ATCOs now require a European Class 3 Medical. The initial NATS examination is carried out at Swanwick, with the subsequent CAA Medical taking place at Gatwick shortly thereafter.
I'm a bit baffled as to how the link between cancelling Aerodrome courses and the 'economic climate' is achieved. Surely the cancelling of courses is due to the fact that, as has already been mentioned, high success rates have been achieved in recent courses, thus reducing the need for new controllers. This has nothing, whatsoever so do with the financial aspects.
If NATS really are suffering in this 'climate', wouldn't Area courses be cancelled too? Who's to say NATS won't start running Aerodrome courses galore the month a certain percentage of current Aerodrome controllers either retire or fail to validate?