[{"status": "open", "startdate": "2024/08/30", "enddate": "2026/12/31", "title": "Register your interest in hearing about future research opportunities", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/corporate-communications/future-personnel-licencing-research-register/consult_view", "overview": "
The CAA is conducting research into the experience of personnel licence holders across Flight Crew Licensing (commercial and private), Air Traffic Services and Aircraft Maintenance Licensing. The research will involve understanding customers' experience when it comes to updating, renewing and applying for licences, as well as exploring how the experience can be improved.
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By registering your interest, you are giving your consent to be contacted by our user research team regarding research opportunities that may be relevant to you between now and 2028.
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Information you provide in this form will be held and processed securely, in compliance with GDPR privacy policies. Specifically, we may use your contact information to invite you to arrange a research session and to provide further information about subsequent research activities relevant to you. Other information you supply below will be used to help us tailor our research so we ask you the most relevant questions. Our General privacy notice includes more information about how we protect and store your data.
\r\n", "id": "future-personnel-licencing-research-register"}, {"status": "open", "startdate": "2026/07/14", "enddate": "2026/09/22", "title": "Consultation on a Proposed Electronic Conspicuity Mandate in the UK ", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/safety-and-airspace-regulation-group/ec-mandate/consult_view", "overview": "
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is consulting on its proposed approach to an Electronic Conspicuity Mandate for certain aircraft operating below Flight Level 100 in UK sovereign airspace, and how any future requirement should be designed and implemented.
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We have developed this proposed approach following earlier engagement with stakeholders, commissioned research and technical work on EC.
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This work is being carried out by the CAA in collaboration with the Department for Transport as part of wider activity supporting the Airspace Modernisation Strategy and future lower airspace integration.
We are seeking views and evidence on the CAA’s proposed approach to an EC mandate, including:
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the proposed scope of the mandate, including which aircraft and operations should be included or excluded
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the proposed altitude threshold (below FL100)
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how any requirement could be implemented in a practical way
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the potential safety benefits and operational impacts
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the costs and feasibility of equipping aircraft
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how the proposal would affect different sectors and types of operation
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whether alternative approaches could achieve the same safety outcomes
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transition periods and alternative means of compliance
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We are particularly interested in evidence and practical experience.
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How to respond
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This survey should take approximately 20 to 30 minutes to complete, depending on how many sections are relevant to you and how much detail you wish to provide.
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You do not need to answer every question. Please answer those that are relevant to your experience and sector. Where a question does not apply to you, you can leave it blank or select "not applicable."
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You can save your progress and return to complete your response at any time before the closing date. Use the "Save and continue later" option at the bottom of any page.
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The consultation closes at midnight on 22 September 2026. Responses submitted after this date cannot be accepted.
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Who can respond?
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This consultation is open to anyone with an interest in lower airspace. This includes (but is not limited to):
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individual pilots and operators of all aircraft types
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UAS operators and individual UAS pilots
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eVTOL developers and operators
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aviation clubs, groups and associations
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aircraft and equipment manufacturers
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aerodromes and airfields
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air navigation service providers
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members of the public with an interest in airspace safety
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If you are responding on behalf of an organisation, please indicate this at the start of the survey.
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You do not need to be an aviation professional to respond.
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What happens next
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All responses will be read and considered by the CAA team. We will publish a consultation response document summarising the responses received and setting out the CAA's conclusions. This will be published on the CAA website following the close of the consultation.
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Getting help
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If you have a query about this consultation or need assistance completing your response, please contact the CAA team at ec@caa.co.uk
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If you require this consultation in an alternative format, please contact us using the details above.
\r\n\r\n\r\n", "id": "ec-mandate"}, {"status": "open", "startdate": "2026/06/29", "enddate": "2026/09/21", "title": "Consultation on Amendments to UK Reg (EU)139/2014 and CAP 168 ", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/airworthiness-policy-team/consultation-on-amendments-a/consult_view", "overview": "
Recent operational experience across the UK aviation sector has highlighted a growing safety and capacity-related issue concerning the acceptance of diverted aircraft at aerodromes. Periods of disruption particularly during adverse weather, airspace constraints, or network congestion have exposed inconsistencies in aerodrome preparedness and diversion handling capability.
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To address this, the CAA proposes regulatory enhancements to strengthen safety, improve operational resilience, and ensure greater clarity regarding aerodrome obligations in diversion scenarios.
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The CAA proposes amendments to Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM) to UK (EU) Regulation No. 139/2014 and CAP168.
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The Secretary of State makes the final decision whether to implement CAA’s proposed changes to the regulations, and the final wording of the regulations.
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The proposed wording of the regulations in this consultation may well change if and when the Secretary of State decides to amend the regulations.
The UTM Certification Consultation is a statutory consultation on the proposals for the certification of UTM Service Providers (UTMSPs) and other data providers.
The UTM ConOps provides a foundational reference point for the detailed implementation and development of UTM services throughout the UK, including its operational, regulatory and technical requirements. Developed from the perspective of intended users, it sets out both qualitative and quantitative system attributes.
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It is expected to evolve as part of the iterative, operational testing and evaluation process, as well as in response to future operational experience and technological advancements.
The UTM policy concept lays out a proposed regulatory framework that enables the safe, secure, efficient and scalable integration of UAS into UK airspace, in simple, high-level terms for a wide range of stakeholders involved in UAS services.
\r\n", "id": "uk-unmanned-aircraft-systems-policy-concept"}, {"status": "open", "startdate": "2026/06/26", "enddate": "2026/08/21", "title": "Revision to BCAR Section L Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (CAP 468) for greater alignment with the current UK regulatory framework", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/policy-development/revision-to-cap468-consultation/consult_view", "overview": "
BCAR Section L Licensing - Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (CAP 468) was last revised in 2003. This latest change revises the applicability to non-Part 21 aircraft and updates this CAP document to reflect the current regulatory framework in the UK and the current practice for the issue of BCAR Section L licences.
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Civil Aircraft Airworthiness Information and Procedures (CAP 562), Leaflet H-20 Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Personnel – Certification Responsibilities of Type Rated/Authorised Personnel and Leaflet H-30 Aircraft Maintenance Engineers Licences - Type Ratings have also been revised for alignment with the latest changes to the CAP 468 document.
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Why your views matter
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It is important to the CAA that everyone has an opportunity to voice their opinion on matters that could affect them. There is also a legal requirement to consult when creating or amending regulations. For these reasons, we are asking for comments on these proposed changes.
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We welcome comments from every sector of the community. This includes the general public, government agencies and all sectors of the aviation industry, whether as an engineer, aviation consumer and/or provider of related products and services.
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How to respond
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All interested persons may submit their comments for review and disposition by the UK CAA by Share your views below.
\r\n", "id": "revision-to-cap468-consultation"}, {"status": "open", "startdate": "2026/05/28", "enddate": "2026/07/31", "title": "Legislation for new types of Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/portfolio-delivery/legislation-for-new-types-of-vertical-take-off-and/consult_view", "overview": "
The CAA, sponsored by the Department for Transport, is identifying the proposed regulatory changes needed to accommodate the safe use of new types of VTOL aircraft in the UK.
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Following our initial consultation and consultation response document on the policy frameworks for new types of VTOL, the CAA is consulting further on the detail of these frameworks – specifically covering Complex Motor-Powered Aircraft (CMPA), continuing airworthiness, pilot licensing and flight operations regulations.
As part of our commitment to responsible business and delivery of our Environmental Policy, we are implementing an ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management System across our corporate operations.
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To meet the ISO requirements and support our scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions reporting, we we kindly ask you to provide the following information for your operations.
The UK CAA is consulting on a proposed Certification Memorandum to provide information, clarification and procedural guidance for the modification and repair of seating systems holding UK Technical Standard Order authorisation (UKTSOA) or European Technical Standard Order (ETSO) and Technical Standard Order (TSO).
All interested persons may submit their comments for review and disposition by the UK CAA online in Share your views below. The consultation period will close on 24 July 2026.
\r\n", "id": "proposed-certification-memorandum"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2026/05/19", "enddate": "2026/06/24", "title": "Safety and Security of Cloud Computing", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/cyber-security/safety-and-security-of-cloud-computing/consult_view", "overview": "
The content of CAP 3254 may become linked to requirements within CAP 670 where applications that require cloud computing to be part of their safety-critical operations.
\r\n", "id": "safety-and-security-of-cloud-computing"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2026/05/06", "enddate": "2026/06/17", "title": "Call For Information: RMT 0203 \u2013 Policy Framework for Heliport Certification and Safety Management Systems", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/air-traffic-management/rmt-0203-policy-framework-for-heliport-certificati/consult_view", "overview": "
The Call for Information will support stakeholder engagement by gathering evidence to inform analysis as part of the Rulemaking Task.
The Civil Aviation Authority is seeking views on draft guidance that introduces a proportionate, flexible approach to designing airspace structures around UK aerodromes.
\r\n", "id": "consultation-on-progressive-aerodrome-airspace-des"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2026/03/16", "enddate": "2026/05/11", "title": "Call for Evidence - Aircraft and Airline Leasing in the United Kingdom", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/cmg/call-for-evidence-wet-lease-agreement/consult_view", "overview": "
The last significant review of the Current Leasing Framework was approximately ten years ago, when the UK was still a member of the European Union. Over the last ten years the operational context has changed, including the way UK air carriers use leasing to support their evolving business models, changes in consumer expectations and changes in the aviation landscape.
