The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has published a proposed refresh of its Airspace Modernisation Strategy (AMS) and invites feedback on the publication by 4 April 2022. The consultation represents an opportunity to influence the CAA’s overarching approach to how airspace is structured, managed or self-managed, and shared over the next 15 to 20 years. This draft version is drawn up to replace the existing AMS (CAP 1711) that was published in December 2018 and introduces new areas of focus designed to make it a more holistic strategy.
The refreshed Airspace Modernisation Strategy will:
- extend the strategy out to 2040
- place integration of all airspace users at the core of the strategy, including accommodating new types of user like drones, aerial taxis and spacecraft
- aim for simpler airspace design and supporting regulations
- introduce sustainability as an overarching principle to be applied through all modernisation activities, including better managing noise and helping achieve government commitments to net zero emissions
- align delivery of the strategy with the ICAO Global Air Navigation Plan, meeting the UK’s international treaty obligations, and provide a clear strategic path for rulemaking activities now that the UK has left the EU and the European Aviation Safety Agency
all without undermining the initiatives from the 2018 Airspace Modernisation Strategy, delivery of which will continue, and which are subsumed into the refreshed version.
The refreshed Airspace Modernisation Strategy therefore pulls together the ICAO Global Air Navigation Plan, the existing initiatives from 2018 and also new requirements that the CAA has identified through extensive stakeholder engagement during 2021.
The strategy is in three parts, plus an annex. The CAA seeks feedback on draft of Part 1 (CAP 2298a), Part 2 (CAP 2298b), and on what changes are needed to the annex explaining the strategy’s governance structure, currently (CAP 1711b). Part 3 is due to be published later once the feedback on parts 1 and 2 has been received.
The CAA not seeking comments on matters of government policy, over which we have no direct control. For example, the CAA must follow government policy and guidance on environmental objectives setting out how aviation-related environmental impacts should be considered.
The CAA is not seeking views on the CAP 1616 airspace change process, or on specific airspace changes or change proposals.
What is the Airspace Modernisation Strategy?
The CAA and the Department for Transport are co-sponsors of airspace modernisation. The Airspace Modernisation Strategy sets out the ‘ends’, ‘ways’ and ‘means’ of modernising the design, technology and operations of airspace. The existing initiatives, which will continue, include the removal of all fixed routes in upper airspace so aircraft can fly fully optimised routes, a fundamental redesign of the terminal route network using more precise and flexible ‘performance-based’ navigation, and a focus on electronic surveillance solutions to improve safety and enable better integration of all airspace users.
More details can be found here
Consultation link here to access a mix of multiple-choice and free-text answers
Deadline for submissions: midnight 4 April 2022.
For more information visit:
www.caa.co.uk
