The CAA has drafted a policy statement on how the UK employs Special Use Airspace within the London and Scottish FIR and UIR and the Shanwick Oceanic FIR. It aims to ensure Special Use Airspace is utilised consistently by describing a clear framework for its use, providing clarity and increasing...
Closes 6 December 2023
The CAA, working with the DfT, is proposing to introduce a new regulation to help in the protection of UK aviation from cyber attacks. This regulation will ensure that the UK is actively engaging with the increase threat from cyber, and the UK aviation industry is properly protected against...
Closes 22 December 2023
This consultation contains the proposed amendments to the next edition of CAP 403, Flying Displays and Special Events: Safety and Administrative Requirements and Guidance , which are planned to be effective from the end of February 2024.
Closes 22 December 2023
Following the Pilot Medical Declaration (PMD) Review (CAP2408) in October 22 and the subsequent “We asked, you said, we did” response in March 23, we have now released our Phase 2 formal consultation regarding changes and improvements to the PMD process.
Closes 4 January 2024
The Civil Aviation Authority is inviting industry, academia, and organisations to join its Regulatory Sandbox to test hydrogen technologies that support the use of hydrogen as an aviation fuel. The tests will identify hazards, risks, safety challenges and gaps in current CAA regulations and...
Closes 10 January 2024
The CAA have launched a consultation on proposals to make it easier for drone users to fly safely and meet regulatory requirements. The proposals are based on feedback from the drone community in a previous Call for Input. Proposals include introduction of product requirements for...
Closes 10 January 2024
This consultation document sets out proposals for revisions to the existing UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Charges Schemes, due to take effect from 1 April 2024. We believe these proposals represent a balanced approach to delivering our regulatory obligations today and enabling the sector...
Closes 15 January 2024
We consulted the General Aviation community on our proposed changes to cost sharing regulation in November 2021. These included proposals related to clarifying the costs pilots can legitimately share and measures to ensure pilots make their passengers aware of the increased risk associated with...
Closed 30 November 2023
The CAA welcomes the continued efforts by the aviation industry to deliver new and innovative products to the market. As part of its efforts to support the industry, the CAA is giving an indication of its policy thinking regarding the operation of VTOL aircraft. The CAA is using existing...
Closed 20 November 2023
This document presents UK Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) current position on competency and licensing requirements for Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) capable aircraft pilots wishing to perform commercial air transport (CAT) operations. It is to be viewed as interim guidance while we...
Closed 20 November 2023
This document presents UK Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) current position for operators of Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft wishing to conduct commercial air transport (CAT) operations in the UK. It is to be viewed as interim guidance while we continue to work with stakeholders to...
Closed 20 November 2023
This document presents UK Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) current view on the regulatory basis for continued airworthiness of VTOL aircraft in the UK. It is to be viewed as interim guidance while we continue to work with stakeholders to enhance our understanding of the technology and how it is to...
Closed 20 November 2023
Here are some of the issues we have consulted on and their outcomes. See all outcomes
The purpose of the consultation was to seek stakeholders’ views on adoption of a policy to simplify the process for the adoption of harmonised product design related Certification Specifications. The process will enable stakeholders to make use of new and updated Certification Specifications without undue delay.
We received twenty-seven individual responses to our consultation. Twenty-five respondents fully supported the proposed approach. Two respondents did not fully support the proposal, one cited the need for greater involvement of the CAA and UK stakeholders in the CS development process. The other respondent supported the adoption of new and revised EASA CS but wanted the opportunity to make representations to the CAA on each proposed amendment prior to adoption.
Several respondents proposed extending the scope of the proposed policy to include Certification Specifications used outside the initial airworthiness domain. Other comments included proposals for including Special Conditions and Certification Memos in the scope of the new policy.
Several respondents also asked if the CAA could further expedite the CS adoption process as the current approach disadvantages British business who want to produce designs conforming to the latest specifications.
We acknowledge that stakeholders strongly support the proposed changes. There is a clear view that expediting the adoption of EASA Certification Specifications is in the best interests of businesses in the UK.
We note the comments that seek to extend the scope of the policy to Special Conditions and to CS applicable outside the initial airworthiness domain. We have decided not to include these additional areas in the scope of the new policy until we have gained some experience of implementing the new policy. Of the comments that did not fully support the proposal, we note the desire to increase the involvement of the CAA in the development of internationally harmonised standards. The CAA will endeavour to increase UK involvement as our design capability grows. Regarding the remaining comment, the CAA will not be taking forward the proposal to systematically consult on each new or amended CS. This would inevitably extend the time taken to adopt changes and potentially undermine the main objective of the proposal to increase competitiveness of businesses in the UK through reducing the time it takes to adopt new and revised EASA CS.