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As the UK’s independent aviation regulator, the CAA has primary responsibility for the oversight of the leasing arrangements of UK air carriers and ensuring compliance with the UK’s obligations to International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). It is therefore appropriate for the CAA to review the Current Leasing Framework.
The CAA is seeking stakeholder feedback on proposed updates to CAP 790, which establishes the requirements for an Airside Driving Permit (ADP) Scheme and provides guidance on the management, training, assessment and competence standards for airside drivers.
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The review aims to strengthen safety assurance across aerodromes by updating provisions relating to medical standards, driving competence, radiotelephony requirements, operational responsibilities and revalidation processes.
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Input is invited from aerodrome operators, ground handling organisations, training providers and other airside stakeholders to ensure the revised ADP framework remains effective, proportionate and aligned with current operational practices and safety expectation.
The UK Regulation (EU) No. 1321/2014 Continuing Airworthiness requirements for maintenance licences and training organisations require updating to reflect technological development and changing industry needs.
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This proposal includes amendments predominantly to Annex III (Part-66) and Annex IV (Part-147) and corresponding changes to Annex I (Part-M), Annex II (Part-145), Annex Vb (Part-ML) and Annex Vd (Part-CAO).
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The areas for proposed changes are as follows:
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1. New training methods, teaching technologies, propulsion technologies and other improvements to Part-147 and Part-66, to include:
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• Enhanced efficiency of maintenance personnel training with new training methods (distance synchronous learning) and new teaching technologies (multimedia-based training, synthetic and interactive training devices) that are being utilised by training organisations.
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• A type rating endorsement when there are no longer Part-147 approved organisations offering type training on ageing aircraft that are no longer in production.
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• Updates to the basic knowledge training syllabus in Part-66 to reflect new technologies such as electric powerplants.
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• Introduction of electric powerplant requirements to enable UK licenced engineers to certify electric powered aircraft. This will open the opportunity for Electric VTOL aircraft as introduced under Rulemaking task 0158.
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• Enhanced efficiency of the On-the-Job Training (OJT) required for the first type rating endorsement in the maintenance licence category.
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• Further updates and clarifications, such as errors in module levels, required as Part-147 and Part-66 have not been subject to a substantive amendment since its adoption in 2003. Module levels are also updated to reflect changes in technology on aircraft and to allow for easier transition between licence (sub)category(ies).
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• Moving some details of the syllabus to be Acceptable Means of Compliance.
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2. For Part 147 specifically:
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• Optimise the structure of the basic knowledge syllabus together with training courses and examinations. This may include combining and updating modules to reflect the latest developments in areas such as Safety Management, Human Factors, Aviation Legislation, Aeroplane Aerodynamics, Structures and Systems, Electronic Fundamentals.
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• Review English language proficiency requirements.
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• Review mechanisms to reduce cheating during exams, markedly the security of the exam, the exam question database and conduct of exams outside of MTO approved locations and other fraudulent activity.
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3. Annex I (Part-M), Annex II (Part-145), Annex Vb (Part-ML) and Annex Vd (Part-CAO) are updated to correspond to the above changes.
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The AMC and GM associated with these amendments will be consulted on separately.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) intends to run a 12-month trial of a Light UAS Operator Certificate (LUC) framework for UAS operators. The LUC concept provides an alternative pathway for UAS operations in the Specific Category, by granting privileges based on organisational competence rather than requiring case-by-case approvals by the CAA.
The CAA plans to trial the LUC concept over a 12-month period with a small number of organisations who respond to this call for interest, are deemed suitable to participate in the trial and apply successfully for an LUC. Please note that Organisations deemed initially suitable by the CAA are not guaranteed to be successful in applying for an LUC.
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For the duration of the trial and until further notice, there will be no routine application service for an LUC in the UK.
\r\n", "id": "light-uas-operator-certificate-luc-trial"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2025/12/12", "enddate": "2026/03/10", "title": "Consultation on the update to CAP 483; Training on the Safe Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Air", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/flight-operations-policy/consultation-on-the-update-to-cap-483-training-on/consult_view", "overview": "
CAP483 was updated 03 February with an amendment to page 49, Part B, Chapter 3, item 3.10.
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We ask respondents who have already completed the consultation to do so again.
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The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is consulting on proposed updates to CAP 483, with particular relevance for organisations involved in delivering training for the safe carriage of dangerous goods by air.
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The updated document seeks to modernise and clarify the expectations for training providers, ensuring that the UK’s dangerous goods training guidance remains clear, practical, and aligned with current oversight practices.
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The CAA encourages all organisations involved in the training in the safe carriage of dangerous goods by air to contribute to the consultation via this questionnaire and help to shape guidance that reflects the needs of both industry and learners while continuing to uphold the highest standards of aviation safety.
The CAA have recently reviewed the pilot licence privileges associated with making a pilot medical declaration (PMD), particularly those associated with the flight instructor or class rating instructor certificate when exercised on the basis of having made a PMD. \r\n \r\nAs a result of this review, we are proposing some changes to the relevant provisions of the UK Air Navigation Order and UK Aircrew Regulation, as contained in this public consultation.
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Please read the consultation document linked below when responding to the survey.
\r\n", "id": "pilot-medical-declaration"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2026/01/07", "enddate": "2026/03/04", "title": "Call for Information on Future Air Traffic Services Rulemaking", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/air-traffic-management/call-for-information-on-future-air-traffic-service/consult_view", "overview": "
The regulatory environment for air traffic services (ATS) in the UK is split between assimilated legislation and requirements contained within the Air Navigation Order 2016, that are supplemented by documents known as civil aviation publications published by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The CAA considers that this poses a number of challenges.
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The need to make changes to the regulatory framework for aviation safety has been recognised by both the CAA and the Department for Transport (DfT). The CAA believes it appropriate to consider the steps that can be taken now to modernise the ruleset for the ATS domain, preparing it for any possible future changes to the framework.
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The CAA is beginning a package of work that is likely to see widespread changes to the structure and format of the ‘ruleset’ used in ATS. While the CAA and DfT retain responsibility for reaching decisions on the form and content of any future rules, the CAA believes that close engagement with industry is vital to ensure that the ATS requirements within any revised ruleset are effective, proportionate and capable of successful implementation.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is committed to improving the customer experience through our Customer Experience and Modernisation Programme, which aims to transform Personnel Licensing by delivering a fully digital end-to-end licensing service.
\r\n", "id": "commercial-pilot-feedback"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2026/01/12", "enddate": "2026/02/16", "title": "Safety Guidance for Air Rallies, Fly-ins, Air Races/Contests and Charity Events ", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/ga/safety-guidance-for-air-rallies-fly-ins-air-races/consult_view", "overview": "
This consultation concerns the proposed new publication entitledCAP1988 which we are planning to publish in April 2026.
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This non statutory safety guidance CAP is for organisers and participating pilots of fly-ins, air rallies and races/contests when such events are conducted in accordance with the normal rules of the air (unless specifically permitted or exempted) and do not fall into the scope of CAP403 (Flying Displays and Special Events). This document also provides guidance for organised charity events involving multiple aircraft. For charity flights involving a single aircraft, please refer to the guidance in CAP1330
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Additionally, this new CAP is to build on the guidance formerly found in CAP403 Flying Displays and Special Events until Edition 14 when significant re-writing took place and it was decided that such events are sufficiently distinct from the legal, safety and administrative requirements of those organising flying displays themselves.
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It is hence that this document is separate and more targeted to the respective GA audience having been updated.
As part of our preparation for the Risk Based Oversight (RBO) Proof of Concept (PoC), we are seeking your feedback through this short industry satisfaction survey. Your responses will provide us with a baseline measure of current satisfaction levels ahead of the PoC launch in April 2026.
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We will run this survey twice, now, prior to the PoC, and again once the PoC is completed, to help us understand whether the PoC has led to any changes or improvements for the 10 participating organisations.
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The survey consists of four questions, each with an optional open-text field should you wish to provide further detail.
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Please complete the survey by the 31st December, or earlier if you will be taking leave over the Christmas period.
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Your feedback is essential, as we are very keen to understand your experiences and perspectives as we undertake this work.
This consultation concerns the proposed new publication entitledCAP1739 Safety Guidance for Balloon Events and Competitions.
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The publication of this document does not introduce new legal requirements and forms non statutory safety guidance
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This CAP is for participating pilots and event organisers of Balloon Events and Competitions. This new CAP is to build on the guidance formerly found in CAP403 Flying Displays and Special Events until Edition 14 when significant re-writing took place.
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Since then, the CAA has undertaken research to produce this document with the additional support of a working group comprising of balloon stakeholders.
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The Balloon Events Chapter is updated and expanded from previous guidance last provided in Edition 14 of CAP403.
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The Ballooning as part of a Flying Display chapters is as the proposed Edition 23 (2026) of CAP403 Flying Displays and Special Events.
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The chapter regarding competition balloon flying is being introduced for the first time following an AAIB Safety Recommendation to the CAA.
