UK Airspace Modernisation - A Paper By FASVIG

[SteveHutt]

Delivering a Sustainable Future for VFR Operations

Part of the UK Airspace Modernisation Programme, this document sets out a plan for sustainable VFR operations in a modernised UKFIR and forms the basis for the FASVIG programme of work 2018/19. Developed from earlier work to understand the causes of airspace infringement, the document examines why other European states do not appear to suffer the volume of infringements occurring in the UK FIR. It describes examples of the structural and operational differences between the segregated UK airspace model and the integrated model found elsewhere, and proposes change. Structural and procedural building blocks that make up an integrated model are reviewed for their potential to reduce infringement risk and to deliver increased operational efficiency for VFR traffic for the benefit of the whole UK aviation sector.

The document identifies inefficiencies and conflicts in priority in airspace policy, design and implementation, but it also proposes evidence-based change through utilising the accuracy of RNAV to increase VFR-accessible airspace. This would encourage low-level free-routing using electronic conspicuity to reduce the need to interact with ATS, so releasing resources for commercial operations and reducing infringements. The programme seeks to deliver policies to be implemented by the beginning of Reference Period 3 in 2020. This can only be achieved with the active participation of the CAA, with alignment to the FASIIG programme, and with support from the commercial air transport sector.

Download the paper here:

http://fasvig.org/reports/uk-airspace-modernisation