Serco Aviation Services Inc. of Canada will place a full-page advertisement in The Royal Gazette next week, calling on Bermudians and their spouses to apply for Airport jobs.

But the number of jobs available has been reduced, due to a cost-saving air traffic control agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States.

Mr. Edward Montgomery, president of Airport contractor Serco Aviation Services Inc. of Canada, said only seven air traffic controllers would be hired, compared to 20 that would have been needed without the FAA's help.

Under the deal, radar information picked up in Bermuda will be transmitted to the FAA in New York. The FAA, in turn, will handle from New York the "en route'' air traffic control for planes within 180 miles of Bermuda.

The US Navy, which operates the Airport until June 1, uses its own people to handle en route air traffic control from the Bermuda tower. Once Bermuda and its contractor Serco take over, the tower will only control traffic within about five miles of the Airport.

The control tower will still be staffed around the clock, but with reduced staff at night. For peak air traffic around lunch time, three air traffic controllers will be on duty, Mr. Montgomery said.

The deal with the FAA, which must still be formally ratified by the Government of the United Kingdom, will save Bermuda "a whole bunch of money,'' he said.

Serco's contract with Government will pay the company just over $4.4 million a year for five years. Serco's people are at the Airport already, and in January Serco air traffic controllers will be working alongside the Navy, he said.

Serco has already hired a Bermudian accountant, and Mr. Montgomery said he hopes to fill more posts with Bermudians in the coming weeks.

In addition to the seven air traffic controllers, Serco plans to hire 33 firefighters, 11 ground electronics workers, and ten weather people, Mr.

Montgomery said. The company will advertise for qualified people as well as trainees, and plans to train Bermudians both locally and abroad.

The company plans to have the Airport operations 90 percent Bermudian by June of 1998. How many Bermudians are hired immediately will depend on how many qualified people apply, he said.

The Bermuda Public Service pay scale was used in setting the salaries, he said. Bermuda College and Government's Personnel Services would assist with hiring.

Canadian project manager Mr. Don Parrish arrived on the Island yesterday, and Serco will also be bringing one manager for each of the four different areas of Airport operations, he said.