\r\n", "id": "safety-guidance-for-balloon-events-and-competition"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2026/01/05", "enddate": "2026/01/30", "title": "Public Consultation on DRAFT CAP1724: Flying Display Pilot Authorisation and Evaluation: Requirements and Guidance (Edition 8)", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/ga/copy-of-public-consultation-on-draft-cap1724/consult_view", "overview": "
The UK CAA is consulting on a deviation request to CS-UKTSO in accordance with the provisions of Part 21.A.610.
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This is a proposed deviation to CS-UKTSO Amendment 17, UKTSO-C127c, Section 3.1.1 to modify the pass/fail criteria and load value at which the upper torso restraint strap may slip off the ATD shoulder, during the rebound phase of the qualification test procedure defined by the minimum performance standard SAE AS8049/1b and SAE AS8049C, Section 5.3.9.7
The CAA believes that opportunities exist to improve safety and engagement with Ground Handling Service Providers (GHSP) who are currently providing a service at UK Certified and Licenced aerodromes; with opportunities to improve the cooperation between Airlines, Aerodromes and Ground Handling Service Providers (GHSP).
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There are global regulatory changes being driven by ICAO Aerodrome Design & Operations Panel (ADOP) supported by the Ground Handling Task Force (GHTF) that has developed proposed Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) for ground handling, applicable November 2027.
Air Navigation Service Provider's (ANSP) from air traffic services provide the safe and efficient movement of aircraft and vehicles on airside locations at an airport. Additional services that can be applied from the aerodrome (or third party) typically include; aircraft stand allocation, aircraft marshalling services, coordination of ground handling activities; for example, managing the movement of vehicles and equipment around aircraft.
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Air Navigation Service Provider's (ANSP) from air traffic services work closely with aerodrome operators and maintain a high level of safety and operational efficiency operating within a regulatory framework that, while not currently established in the UK, aerodromes within other ICAO member states have implemented Apron Management Services (AMS) and have the regulatory framework to support the safe and efficient movement of aircraft and vehicles on aprons.
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Currently within the UK, the majority of AMS is provided by Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSP), with some elements provided by aerodrome operators which can be sub-contracted out to a Ground Handling Service Provider (GHSP). However, the UK has filed a difference with ICAO for the provision of AMS.
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ICAO State letter AN 4/1.2.31-25/23, contains SARPS for the amendment of ICAO Annex 14 in relation to Apron Management Services. The alignment and implementation of AMS regulations contained within State Letter AN 4/1.2.31-25/23 would align the UK with other states that have AMS already operational as a standalone organisation/service provider.
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The UK Basic Regulation currently has a set of high-level requirements for AMS. These are set out in Article 33, Essential Requirements (Annex VII). Aerodrome UK Regulation (EU) 139/2014 contains Implementing Rules (IR) surrounding the declaration of AMS providers, management systems, along with acceptable means of compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM).
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CAP 168 does not include any aspects of AMS, therefore, it would require an update to reflect AMS provision.
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The view is sought from aerodrome operators in relation to implementing AMS in the UK, as such aerodrome operators are invited to share their views via the attached questionnaire.
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Purpose of the Call for information
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The purpose of the call for information is to gain feedback from industry and the wider public on the proposed amendments to Apron Management Services.
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The output of the call for information will be taken into consideration and a Comment Response Document (CRD) will be published. If responding for multiple airports, please respond for each aerodrome independently.
\r\n", "id": "apron-management-services"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2025/11/06", "enddate": "2026/01/29", "title": "Policy framework for new types of Vertical-Take Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft ", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/portfolio-delivery/consultation-policy-framework-for-new-types-of-ver/consult_view", "overview": "
The CAA aims to implement the regulatory framework and operational systems needed for commercial passenger flights by new types of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft by the end of 2028. The CAA is identifying the regulatory changes needed to accommodate the safe use of these new types of VTOL aircraft in the UK, whilst supporting sector growth, innovation, decarbonisation and international alignment.
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The CAA is seeking views from the public and VTOL industry stakeholders on our proposed legislative changes.
The CAA is making proposals relating to heliport certification and safety management systems. This aligns with other work to be consulted on in 2026 with further guidance for heliports, including helicopters, powered lift and some UAS operations.
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This proposal introduces a new form of heliport oversight and regulation with a risk based approach to allow for the wide array of heliport activities across the United Kingdom.
\r\n", "id": "policy-framework-for-heliport-certification-and-sa"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2025/11/17", "enddate": "2026/01/12", "title": "Airspace modernisation: Consultation on the requirements for a UK Airspace Coordination Service and associated guidance", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/policy-development/draft-ukacs-requirements/consult_view", "overview": "
In March 2025, the government decided to reform the UK’s approach to modernising the design of UK airspace by introducing a UK Airspace Design Service (UKADS), which will be provided by NATS (En Route) plc (NERL). The initial scope of the UKADS will be to modernise the complex airspace around London, by consolidating existing airspace change proposals within the London cluster of the airspace change masterplan into a single airspace change proposal.
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NERL would continue to provide a coordination service for those strategically important, interdependent airspace change proposals that are outside the scope of the UKADS (and which would continue to be sponsored by the airport or air navigation service provider concerned). We are calling this role the UK Airspace Coordination Service (UKACS).
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This consultation is seeking views on this new coordination service (in place of the service currently provided by NERL through the Airspace Change Organising Group (ACOG)). We have published the consultation document as CAP 3159.
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Our proposals make a contribution to improving proportionality and are intended to remove unnecessary delay to airspace change proposals and reduce duplication and confusion for stakeholders. Ultimately our proposals intend to deliver modernised airspace in the UK.
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In summary we propose to add a new condition to NERL’s air traffic services licence that it provides a UKACS. We propose replacing CAP 2156a and \r\nCAP 2156b with new requirements and guidance (see a proposed draft in Appendix A of CAP 3159) setting out the services included in the UKACS. This would implement a new set of UKACS requirements on NERL, which would:
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end the current requirement for a masterplan and associated procedures
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introduce an agile airspace change monitoring requirement
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continue to require the production of a cumulative assessment and the outputs of a safety strategy
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make the decision-making process clearer for stakeholders and sponsors by aligning the timing of these value-adding outputs with the CAA’s airspace change process decisions.
\r\n
\r\n\r\n
Who this consultation is for
\r\n\r\n
This consultation is for stakeholders with an interest in airspace change proposals that are currently in scope of the airspace change masterplan. This includes sponsors of relevant airspace changes (airports and air navigation service providers), as well as those affected by the airspace change proposals.
\r\n\r\n
We have tried to keep technical terminology to a minimum as we appreciate that we have a wide range of stakeholders who will have an interest in the proposals.
\r\n\r\n
Background
\r\n\r\n
The CAA has published CAP 3156, Modernising the way we do airspace design: information relevant to the CAA autumn 2025 consultations concerning airspace design. This explains proposed future models for developing airspace change proposals and associated consultations. We encourage stakeholders to read this explainer document and to respond to the associated consultations as well (see the links under 'Related' below).
\r\n\r\n
You can read more about the background to the UKADS on the CAA’s dedicated webpages www.caa.co.uk/ukads. This also includes links to consultations on the UKADS concept and NERL licence modifications.
\r\n\r\n
How to respond to this consultation
\r\n\r\n
The consultation will close at 23.59 on 12 January 2026 (a consultation period of eight weeks). We cannot commit to taking into account comments received after this date.
\r\n\r\n
You can submit your comments by following the 'Share your views' link below and answering the three consultation questions, which require a mix of multiple-choice and free-text answers.
\r\n\r\n
Our strong preference is that you complete the online consultation. While we will take account of responses that are submitted by other means, we ask that you arrange any such submission using the subject headings of the consultation document. Otherwise we will not be able to analyse your submission in the same way that we analyse the online responses.
\r\n\r\n
Publication of responses
\r\n\r\n
We will assume that all responses can be published on the CAA website. When you complete the online consultation there will be an option for you to hide your identity or refuse publication. (In any event, your email address will not be published.) In the interests of transparency, we hope you will not refuse publication. If you do send us a separate submission and it includes any material that you do not want us to publish, please also send us a redacted version that we can publish.
\r\n\r\n
Our starting point will be that we expect to publish any response in its entirety. We will use moderation in order to remove any unsuitable content, but not as a general means of censoring or filtering responses. Subject to the permissions given by the sender, we will publish an unredacted response with the name of the sender as long as it:
\r\n\r\n
a) is not malicious or offensive in nature, and does not constitute a personal attack on a person’s character \r\nb) doesn’t break the law; this includes potentially libellous (defamatory) material concerning third parties, condoning illegal activity, and breaching copyright \r\nc) doesn’t incite hatred on the basis of race, religion, gender, nationality or sexuality or other personal characteristic \r\nd) doesn’t include swearing, hate-speech or obscenity \r\ne) doesn’t reveal personal details, such as private addresses, phone numbers, email addresses or other online contact details.
\r\n\r\n
Irrespective of any text we redact for the purposes of publishing a response, the full content of any response will still be assessed for the purpose of the relevant analysis of responses, whether it relates to the consultation or other feedback.
\r\n\r\n
Please note that your response will be shared with relevant employees of any consultancy firms that we may contract to assist with the consultation.
