Airport firefighters are being given more opportunities to prepare for major aircraft emergencies following the expansion of aviation rescue training facilities at Capita’s Fire Service College in Gloucestershire.
Two specialist training rigs introduced during 2026 are designed to help crews practise responding to demanding aircraft incidents, including searches in smoke-filled environments, complex rescues and emergencies involving large numbers of casualties.
The larger facility is modelled on the scale and complexity of the Airbus A380, giving firefighters the opportunity to rehearse rescue operations across multiple levels and develop the coordination needed to manage a major aircraft incident.
The investment comes as passenger numbers through UK airports continue to grow. Figures from the Civil Aviation Authority show that 302 million passenger journeys were recorded across UK and Crown Dependency airports in 2025, up from 295 million the previous year.
European air traffic also increased by 4.3% during 2025, according to EUROCONTROL, highlighting the scale of the aviation industry that emergency services help to protect.
Preparing for the rare but serious
Although serious aviation accidents remain rare, airport firefighters must be ready to respond to incidents that can present considerable operational challenges.
The International Air Transport Association recorded eight fatal accidents worldwide in 2025, compared with seven in 2024, while the overall accident rate improved. The figures underline the importance of maintaining emergency response capabilities even when crews may go for long periods without encountering a major aircraft accident.
Based at Moreton-in-Marsh, the Fire Service College’s new A380-style training structure provides a dedicated environment for non-live-fire exercises. These include searching through simulated smoke and poor visibility, evacuation drills and incident command scenarios.
The facility is a rescue training structure rather than a flight simulator. Its purpose is to allow firefighters to practise navigating a large aircraft environment, locating casualties and coordinating their actions with other members of a response team.
Mark Lester, Operations Director at the Fire Service College, said: “Passengers rarely see the preparation behind an airport’s emergency response. For firefighters, that preparation means practising how to search an aircraft in poor visibility and coordinate with colleagues across multiple levels.
“These are situations crews need to rehearse before they encounter them for real. The new facilities give them more opportunities to develop those skills and test their decisions in a realistic aircraft environment.
“Through the Fire Service College, Capita helps the people responsible for responding to emergencies build and maintain the capability that essential UK services depend on.”
Training for UK and international airport firefighters
The expanded facilities support the College’s Aviation Firefighter Initial and Aviation Firefighter Conversion programmes, which cater for both new and experienced airport firefighters from the UK and overseas.
Training combines classroom instruction with technology-enhanced learning in the College’s Immersive Skills Lab and practical exercises using aircraft-based scenarios.
This combination allows crews to develop their knowledge and decision-making skills before applying them in realistic training environments. Exercises can also help teams practise communication and incident management, both of which are essential when dealing with an emergency involving an aircraft and potentially large numbers of passengers.
For the UK aviation sector, the facilities provide an additional resource for developing the specialist skills required to respond to aircraft emergencies. As airports handle growing numbers of passengers, ensuring that emergency personnel can maintain their readiness remains an important part of aviation safety.
The Fire Service College will host a media day on Thursday 29 October 2026 at its Moreton-in-Marsh site in Gloucestershire. The programme is scheduled to include a tour of the grounds, the Immersive Skills Lab, a major incident training demonstration and interviews with College representatives.
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