The CAA will now finalise the revised policy and will publish a new Decision in Official Record Series 9, adopting the latest versions of the EASA derived design related Certification Specifications.
The purpose of this consultation was to share the CAA’s proposal for the future of remote pilot (RP) competency in the specific category.
The proposal covered:
We received 112 responses. Most responses (66%) were received from UAS operators and remote pilots.
The CAA reviewed all the comments received, and the following trends were identified:
In addition to the above, the CAA received feedback welcoming the recognition that BVLOS training for RPs is an important enabler for industry. We also received positive feedback on the thoroughness of the work carried on the RPC-A from operators already conducting complex BVLOS operations.
In parallel to the phase one consultation, the CAA policy team has continued to engage with industry and RAEs through direct outreach and stakeholder meetings.
The CAA will publish a proposed update to the AMC and GM to Article 8 of the UK Regulation (EU) 2019/947 including multiples changes to the RPC framework as a direct result of the phase one consultation feedback. This full public consultation will run for 12 weeks and expected to commence in Q4 2023.
The purpose of the consultation was to seek views on defining the scope of the environmental assessments for the airspace change masterplan, and the way we will approach carrying them out, including the methodology. We were not consulting on the masterplan itself, the individual airspace change proposals that make up the masterplan, or the environmental assessments themselves.
Please see “Overview” below for more information.
We received 18 responses to the consultation. We have published all 18 responses, but some respondents chose to remain anonymous.
You can download responses, where we have permission to publish them:
(a) here, for responses submitted through this consultation website
(b) by following the links at the bottom of this page, for responses submitted off-line.
We received responses from:
Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies (7): Joint Nature Conservation Council, Natural England, Environment Agency, Historic England, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Nature Scot, Historic Environment Scotland
National organisations (1): Aviation Environment Federation
Airports (3): All preferred to remain anonymous
Residents affected by aviation (3): All preferred to remain anonymous
Organisations with an interest in a specific airport or location (4): Communities Against Gatwick Noise & Emissions (CAGNE), Heathrow Strategic Planning Group, Stansted Airport Watch, The Royal Parks
The consultation questions asked for a mixture of multiple-choice and free-text responses. These are summarised in the tables below.
(1) Answers to multiple-choice questions
|
SEA Scoping Report |
Number of responses |
||
|
Questions 1 to 6 were about the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Scoping Report www.caa.co.uk/cap2526 |
Yes |
No |
Don’t know / did not answer |
|
Q1: Are you satisfied with the environmental aspects we have scoped out and in of the SEA, and the objectives, targets and indicators? |
7 |
4 |
1 / 6 |
|
Q2 Are you satisfied with how any significant effects will be identified? |
6 |
4 |
2 / 6 |
|
Q3 Are you satisfied with the definition of the future baseline, assessment case and alternatives? |
6* |
3 |
3 / 6 |
|
Q4 Are you satisfied with the proposed Zones of Influence for each environmental aspect? |
4 |
7 |
1 / 6 |
|
Q5 Do you have any comments about the type and use of available regional data for each geographical ‘cluster’? |
These questions were free-text only |
||
|
Q6 Do you have any other points you would like to raise in relation to the SEA Scoping Report? |
|||
|
|
*2 were a qualified yes |
|
HRA Screening Report |
Number of responses |
||||
|
Questions 7 to 12 were about the Habitats Regulations (HRA) Screening Report www.caa.co.uk/cap2527 |
Yes |
No |
Don’t know / did not answer |
||
|
Q7 Are you satisfied that the HRA Screening Report correctly identifies all potential significant effects on European Sites? |
5 |
2 |
5 / 6 |
||
|
Q8 Are the precautionary ZoIs applied to each potential effect to determine which European sites may be affected by the implementation of the masterplan appropriate for the purposes of screening? |
4 |
5 |
3 / 6 |
||
|
|
Is about right |
Requires minor mods |
Requires major mods |
Don’t know / |
|
|
Q9 Do you consider that the CAA’s proposed approach to applying the scientific evidence referenced in appendices B, C and D of the HRA Screening Report to stage 2 of the assessment is appropriate? |
4 |