\r\n\r\n
You should be aware that information sent to and therefore held by us is subject to legislation that may require us to disclose it, even if you have asked us not to (such as the Freedom of Information Act and Environmental Information Regulations).
\r\n\r\n
Therefore, if you do decide to send information to us but ask that this be withheld from publication via redacted material, please explain why, as this will help us to consider our obligations to disclose or withhold this information should the need arise. Please see our general privacy notice.
\r\n", "id": "draft-ukacs-requirements"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2025/11/17", "enddate": "2026/01/12", "title": "Airspace modernisation: Consultation on draft guidance for the UK Airspace Design and Coordination Services", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/policy-development/draft-ukads-ukacs-guidance/consult_view", "overview": "
In March 2025, the government decided to reform the UK’s approach to modernising the design of UK airspace by introducing a UK Airspace Design Service (UKADS), which will be provided by NATS (En Route) plc (NERL). The initial scope of the UKADS will be to modernise the complex airspace around London, by consolidating existing airspace change proposals within the London cluster of the airspace change masterplan into a single airspace change proposal.
\r\n\r\n
NERL would continue to provide a coordination service for those strategically important, interdependent airspace change proposals that are outside the scope of the UKADS (and which would continue to be sponsored by the airport or air navigation service provider concerned). We are calling this role the UK Airspace Coordination Service (UKACS).
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This consultation is seeking views on draft CAA guidance with which NERL should comply when providing both the UKADS and UKACS. We have published the consultation document as CAP 3158.
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This guidance is pursuant to proposed new conditions that will be included in NERL’s air traffic services licence and to strategic objectivesfor NERL’s UKADS and UKACS published by the Secretary of State.
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The draft guidance is set out at Annex A to CAP 3158, our consultation document, in four chapters:
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Chapter 1: Overview
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Chapter 2: Strategic delivery plan
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Chapter 3: Stakeholder engagement plan
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Chapter 4: Advisory Board.
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The final version of the guidance would be referenced by NERL’s licence.
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Annex A includes proposals for some new governance and external oversight arrangements of NERL’s provision of the UKADS and UKACS (see Chapter 4 Advisory Board). In addition, in Annex B to CAP 3158, our consultation document, we are also proposing that the scope of existing Department for Transport/CAA governance arrangements should be revised so as also to provide governance of NERL’s provision of the UKADS and UKACS (the Airspace Modernisation Strategy governance structure). Once finalised after consultation, the CAA will republish this as part of CAP 1711. Because NERL’s delivery of the UKADS and UKACS is proposed to be a condition of its air traffic services licence, ultimately the existing licence enforcement mechanisms will also apply.
\r\n\r\n
We welcome views on both Annex A and Annex B.
\r\n\r\n
Who this consultation is for
\r\n\r\n
This consultation is for stakeholders with an interest in airspace change proposals that are currently in scope of the airspace change masterplan. This includes sponsors of relevant airspace changes (airports and air navigation service providers), as well as those affected by the airspace change proposals.
\r\n\r\n
We have tried to keep technical terminology to a minimum as we appreciate that we have a wide range of stakeholders who will have an interest in the proposals.
\r\n\r\n
Background
\r\n\r\n
The CAA has published CAP 3156, Modernising the way we do airspace design: information relevant to the CAA autumn 2025 consultations concerning airspace design. This explains proposed future models for developing airspace change proposals and associated consultations. We encourage stakeholders to read this explainer document and to respond to the associated consultations as well (see the links under 'Related' below).
\r\n\r\n
You can read more about the background to the UKADS on the CAA’s dedicated webpages www.caa.co.uk/ukads. This also includes links to consultations on the UKADS concept and NERL licence modifications.
\r\n\r\n
How to respond to this consultation
\r\n\r\n
The consultation will close at 23.59 on 12 January 2026 (a consultation period of eight weeks). We cannot commit to taking into account comments received after this date.
\r\n\r\n
You can submit your comments by following the 'Share your views' link below and answering the five consultation questions, which require a mix of multiple-choice and free-text answers.
\r\n\r\n
Our strong preference is that you complete the online consultation. While we will take account of responses that are submitted by other means, we ask that you arrange any such submission using the subject headings of the consultation document. Otherwise we will not be able to analyse your submission in the same way that we analyse the online responses.
\r\n\r\n
Publication of responses
\r\n\r\n
We will assume that all responses can be published on the CAA website. When you complete the online consultation there will be an option for you to hide your identity or refuse publication. (In any event, your email address will not be published.) In the interests of transparency, we hope you will not refuse publication. If you do send us a separate submission and it includes any material that you do not want us to publish, please also send us a redacted version that we can publish.
\r\n\r\n
Our starting point will be that we expect to publish any response in its entirety. We will use moderation in order to remove any unsuitable content, but not as a general means of censoring or filtering responses. Subject to the permissions given by the sender, we will publish an unredacted response with the name of the sender as long as it:
\r\n\r\n
a) is not malicious or offensive in nature, and does not constitute a personal attack on a person’s character \r\nb) doesn’t break the law; this includes potentially libellous (defamatory) material concerning third parties, condoning illegal activity, and breaching copyright \r\nc) doesn’t incite hatred on the basis of race, religion, gender, nationality or sexuality or other personal characteristic \r\nd) doesn’t include swearing, hate-speech or obscenity \r\ne) doesn’t reveal personal details, such as private addresses, phone numbers, email addresses or other online contact details.
\r\n\r\n
Irrespective of any text we redact for the purposes of publishing a response, the full content of any response will still be assessed for the purpose of the relevant analysis of responses, whether it relates to the consultation or other feedback.
\r\n\r\n
Please note that your response will be shared with relevant employees of any consultancy firms that we may contract to assist with the consultation.
\r\n\r\n
You should be aware that information sent to and therefore held by us is subject to legislation that may require us to disclose it, even if you have asked us not to (such as the Freedom of Information Act and Environmental Information Regulations).
\r\n\r\n
Therefore, if you do decide to send information to us but ask that this be withheld from publication via redacted material, please explain why, as this will help us to consider our obligations to disclose or withhold this information should the need arise. Please see our general privacy notice.
Having readily available SAIL Marked SAIL II & III UAS available for purchase by commercial operators is a key component to enabling UK SORA and large-scale adoption of SORA in the UK Specific Category.
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It provides operators with the confidence that their choice of UAS platform has been robustly independently assessed for the operating environment and conditions proposed in their OA and it significantly simplifies the application process, as well as substantially lowering the overall cost of gaining an OA for industry.
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Therefore, to provide operators with increased confidence in UK SORA, the Department for Transport, the CAA and UKRI will subsidise the SAIL Mark assessment of up to:
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four SAIL II and one SAIL III UAS, to be delivered no later than 30 June 2026.
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This will be made possible with up to £100k of DfT funding and up to £50k of UKRI funding.
\r\n", "id": "sailmark-subsidy-announcement"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2025/09/29", "enddate": "2026/01/09", "title": "Consultation on the C2 Link Policy Concept for SAIL 1 to 3", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/safety-and-airspace-regulation-group/c2-link-policy-concept/consult_view", "overview": "
Consultation closed: C2 Link Policy Concept for SAIL I to III operations
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This consultation has now closed.
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The CAA has published its response to the consultation on the C2 Link Policy Concept for SAIL I to III operations.
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The response document summarises the feedback received and explains how this will inform the next steps in developing our approach to C2 links for UAS operations under the UK SORA framework.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to respond.
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The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is seeking views on a policy concept for the Command and Control (C2) Links used by Specific category Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) operating Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) at SAIL I to III under the UK SORA process.
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This consultation is part of our work under the Future Air Traffic Management and Air Navigation Services programme and supports our commitment to enabling safe and scalable BVLOS operations in the UK. The document outlines our early thinking on how existing telecoms and aviation standards could be applied to C2 links and proposes a set of measures to support compliance with Operational Safety Objectives (OSOs) within UK SORA.
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Why your views matter
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This is a technical and specialist consultation intended primarily for UAS operators, network providers, equipment manufacturers, and safety and risk assessment specialists.
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We are seeking your views on a number of proposals, including:
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The use of existing telecoms standards and service levels to meet C2 link requirements
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Adoption of the JARUS Required C2 Link Performance (RLP) framework
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Suitability of different radio technologies for operations assessed as SAIL I, II or III
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How C2 link performance aligns with OSO6 and OSO13 requirements in UK SORA
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The consultation also includes partial use cases to help illustrate how different C2 link architectures may fit a range of operational contexts.
\r\n", "id": "c2-link-policy-concept"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2025/12/08", "enddate": "2026/01/02", "title": "CAP 403 Edition 23 Flying Displays and Special Events: Safety and administrative requirements and guidance for 2026", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/ga/cap403-edition-23/consult_view", "overview": "
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 start of February 2026.
The CAA CAMO Safety Review 2024 provided a comprehensive review of the safety risks affecting the CAMO community in 2024. This reflected our commitment to aviation safety and the industry’s collaborative efforts in upholding the highest standards of safety.
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This year’s survey builds on the insights gathered last year and is a vital step toward understanding and addressing the evolving risks faced by our sector. Your input is essential. Last year, approximately one-third of organisations responded, and their feedback provided valuable guidance. This year, we aim to increase engagement so we can develop an even clearer and up-to-date picture of the risks.
