Farnborough Airspace

[C Rule]

As many of you know, the CAA decided to introduce new controlled airspace near our airfield. Lasham

Over the past five years, we, in partnership with the British Gliding Association and the General Aviation Alliance, engaged with the CAA in meetings and in writing to explain the problems with the changes proposed by TAG Farnborough. The same parties also submitted a practical and safe alternative airspace design at the request of the CAA. Notwithstanding this, the CAA has proceeded to approve TAG Farnborough’s proposal with only minor modifications.

The airspace has not been justified by the CAA: it will create a choke point, it does not represent an efficient use of the airspace and it does not properly or reasonably balance the needs of all users. Local residents will experience more noise.

The CAA has not published any data or evidence to support its decision that the new arrangements will be safe (or that the existing arrangements are not safe).

We are mounting a legal challenge. On the Society's home page there is a link where you can make a donation.
https://www.lashamgliding.com/

[C Rule]

A quick update on where things stand.
Having received the final documents for its proposed application for a Judicial Review of the CAA decision on the TAG ACP from the Airspace Team on Monday, the Committee of Management met Tuesday morning and approved filing our application with the Court. The Airspace Team and our lawyers have completed a herculean task in compiling 183 pages of statements, plus supporting documents, which have been filed with the Court. The CoM wishes to thank them on behalf of all our members.

The CAA now have 21 days from the date of service of proceedings to acknowledge service.

[tnowak]

Thanks Colin for the update.
Will be interesting to see how this goes.

Tony

[SteveSlater]

For the record, the LAA has made a financial contribution to the 'fighting fund'.

[jollyrog]

For the record, the LAA has made a financial contribution to the 'fighting fund'.

Cannot find the like button.

[C Rule]

Following a judge's decision in November to grant leave to Lasham Gliding Society to proceed in the High Court for a Judicial Review of the CAA's Decision to implement the Farnborough airspace, a further hearing will take place at the Court in mid-January in which Lasham will make arguments to extend the grounds on which the final judgment will be made.

The High Court hearing for the Judicial Review itself is estimated to take place either at the end of March or in April 2019.

This case is highly relevant to all GA.

[C Rule]

Latest update

As we have previously reported to you, in November we were granted leave for a judicial review on two of our three grounds of complaint against the Farnborough ACP. Leave for a third ground was given only in so far as it was linked to the first two.

We made an application for renewal of the decision for leave which had been partially refused in relation to ground three and this application was listed for a hearing on 17 January. The purpose of this hearing was to have leave for the third ground re-considered on a stand-alone basis so that, if we were successful it would reinstate that ground of challenge in addition to the first two grounds. I am pleased to be able to report that the judge has now given us leave for a third ground, in addition to those of safety and efficiency.

It was decided that, in this third ground, it is arguable that the needs of General Aviation (including gliding), and Lasham in particular, had not been properly taken into consideration by the CAA in making its decision. Although the judge also decided that the CAA did not have to show that SIDs & STARs (procedural routes for arrivals and departures) were necessary, or that the CAA was in breach of its procedure in failing to undertake a further round of consultations with LGS, this does not affect our arguments in our grounds on efficiency or safety points.

We now have three independent grounds (instead of just two) for which we only need to win one for the CAA's decision to be struck out.

[Nigelcot]

The only way I can see to stop the continuous attempts to exclude GA from vast volumes of airspace is to make airports pay for it.

Here's my suggestion

Take the APD paid by passengers at the major existing airports and divide it by the entire volume of airspace reserved for the same airports thus giving a duty raised / cubic meter of airspace.
Charge the airports a tax of the ( duty raised / cubic meter X volume of airspace - APD raised )
This would be zero for the major existing airports but very substantial for an airport wanting a volume bigger than Gatwick with less than 100 passengers a week.

[C Rule]

The hearing date selected by the Court for the judicial review of the Farnborough ACP is now 5th June.