0 |
1 |
7 / 6 |
|
|
Q10 Do you consider that the CAA’s proposed approach to subsequent stages (2, 3 and 4) of the Habitats Regulations assessment: |
4 |
1 |
|
7 / 6 |
|
|
Q11 Which plans and projects do you think might act in combination with the masterplan? |
These questions were free-text only |
||||
|
Q12 Do you have any other points you would like to raise in relation to the HRA Scoping Report? |
|||||
|
Approach to SEA and HRA |
Number of responses |
||
|
Questions 13 to 15 (SEA) and questions 16 to 18 (HRA) below were about the approach we propose to take when producing the actual environmental assessments/reports themselves, later on. This proposed approach is set out in the Approach to SEA and HRA document www.caa.co.uk/cap2528 |
Yes |
No |
Don’t know / did not answer |
|
Q13 Are you satisfied that the overall approach to SEA (set out in paragraph 1 of the 'Approach' document) will ensure that the environmental effects of the masterplan are fully assessed? |
7 |
5 |
0 / 6 |
|
Q14 Do you have any comments on the timing of the SEA (stages 1.B – 1.F and Figure 1 in the 'Approach' document) during the development of each masterplan Iteration? |
|
||
|
Q15 Do you have any other comments you would like to make on the approach to SEA of the masterplan (set out in paragraph 1 and Figure 1 of the ‘Approach’ document)? |
|||
|
Q16 Do you agree that it is not possible to rule out significant effects on European sites (or offshore marine sites) as a result of the masterplan? (paragraph 2.A of the ‘Approach’ document) |
6 |
0 |
6 / 6 |
|
Q17 Do you have any comments on the intention to deliver any required mitigation for adverse effects on the integrity of European sites (or offshore marine sites) at the project level, through the approval process for individual airspace change proposals - rather than at the strategic level through the masterplan? (paragraph 2.C of the ‘Approach’ document) |
These questions were free-text only |
||
|
Q18 Do you have any other comments you would like to make on the approach to HRA of the masterplan (set out in paragraph 2 and Figure 1 of the ‘Approach’ document)? |
|||
(2) Answers to free-text questions
The table below shows the themes that were identified from the free-text responses, the main issues that were raised, and how many times.
Summary of free-text responses to the HRA consultation
|
Theme |
Main issues raised |
Total number of issues within the theme |
Total number of responses mentioning this theme |
|
Protected sites
|
Definitions; scope |
3 |
2 |
|
Impacts
|
Various pollutants including NH3, NOx, SO2 ; bird disturbance; cumulative impacts |
6 |
4 |
|
Zones of Influence |
Definitions; impact risk zones |
2 |
3 |
|
In-combination assessment |
Road transport; marine environment; land-use planning for airport expansion |
3 |
4 |
|
Mitigation |
Measures at the level of individual airspace change proposals |
1 |
1 |
|
Approach to HRA |
Five stages of assessment; imperative reasons of overriding public interest; assessment of the London TMA cluster; air traffic growth; airfield boundary changes |
7 |
4 |
Summary of free-text responses to the SEA consultation
|
Theme |
Main issues raised |
Total number of issues within the theme |
Total number of responses mentioning this theme |
|
Receptors |
Additional areas or matters for consideration; local community impacts |
6 |
5 |
|
Impacts |
Various pollutants including NH3, NOx, SO2 , ozone, particulates; listed buildings and protected landscapes; visual impact; social intrusion; tranquility; aircraft collisions; vibration; equity and levelling-up; equality impact assessment; unintended consequences of decarbonisation; DfT noise policy; local air quality management regime; human health; cumulative impacts |
20 |
11 |
|
Screening thresholds |
Definitions |
2 |
1 |
|
Zones of Influence |
Definitions and methodology; impact risk zones; noise concentration |
8 |
8 |
|
Alternatives |
Assessment of alternatives; iterative approach to masterplan |
2 |
2 |
|
Approach to SEA / miscellaneous |
Terminology; references; policy framework; assessment of the London TMA cluster; consultation and engagement; assessment of economic benefits and airspace efficiency vs environmental impacts; efficacy of legislative and policy measures; performance-based navigation; crops for sustainable aviation fuel; Gatwick expansion; land-use planning for airport expansion; air traffic growth; impacts of General Aviation; legal challenge to Jet Zero Strategy |
17 |
10 |
We are taking into account responses to this consultation in developing the environmental assessments for the airspace change masterplan. We expect to consult on the first of those assessments in 2024.
Please see “Overview” below for more information.