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Thank you for your continued commitment to safety and risk management. Together, we can make a meaningful difference.
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If you have any questions or need assistance, please feel free to contact us or speak to your allocated surveyor.
Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) is an underpinning technology that supports UAS operations, along with being an element of critical national infrastructure. PNT includes technology such as Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs), and visual navigation.
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In response to an expected increase in dependence upon PNT services due to an increase in Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) UAS operations, the CAA has started the Resilient PNT project to examine how we use PNT and the risks associated.
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This survey is intended to improve the CAA’s understanding of operational performance of PNT, specifically GNSS systems like GPS.
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This work and survey do not constitute a change in the CAA’s position on the current use of GNSS and wider PNT for UAS operations at present.
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As BVLOS UAS operations become routine at scale, we need to better understand the risks and vulnerabilities associated with GNSS degradation, failure, denial, jamming or spoofing, and the implications for safety.
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This survey will help inform us about the vulnerabilities users have been experiencing when using GNSS. This will, in turn, inform our wider work to support the use and development of PNT for aviation.
We are looking for input from individuals and organisations conducting UAS operations in the UK. There is no specific timeframe for reported events, but those from the past 2 years are of particular interest.
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Although this survey is particularly concerned with GNSS performance, if you operate a UAS that is not dependent upon GNSS we would be interested in hearing from you.
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How we will use the information
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The information gathered through this survey will be used to inform our decision making and prioritisation with regards to our immediate, short-term, and long-term work on PNT regulation for UAS. This information will be supplemented by research that is currently being undertaken and will also inform future research activities.
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After the survey closing date, we will analyse the information and publish a summary of our findings. We will not publish any specific information related to individual responses. Any information we decide to publish will be anonymised and aggregated with the aim of visualising emerging trends, rather than identifying specific individuals, organisations or products.
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No personal data will be published in relation to this survey, but please read our general privacy notice for further information regarding how the CAA uses personal data. General privacy notice | UK Civil Aviation Authority
The UK CAA is consulting on an Equivalent Safety Finding that is applicable to CS-23 Normal-Category Aeroplanes.
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This particular Equivalent Safety Finding is a design change to the 3D Airport Moving Map (AMM) feature, this will improve short term situational awareness while the aircraft is on the ground at low-speed.
All interested persons may submit their comments for review and disposition by the UK CAA Online Survey Give us your views below.
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The consultation period will close on 25-Dec-2025
\r\n", "id": "equivalent-safety-finding-uk-esf-f-0003-indication"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2025/11/26", "enddate": "2025/12/24", "title": "Consultation on CAA Exemptions Policy in support of Basic Regulation Article 71 amendment (UK Regulation (EU) 2018/1139)", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/policy-development/draft-caa-exemption-policy-in-respect-of-the-propo/consult_view", "overview": "
Article 71 of Regulation UK (EU) 2018/1139 (the UK Basic Regulation) is a flexibility provision that allows the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to grant exemptions from the requirements of Chapter III of the Basic Regulation and the implementing regulations made under that Chapter (except from the Essential Requirements in the Annexes of the UK Basic Regulation).
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Article 266 of the Air Navigation Order 2016 (the ANO) is a flexibility provision that allows the CAA to grant exemptions from the requirements of the ANO or any regulations made under it (apart from certain identified articles).
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The CAA recently consulted on a proposal to amend Article 71 to amend the circumstances in which the CAA could grant an exemption from the UK Basic Regulation and the implementing regulations made under it. The consultation ran from 21 August 2025 to 30 September 2025. After considering the responses received, the CAA has recommended to the Department for Transport that Article 71 is amended in line with the consultation proposal.
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The CAA is consulting on a draft policy framework on our proposed use of the proposed amended exemption power, to accompany the proposed change to the UK Basic Regulation. We also propose that this policy will apply to the CAA’s use of our power to exempt from Article of the ANO in Article 266 of the ANO as it is a materially similar power.
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The details of the previous consultation can be viewed online.
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This consultation
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The CAA wishes to obtain stakeholder views and feedback on the proposed policy on the use of the CAA’s exemption powers under Article 71 of the UK Basic Regulation and Article 266 of the ANO.
The increase in statutory charges for the 2026/27 financial year is designed to support expanded investment across the CAA’s regulatory functions. This investment will strengthen consumer and public protection, foster innovation and industry growth, and enhance organisational capability. In doing so, it will enable the CAA to operate with greater agility, improve the effectiveness and efficiency of its services, and attract and retain highly skilled personnel.
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We are looking for your feedback on these proposals to make sure that they are fit for purpose, please submit all feedback through this site to ensure we are able to respond to your feedback as efficiently as possible.
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The consultation is open for six-week period and closes at midnight on 22 December 2025. Following the consultation period, we will publish a response document reflecting the consultation feedback received from industry and the Secretary of State for Transport.
\r\n", "id": "caa-statutory-charges-consultation-26-27"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2025/09/25", "enddate": "2025/12/18", "title": "Consultation on the airspace change process", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/safety-and-airspace-regulation-group/airspace-change-process-2025/consult_view", "overview": "
We are modernising the way we do airspace design in the UK to ensure we can deliver the changes necessary to modernise airspace efficiently and effectively, with the establishment of the UK Airspace Design Service (UKADS).
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As such, we need to review our airspace change process again to ensure it enables the UKADS provider to deliver airspace changes. This also presents an opportunity to review the broader CAP 1616 airspace change process with a view to further streamline it.
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As part of the CAA’s response to Government to further improve UK economic growth and investment, we committed to consulting on improvements to the effectiveness and proportionality of our process for changing airspace in 2025. This review allows us to reflect on feedback and operational experience since the implementation of CAP 1616 edition 5, identifying areas for further improvement and increased proportionality.
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This document is a formal consultation setting out our proposals to modify the airspace change process:
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has launched a Customer Experience and Modernisation (CX&M) programme to improve current services.
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A key aim of this programme is to review the digital tools and processes that support our safety oversight services. The purpose of this survey is to gather feedback on these digital tools and processes - such as completing online forms or responding to findings - to understand how they can be made more efficient, user\u2011friendly, and effective.
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This survey focuses on two core areas:
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CAA applications (e.g., for certifications, permits, change requests, approvals, etc.)
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CAA audits (including how planning and scheduling audits and responding to findings are managed)
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If you are involved in making applications to the CAA and/or have participated in CAA audits related to safety oversight, we want to hear from you!
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The survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete. All answers will be stored and processed in line with GDPR. You can find more information in our General Privacy Notice.
If you work for an RPAS operator and are involved in CAA audits related to safety oversight, we want to hear from you!
\r\n\r\n
The survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete. All answers will be stored and processed in line with GDPR. You can find more information in our General Privacy Notice.
If you work for a Space Industry organisation and are involved in CAA inspections, we want to hear from you!
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The survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete. All answers will be stored and processed in line with GDPR. You can find more information in our General Privacy Notice.
\r\n", "id": "safety-monitoring-survey-digital-tools-and-process"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2025/08/22", "enddate": "2025/11/21", "title": "Consultation regarding the change to UK Regulation (EU) No. 965/2012 \u2013 Safety Risk Assessment of flying over or near a conflict zone", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/flight-operations-policy/consultation-regarding-the-change-to-uk-regulation/consult_view", "overview": "
The purpose of this consultation is to seek views on the proposal to update the UK Regulation (EU) 965/2012 (Air Operations) in accordance with the adoption of amendment 44 to Annex 6, Part 1, International Commercial Air Transport – Aeroplanes.
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Also to understand the financial impact of the requirement.
\r\n", "id": "consultation-regarding-the-change-to-uk-regulation"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2025/09/24", "enddate": "2025/11/19", "title": "CAP 3088 - Consultation on the requirement to publish information on mishandled mobility aids", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/safety-and-airspace-regulation-group/consultation-mishandled-mobility-aids-information/consult_view", "overview": "
The CAA is considering introducing a requirement on airlines to publish information on mobility aid transportation, and the incidence of mobility aid loss, delay and damage when being transported by air. We believe that being able to access this information would be beneficial to consumers, empowering consumers to make an informed choice about travelling with their mobility aid.
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The CAA is frequently made aware of issues that passengers face when travelling by air. One such issue is the loss, delay or damage of mobility aids while being transported.
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The loss, delay or damage of a mobility aid can have a profound impact on an individual’s independence, particularly if they are unable to use their mobility aid for an extended period. In addition to the personal consequences, such loss, delay or damage may result in significant direct (repair or replacement) costs and consequential financial loss.
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The consultation document can be found on our website: CAP3088
\r\n", "id": "consultation-mishandled-mobility-aids-information"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2025/09/22", "enddate": "2025/11/16", "title": "Proposed Amendments to Acceptable Means of Compliance and Guidance Material for UK Regulation (EU) 2019/945 and UK Regulation (EU) 2019/947", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/future-safety/proposed-amendments-to-uas-amc-and-gm/consult_view", "overview": "
This consultation forms part of the UK Civil Aviation Authority's (CAA) ongoing work to enable Unmanned Aircraft System operations in UK Airspace in the Open Category and Specific Category. A key component of the CAA Future of Flight Programme.
