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UK airspace classification - CAA to get new powers

UK CAA can create airspace but cannot remove it if the airport which owns it doesn’t want to give it back

From Flight Training News (a UK FTO flyer)

the CAA suggested reclassifying 10 of the 12 separate control areas (CTAs) that surround Doncaster’s Control Zone (CTR) as Class E (less restrictive than the existing Class D), and raising the base levels. However, he revealed, Doncaster ‘refused to play ball’ and the CAA had discovered that it lacked the legal powers to enforce the airspace ‘roll back’ it had promised. In other words, the CAA can create new controlled airspace, but cannot remove or amend it if the sponsoring airport refuses to cooperate.

Pretty amazing!

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

This is ridiculous. The airport would be unlikely to give it up if it’s not costing them anything to keep it. Perhaps in future all new controlled terminal airspace should have an expiry date.

I quite like the suggestion of using Class E.

Last Edited by Finners at 06 Apr 16:09
EGTT, The London FIR

Given this is the case, the CAA ought to suspend granting any more controlled airspace until it gets the powers to be able to remove it/lower the classification too. Of course we know that won’t ever happen.

Andreas IOM

The BGA has starting the ACP process to reclassify/declassify some of Doncaster CAS: http://caa.co.uk/Commercial-industry/Airspace/Airspace-change/Decisions-from-2018/Doncaster-Sheffield-airspace/

Nympsfield, United Kingdom

Comments on a UK airspace classification proposal

http://skywise.caa.co.uk/reviewing-airspace-classification/

Unfortunately you have just tonight. I am sorry it took me so long to get around to posting this.

Reviewing airspace classification
On 1 December 2020 the CAA will introduce a new procedure to review and, where appropriate, amend the classification of airspace. The classification determines the flight rules that apply in that airspace and the procedures that must be followed.
Give us your views on a draft of this new procedure by visiting our consultation website before 17 September 2020.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

You actually have until tomorrow night I believe.
You can find some inspiration or countet-inspiration in the comments already made: https://consultations.caa.co.uk/policy-development/draft-procedure-to-review-airspace-classification/consultation/published_select_respondent?sort=submitted&order=descending

Nympsfield, United Kingdom

It has happened local copy

This means the CAA now has the power to review airspace. Yes; sounds incredible they didn’t have that before. Previously, once some CAS got allocated to an airport, it was owned by the airport and the CAA could not take it back even if the airport didn’t need it anymore.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

The document says CAA will regularly review all CAS and adapt it if necessary. That tends to a lesser CAS volume.

Let’s congratulate them when they act for good !

LFOU, France

I did send a response to the consulation: my main point was that I thought too much emphasis was placed on the “controlling authority owning the safety component”.

The fear I have over this is that the controlling authority can pretty much make any BS safety case to preserve the status quo, and that they probably don’t see the big picture, and unless the CAA is able to be final judge of this, it’s going to just mean that vast unused volumes of airspace (e.g. around Doncaster) will remain as CAS (because you can always make a safety case for restricting something), regardless of the issue that stakeholders raise, e.g. pinch points that exist in the vicinity of the edges of said airspace. The CAA absolutely must be able to say the safety issue caused by these pinch points trumps your argument that an underused volume of CAS is safer if it remains as CAS.

On the other hand, the CAA has rejected airspace change proposals that haven’t taken into account their affect on stakeholders other than the proposed controlling authority.

Last Edited by alioth at 03 Dec 10:33
Andreas IOM

This is positive news, if they actually do look at the airspace use and make reductions where appropriate. Norwich and Doncaster come to mind

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