' flight paths.
0:54:58 > 0:55:01"Campaigners have won the right to bring an appeal court challenge
0:55:01 > 0:55:02"against new Gatwick flight paths
0:55:02 > 0:55:05"they say are causing intolerable noise."
0:55:05 > 0:55:06Well, it's good news.
0:55:06 > 0:55:10For Martin and his supporters, the campaign was a success.
0:55:10 > 0:55:11After an independent review,
0:55:11 > 0:55:15Gatwick proposed to widen the flight paths to disperse the noise.
0:55:15 > 0:55:18CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:55:20 > 0:55:25Plane Stupid were spared jail and are completing community service.
0:55:27 > 0:55:29Tim is going back to university.
0:55:29 > 0:55:31You see those two boxes at the bottom?
0:55:31 > 0:55:35That have got levels running up? Yeah. They're called VLSs.
0:55:35 > 0:55:37So they're the vertical stack...? Spot on.
0:55:37 > 0:55:41Tom is on course to becoming an air traffic controller.
0:55:41 > 0:55:43LIZZIE: So I got through the first stage,
0:55:43 > 0:55:47and if I get through the other stages, I've got a fighting chance.
0:55:47 > 0:55:50And Lizzie has taken her next step
0:55:50 > 0:55:52and enrolled on the easyJet pilots scheme.
0:55:52 > 0:55:56In ten years, I ideally want to be a captain.
0:55:56 > 0:55:58(A captain!)
0:55:58 > 0:56:01That would be the most amazing achievement.
0:56:01 > 0:56:03And I think I could look at myself
0:56:03 > 0:56:06with absolute pride that I've made it.
0:56:06 > 0:56:07I'd gone through this crazy adventure
0:56:07 > 0:56:09and gone through all of these avenues,
0:56:09 > 0:56:11and I could look at myself and think, "Yep, you know what?
0:56:11 > 0:56:15"I did it!" It would just be wonderful.
0:56:15 > 0:56:16Really wonderful.
0:56:26 > 0:56:31There's something about humans that make us want to fly.
0:56:33 > 0:56:36If most of us could pick a superpower, we'd pick to fly.
0:56:37 > 0:56:39I think it just represents freedom.
0:56:39 > 0:56:41THEY LAUGH
0:56:41 > 0:56:42You can breathe.
0:56:42 > 0:56:46Everything's just beneath you now, and you're just away from it.
0:56:47 > 0:56:50It's almost like you're still,
0:56:50 > 0:56:53and the Earth is just rolling beneath you.
0:56:55 > 0:56:57ENGINES ROAR
0:57:00 > 0:57:04Fly around and twist and turn and roll and loop. It's great fun.
0:57:04 > 0:57:05Yes!
0:57:05 > 0:57:08Climb skyward like a homesick angel.
0:57:08 > 0:57:12You can do anything. It is...ungodly.
0:57:12 > 0:57:14SHE GASPS
0:57:14 > 0:57:16A lot of things we do in life these days,
0:57:16 > 0:57:18often we're doing mundane things.
0:57:18 > 0:57:21But I know that flying...
0:57:21 > 0:57:23It's going to be anything but mundane.
0:57:23 > 0:57:24Ah-ho-ho!
0:57:24 > 0:57:27It's like realising a dream.
0:57:27 > 0:57:30Life without feeling that excitement would be no life at all.
0:57:30 > 0:57:32HE LAUGHS
0:57:33 > 0:57:35A beautiful day like today,
0:57:35 > 0:57:38all you want to be doing is playing with the clouds.