The Future of Flight Action Plan aims to establish the UK as a leader in emerging aviation technologies, with a sustainable industry and thriving ecosystem by 2030. Enabling powered-lift flights in the UK by 2028 is a first step to scaled operations and a sustainable industry (vertical take-off and landing capable aircraft are included in this sub-category).
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To achieve initial, scaled and sustainable operations, the CAA has determined that elements of current Implementing Rule (IR) for Aircrew, its Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC), Guidance Material (GM) and other documents may need to be amended to enable a personnel licensing route for the safe operation of powered-lift aircraft (including, tilt-rotors, lift-cruise and any other equivalent innovative design types).
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A working group comprised of stakeholders and representatives from industry is to be established to support the CAA policy teams and other subject matter experts with reference to this work. The stakeholder working group will provide evidence-based views of the requisite skills, experience and training required to operate vertical take-off and landing capable aircraft systems and deliver a proportionate but robust personnel licensing framework ensuring safe integration of advanced air mobility aircraft systems into the UK Aircrew Regulations (UK Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011).
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The PLSWG is established to facilitate effective engagement, discussion and collaboration between the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and selected industry and community representatives related to the incorporation of powered-lift for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) into the UK Aviation Industry, with the aim of ensuring that the needs and expectations of stakeholders are considered whilst maintaining proportionate but robust standards of safety while promoting innovation in AAM operations in the UK.
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Stakeholders will be invited to:
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Provide feedback on all relevant aspects of the CAA policy position that will impact the Implementing Rule, and its associated AMC/GM and CS as applicable.
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Provide feedback on how, and to what extent the CAA policy position may need to be amended.
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Liaise with other technical disciplines to ensure a holistic approach to the policy position.
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Identify data that is capable of offering insights helpful to the development of the personnel licensing framework.
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The CAA invites stakeholders to register their interest in the following areas:
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Head of training, test pilots, instructors, examiners with relevant experience, safety experts or other aviation professionals with relevant expertise in powered-lift sub-category or similar operations particularly in the field of AAM and regulations.
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Stakeholders with an interest or expertise in innovation energy sources e.g. lithium battery technologies, hydrogen cell, hybrid energy sources, or any other energy source, their associated risks and mitigations.
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Powered-lift AAM manufacturers, existing aviation OEM’s or experts with aviation (or similar) industry/operational knowledge that is directly applicable to the work of the PLSWG.
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Prospective powered-lift AAM operators, other service providers and professional associations/approved training organisations (ATOs) with aviation (or similar) industry/operational knowledge that is directly applicable to the work of PLSWG.
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This application process is for stakeholders who meet the selection criteria and/or work or aim to work with powered-lift sub-category. Stakeholders who work with powered-lift sub-category in State operations i.e. military, police, Coastguard, HEMS operated aircraft or similar are also invited to participate in this working group.
Extraordinary charging consultation on the proposal to extend the charging cap from FY2025/26 for economic regulation of Heathrow Airport related to capacity expansion.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is seeking views on its draft Initial Technical Concept of Operations (ConOps) for Electronic Conspicuity (EC).
\r\n\r\n
EC enables aircraft to “detect and be detected” electronically, helping to reduce the risk of mid-air collisions and improve situational awareness. This ConOps sets out our proposed technical requirements, equipage standards, and operational use of EC to support the safe integration of new and existing airspace users, including uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS), in the UK’s airspace. \r\nThis consultation invites feedback on each of the nine proposed policy positions described in the ConOps. We are seeking input from a wide range of stakeholders, including:
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General Aviation (GA) pilots and organisations
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Unmanned Aircraft operators
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Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP)
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Aerodrome operators
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Manufacturers and developers of EC technology
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Government departments, regulators, and policy stakeholders
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Any individual or organisation with an interest in UK airspace
\r\n
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We also include a short Call for Evidence to support our early thinking on a potential future EC mandate, which is being explored separately by the CAA and Department for Transport (DfT).
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How to Respond
\r\n\r\n
Please download and read the full EC ConOps document before responding to this consultation. The document explains the reasoning behind each position and provides background on the regulatory, operational, and technical context.
The consultation includes a mixture of multiple-choice and free-text questions. You do not need to respond to every question. please feel free to focus on the areas most relevant to your expertise or interests.
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The consultation will remain open until 23:59 on 06 October 2025.
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If you have any questions about this consultation or would like to engage with the team directly, you can contact us at ec@caa.co.uk
Article 71 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 (the Basic Regulation) is a flexibility provision that allows the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to grant exemptions from the requirements of Chapter III of the Basic Regulation and regulations made under that Chapter (apart from essential requirements).
\r\n\r\n
Article 71 currently only allows exemptions based on urgent operational need, or urgent and unforeseeable circumstances, and is subject to several further conditions on its use. These limitations confine the CAA’s discretion in matters of safety, and restrict the CAA’s ability to issue exemptions from the requirements of assimilated safety law. They are also mis-aligned with similar flexibility provisions under Article 266 of the Air Navigation Order 2016, which has no equivalent constraints on its use.
\r\n\r\n
The CAA is considering recommending that the Department for Transport (DfT) amend Article 71 to remove the restrictions on its use in order to enable the CAA to support new and developing technologies, regulate for growth and maintain ongoing high standards of safety. More details of these proposals are set out within this consultation.
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What are the regulations?
\r\n\r\n
Regulations contain requirements which must be complied with. The CAA’s statutory role is to consider the required content of regulations, consult on our proposed changes to the regulations, take consultation responses into account before forming a final view and then communicate that view to the Secretary of State (Department for Transport) in the form of an Opinion. Our Opinions are published.
\r\n\r\n
The Secretary of State makes the final decision whether to implement CAA’s proposed changes to the regulations, and the final wording of the regulations. The proposed wording of the regulations in this consultation may well change if and when the Secretary of State decides to amend the regulations.
\r\n\r\n
This consultation
\r\n\r\n
Before proceeding with any proposed amendments to the current provisions, which will require a Statutory Instrument by the Department for Transport and changes to the Basic Regulation, the CAA wishes to obtain stakeholder views and feedback on the proposed amendment to Article 71 of the Basic Regulation to remove the requirements for urgency and the statutory conditions imposed on the use of these powers.
UAS is a developing and fast-moving sector where industry has knowledge and expertise that the CAA as UK regulator is enthusiastic to understand. The introduction of UK SORA provides the ideal opportunity for the CAA to work with industry to help further develop the regulatory framework. UK SORA provides the framework and allows specific issues and opportunities to be identified and solved by the CAA and industry working together.
\r\n\r\n
The UAS Advisory Committeewill be the means by which industry and the CAA will work together on future developments, by providing a coordinated stakeholder view throughout the early stages of policy development, before formal consultation. \r\n \r\nThe Terms of Reference for the UAS Advisory Committee can be viewed here: UAS Advisory Committee – Terms of Reference – v1.0
To carry out spaceflight activity in the UK spaceport and launch operators must be licensed by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA).
\r\n\r\n
As part of their licence application, spaceport and launch operators are required to submit an AEE under the Space Industry Act 2018. The purpose of the AEE is to ensure applicants have adequately considered any potential environmental effects of their intended activities and, if necessary have taken steps to avoid, mitigate or offset the risks and their potential effects.
\r\n\r\n
HyImpulse are applying for a launch operator licence. This consultation sets out their AEE:
The proposals are for HyImpulse to undertake one launch per year from SaxaVord Spaceport, located on the northeast of Unst, Shetland Islands. All launches will take place in a northerly direction over the sea. The launch system, assessed for the purposes of the AEE, consists of the preparation and vertical launch of the SR75 single-stage, liquid oxygen and solid paraffin-based fuelled launch vehicle (approximately 13\u202fm long and 0.6 m in diameter).
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For spaceport and launch operator licenses the UK CAA must take into account the applicant’s assessments and the proposed measures to mitigate any significant environmental effects before a recommendation for approval can be granted.
\r\n\r\n
More information on the UK CAA’s approach to public consultation can be found by reading the following guidance document (CAP2352).\u202f
\r\n", "id": "hyimpulse-uk-limited-hyimpulse-launch-operator-ass"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2025/07/28", "enddate": "2025/08/18", "title": "Consultation on Amendments to CAP 168 ", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/air-traffic-management/consultation-on-amendments-to-uk-reg-eu-139-2014-a/consult_view", "overview": "
This consultation’s purpose is to introduce the new format CAP168 and its amendments prior to publication. The amendments have previously been subject to two previous consultations.
\r\n\r\n
The document is written to meet accessibility requirements as such tables may go over several pages and complex tables have been split up into components, the update also contains editorial changes.
\r\n\r\n
New or amended text is highlighted in grey
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The summary of changes and the draft CAP168 can be found by selecting link provided.
\r\n\r\n
What are the regulations?
\r\n\r\n
Regulations contain requirements which must be complied with. The CAA’s statutory role is to consider the required content of the regulations, consult on our proposed changes to the regulations, take consultation responses into account before forming a final view and then communicating that view to the Secretary of State (Department for Transport) in the form of an Opinion. Our Opinions are published.
\r\n\r\n
The Secretary of State makes the final decision whether to implement CAA’s proposed changes to the regulations, and the final wording of the regulations. The proposed wording of the regulations in this consultation may well change if and when the Secretary of State decides to amend the regulations.
\r\n", "id": "consultation-on-amendments-to-uk-reg-eu-139-2014-a"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2025/07/28", "enddate": "2025/08/18", "title": "Aerodromes consultation on the update of CAP781 Runway Rehabilitation and Maintenance", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/aerodrome-standards-department/aerodromes-consultation-on-the-update-of-cap781-ru/consult_view", "overview": "
The purpose of the consultation is to gain feedback from industry and the wider public on the proposed amendments to CAP781 as a result to the CAAs periodic review and update of the guidance material. The document has been produced to meet accessibility requirements as such the layout and style has changed when compared to the original document.
\r\n\r\n
The document includes editorial changes and new content regarding airside security considerations for contractors. It revises the text to incorporate ground handling service providers (GHSP) and apron management service (AMS) providers as stakeholders for engagement. Additionally, it offers guidance on airfield ground lighting (AGL) for both day and nighttime operations, low visibility procedures (LVPs), navigation aid maintenance during works, runway ramping, and runway markings.
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The regulatory compliance chapter has been updated, along with additional guidance on runway closures and considerations for the rescue and firefighting services (RFFS). There are updates on runway incursion protocols, as well as revised text concerning centreline lighting, lead-off lighting, and pilot-controlled lighting. The wildlife hazard control chapter has also been updated.
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New text is highlighted in grey and text being removed is red strike through.
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What are the regulations?
\r\n\r\n
Regulations contain requirements which must be complied with.
\r\n\r\n
The CAA’s statutory role is to consider the required content of the regulations, consult on our proposed changes to the regulations, take consultation responses into account before forming a final view and then communicating that view to the Secretary of State (Department for Transport) in the form of an Opinion. Our Opinions are published.
\r\n\r\n
The Secretary of State makes the final decision whether to implement CAA’s proposed changes to the regulations, and the final wording of the regulations. The proposed wording of the regulations in this consultation may well change if and when the Secretary of State decides to amend the regulations.
In 2024 and 2025, we conducted several consultations arising from the GA Licensing Review, as detailed at Licensing & training simplification | UK Civil Aviation Authority. The changes associated with these consultations are anticipated to come into force in October 2025.
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This ‘Wave 2’ consultation includes additional proposals arising from the review, planned for implementation in summer 2026. Where proposals were originally included in the consultation of spring 2024, we have included updates on how we intend to progress these.
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The proposals largely relate to UK Regulation (EU) 1178/2011 (the UK Aircrew Regulation). A small number of changes are also proposed for UK Regulation (EU) 2018/395 (the UK Balloon Regulation).
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The consultation closes on 8th August 2025. The outcome will assist the finalisation of any changes to regulation. Associated changes to acceptable means of compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM) would be subject to further consultation.
\r\n", "id": "general-aviation-pilot-licensing-review-wave-2"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2025/07/02", "enddate": "2025/07/31", "title": "Consultation on proposed amendments to operational multi-pilot limitations (UK Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011)", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/safety-and-airspace-regulation-group/consultation-on-proposed-amendments-to-operational/consult_view", "overview": "
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is considering amendments to the implementing rules in Annex IV (Part-MED) of the Aircrew Regulation (UK Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011) which impose restrictions on the application and management of operational multi-pilot limitations (OML) on Class 1 medical certificates.
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An OML is generally applied where an applicant does not fully meet the requirements for a Class 1 medical certificate for single pilot operations. When a medical certificate is endorsed with this limitation, the holder may only exercise their Class 1 privileges as or with a qualified co-pilot. Other privileges - Class 2 or LAPL - are not affected by this limitation.
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The amendments under consideration will benefit pilots and the aviation industry by
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enabling the issue of initial Class 1 medical certificates with an OML so that applicants with certain well-controlled medical conditions can enter commercial pilot training, and
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removing the requirement for commercial pilots with a Class 1 OML to only operate an aircraft when the other pilot does not have an OML and is under age 60 years.
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The CAA believes that these changes will not alter safety outcomes since
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the acceptable threshold for a fit assessment in relation to medical conditions will not change and will be the same for initial applicants as commercial licence holders, and
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the risk of two pilots with an OML, or one pilot with an OML and one aged 60-65, experiencing incapacitation at the same time is significantly less than the acceptable threshold.
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This consultation
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Before proceeding with amendments to the current provisions, which will require a Statutory Instrument by the Department for Transport and changes to the secondary legislation, the CAA wishes to obtain views and feedback on
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permitting initial Class 1 applicants to have an OML applied to their medical certificate, and
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removing rostering restrictions on commercial licence holders with an OML.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is seeking industry input to help shape the future of ground-based airspace surveillance and communication infrastructure that supports unmanned aircraft Beyond Visual Line of Sight Operations (BVLOS) operations and airspace modernisation.
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As part of this work, we are conducting a survey to gather valuable insights on the current state and future needs of ground infrastructure, including:
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Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) receivers and transceivers (including use cases and appropriate certification standards)
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Flight Information Displays (FIDs), including use cases and appropriate certification standards)
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Multilateration (MLAT) solutions
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Non-cooperative detection, geolocation and surveillance of drones by means including, but not limited to, radar, optical (EO/IR), acoustic and radio frequency
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Traffic Information Services – Broadcast (TIS-B) and Flight Information Services – Broadcast (FIS-B) solutions and use cases, and the associated technical standards and safety assurance
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Obstruction beacons
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\r\n", "id": "uk-ground-infrastructure-survey"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2025/06/20", "enddate": "2025/07/04", "title": "Consultation for Special Condition - Installation of Mini-suite Seating", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/future-safety/uk-sc-d-0001-installation-of-mini-suite-type-seati/consult_view", "overview": "
The UK CAA is consulting on a Special Condition that is applicable to CS-25 Large Aeroplanes.
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This Special Condition is to address the design change that introduces mini-suite type seating with moveable walls, for twin-aisle Large Aeroplanes.
\r\n", "id": "uk-sc-d-0001-installation-of-mini-suite-type-seati"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2025/05/12", "enddate": "2025/06/22", "title": "Consultation on changes to UK Regulations recognising physical or electronic format personnel licences and medical certificates", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/flight-operations-policy/consultation-on-changes-to-uk-regulations-recognis/consult_view", "overview": "
The Civil Aviation Authority is proposing amendments to the Air Navigation Order 2016 and Implementing Rules subject to UK Regulation 2018/1139, to adopt the amendments introduced to the Convention on International Civil Aviation Annex 1, Chapter 5. The amendments enable issue of personnel licences and medical certificates in physical or electronic format.
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This consultation
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The purpose of the consultation is to gain feedback on the proposed amendment to this legislation, to permit either physical or electronic form of licence or certificate to be issued while ensuring that the Authority can remain compliant with ICAO.
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How to respond
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Responses to this consultation can be submitted by no later than 22 June 2025.
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If you wish to provide feedback, please use the online survey.
\r\n", "id": "consultation-on-changes-to-uk-regulations-recognis"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2025/04/11", "enddate": "2025/06/06", "title": "Call for Insights - AI in Aerospace", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/future-safety/ai-in-aerospace-uk-caa-call-for-insights/consult_view", "overview": "
Through this survey, we aim to gather information on the current situation and plans for developing and deploying AI systems across aerospace.
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We aim to gather information on AI use cases being explored across all areas of the sector. We seek to understand:
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\r\n• What AI systems is the industry trying to develop? \r\n• What are the systems’ characteristics and capabilities? \r\n• What is the systems’ technology readiness level (TRL)? \r\n• What are the key development milestones and respective timelines? \r\n• What are the perceived key regulatory challenges?
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Target Audience
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\r\nWe are looking for input from industry stakeholders, developing AI systems across the civil aerospace sector and from academic institutions conducting research on AI applications in aerospace and relevant challenges.
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However, we also welcome responses from a broader range of stakeholders. \r\nWe recognize that certain organizations may be engaged in multiple AI and autonomy initiatives (development of systems, research projects, etc.).
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Therefore, we encourage respondents to include all key initiatives their organizations are involved in. The consultation allows for multiple use cases to be inputted by one individual, but we also invite multiple individuals from the same organization to participate, ensuring that the right level of technical detail is shared.
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How we will use the information
\r\n\r\n
The information gathered through this survey will be used to inform our decision making and prioritisation with regards to our immediate, short-term, and long-term work on AI regulation across aerospace. This information will likely be supplemented by parallel research and may also inform future research activities.
\r\n\r\n
After the survey closing date, we will analyse the information and publish a summary of our findings. We will not publish any specific information related to individual responses - any information we decide to publish will be anonymised and aggregated, aiming to visualise emerging trends, rather than individual organisations or products.
Further background is provided in the following page.
\r\n", "id": "ai-in-aerospace-uk-caa-call-for-insights"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2025/05/07", "enddate": "2025/05/23", "title": "Request for feedback on the proposed definition of Complex Motor-Powered Aircraft", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/future-safety/call-for-feedback-cmpa-threshold-for-aam-aircraft/consult_view", "overview": "
In line with the UK CAA priorities regarding Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), and the CAA has concluded that regulations will need to be amended to enable the safe integration of AAM operations in the UK within the next 2-5 years.
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The term Complex Motor-Powered Aircraft (known as CMPA) is used throughout the UK Regulations and controls the appropriate regime that aircraft are placed under.
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The use of CMPA is a key factor within the UK Regulations and the definition needs to include AAM aircraft. It is important that the threshold for CMPA is set at an appropriate point such that it enables the use of aircraft in the General Aviation arena without imposing the higher standards associated with CMPA.
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The CMPA definition is found in the UK Basic Regulation and uses MTOM, passenger seating, and number of crew, plus engine type for aeroplane, as the criteria for CMPA.
The CAA is now proposing an amendment to the CMPA definition and thresholds
\r\n\r\n
The term Complex Motor-Powered Aircraft (known as CMPA) is used throughout the UK Regulations and controls the appropriate regime that aircraft are placed under.
\r\n\r\n
The use of CMPA is a key factor within the UK Regulations and the definition needs to include AAM aircraft. It is important that the threshold for CMPA is set at an appropriate point such that it enables the use of aircraft in the General Aviation arena without imposing the higher standards associated with CMPA.
\r\n\r\n
The CMPA definition is found in the UK Basic Regulation and uses MTOM, passenger seating, and number of crew, plus engine type for aeroplane, as the criteria for CMPA.
To carry out spaceflight activity in the UK spaceport and launch operators must be licensed by the UK Civil Aviation Authority.
\r\n\r\n
As part of their licence application, spaceport and launch operators are required to submit an Assessment of Environmental Effects (AEE). The purpose of the AEE is to ensure applicants have adequately considered any potential environmental effects of their intended activities and, if necessary have taken steps to avoid, mitigate or offset the risks and their potential effects.
\r\n\r\n
Orbex are applying for a launch operator licence. This consultation sets out their AEE: Orbex PRIME SV AEE V1
\r\n\r\n
The proposals are for Orbex to undertake up to 10 launches per year from SaxaVord Spaceport, located on the northeast of Unst, Shetland Islands. All launches will take place in a northerly direction over the sea. The launch system, assessed for the purposes of the AEE, consists of the preparation and vertical launch of the Orbex PRIME launch vehicle. The PRIME is a two-stage, liquid fuelled launch vehicle, approximately 19 m long and 1.45 m in diameter.
\r\n\r\n
For spaceport and launch operator licenses the CAA must take into account the applicant’s assessments and the proposed measures to mitigate any significant environmental effects before a recommendation for approval can be granted.
\r\n\r\n
More information on the CAA’s approach to public consultation can be found by reading the following guidance document (CAP2352).
The CAA is proposing toamend provisions of Assimilated Regulation (EU) No. 965/2012 (the UK Air Ops Regulation) to introduce Extended Diversion Time Operations (EDTO) requirements. These amendments are intended to ensure alignment with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) introduced by Amendment 36 to Part 1 of Annex 6 to the Chicago Convention. They would replace the extended range twin operations (ETOPS) requirements currently in force.
Amendment 36 introduced new Standards for operations beyond 60 minutes for all aeroplanes with turbine engines and included aeroplanes with more than two engines within the scope of operations subject to extended diversion time requirements, with a recommendation to set the threshold time for these aeroplanes at 180 minutes.
\r\n\r\n
We propose to adopt those Standards in full in the UK Air Ops Regulation. We have also prepared draft Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM) to support implementation of these changes to the law. For more detail about our proposals, please see proposed amendments and rationale.
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Any changes to legislation would be by way of statutory instrument (SI) made by the Secretary of State using powers in Assimilated Regulation (EU) 2018/1139. We anticipate the SI to be laid before Parliament in May 2026.
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We propose that there should be a transition period of 9 months from the date the SI is made to give operators enough time to implement the new requirements and allow for one simulator training cycle. After the end of the transition period, all operators would be required to comply fully with the new EDTO provisions.
\r\n\r\n
We anticipate publishing the corresponding amendments to AMC and GM as soon as possible after the SI is made.
\r\n", "id": "extended-diversion-time-operations-edto"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2025/03/06", "enddate": "2025/05/14", "title": "Amendment to ATOL Standard Term 1.3 to clarify the requirements for advertising ATOL products", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/corporate-communications/amendment-to-atol-standard-term-1-3-to-clarify-the/consult_view", "overview": "
The CAA are seeking views on a proposal to amend the requirements of ATOL Standard Term 1.3. It currently sets out that ATOL holders advertising ATOL protected services in broadcast media (television/radio/cinema etc.) must, unless the CAA agrees an alternative that achieves equivalent consumer clarity, ensure that the advert contains audible words “ATOL protected” and that the ATOL protected logo and ATOL number are shown during the broadcast.
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We are proposing to amend ATOL Standard Term 1.3 to provide clarity over when the ATOL protected statement, and logo must be used in advertising in both broadcast and non-broadcast media.
\r\n\r\n
All advertising which (a) is aimed at a UK audience and (b) is clearly advertising an ATOL protected service, must display the ATOL protected logo and ATOL number, and contain the audible or written words “ATOL protected”.
\r\n", "id": "consultation-for-special-condition-uk-sc-vtol-issu"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2025/03/25", "enddate": "2025/05/06", "title": "General Aviation Pilot Licensing Review - Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM) to the UK Sailplane Regulation ", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/ga/ga-pilot-licensing-amc-and-gm-sailplane/consult_view", "overview": "
In March 2024 the CAA launched a 10-week public consultation seeking stakeholder views on proposed changes to licences and ratings across the GA aircraft categories:
The consultation received a total of 1411 responses.
\r\n\r\n
A summary of the responses received, the decisions made, and next steps can be found in the consultation response document and on the consultation pages. In addition to the consultation response document, we have provided summary documents that detail the consultation responses by GA aircraft category:
We have now drafted the accompanying Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM) to support the legislative changes. AMC sets out the more detailed means by which compliance may be achieved. GM assists in understanding the meaning and interpretation of a regulation.
\r\n\r\n
To help with the contextual understanding of the consultations, draft implementing rules have been included for reference purposes only as per the Opinion and Instruction Documents (OID) submitted to the Department for Transport (DfT).
\r\n\r\n
The implementing rules provided for reference have already been the subject of consultation in Phase 2 of this project. Whilst the legislative drafting process continues, they should not be taken as the final wording of UK law as all amendments to legislation are subject to a drafting process by Government.
\r\n\r\n
There are three consultations containing the draft AMC/GM:
\r\n\r\n
The Aircrew Regulation AMC GM consultation relates to UK Regulation (EU) 1178/2011 on procedures related to civil aviation aircrew
\r\n\r\n
The Balloon AMC GM consultation relates to UK Regulation (EU) 2018/395 (the “Balloon Regulations”)
\r\n\r\n
The Sailplane AMC GM consultation relates to UK Regulation (EU) 2018/1976 (the “Sailplane Regulations”)
\r\n", "id": "ga-pilot-licensing-amc-and-gm-sailplane"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2025/03/25", "enddate": "2025/05/06", "title": "General Aviation Pilot Licensing Review - Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM) to the UK Balloon Regulation", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/ga/ga-pilot-licensing-amc-and-gm-balloons/consult_view", "overview": "
In March 2024 the CAA launched a 10-week public consultation seeking stakeholder views on proposed changes to licences and ratings across the GA aircraft categories:
The consultation received a total of 1411 responses.
\r\n\r\n
A summary of the responses received, the decisions made, and next steps can be found in the consultation response document and on the consultation pages. In addition to the consultation response document, we have provided summary documents that detail the consultation responses by GA aircraft category:
We have now drafted the accompanying Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM) to support the legislative changes. AMC sets out the more detailed means by which compliance may be achieved. GM assists in understanding the meaning and interpretation of a regulation.
\r\n\r\n
To help with the contextual understanding of the consultations, draft implementing rules have been included for reference purposes only as per the Opinion and Instruction Documents (OID) submitted to the Department for Transport (DfT).
\r\n\r\n
The implementing rules provided for reference have already been the subject of consultation in Phase 2 of this project. Whilst the legislative drafting process continues, they should not be taken as the final wording of UK law as all amendments to legislation are subject to a drafting process by Government.
\r\n\r\n
There are three consultations containing the draft AMC/GM:
\r\n\r\n
The Aircrew Regulation AMC GM consultation relates to UK Regulation (EU) 1178/2011 on procedures related to civil aviation aircrew
\r\n\r\n
The Balloon AMC GM consultation relates to UK Regulation (EU) 2018/395 (the “Balloon Regulations”)
\r\n\r\n
The Sailplane AMC GM consultation relates to UK Regulation (EU) 2018/1976 (the “Sailplane Regulations”)
\r\n", "id": "ga-pilot-licensing-amc-and-gm-balloons"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2025/03/25", "enddate": "2025/05/06", "title": "General Aviation Pilot Licensing Review - Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM) to the UK Aircrew Regulation", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/ga/ga-pilot-licensing-amc-and-gm-aircrew/consult_view", "overview": "
In March 2024 the CAA launched a 10-week public consultation seeking stakeholder views on proposed changes to licences and ratings across the GA aircraft categories:
The consultation received a total of 1411 responses.
\r\n\r\n
A summary of the responses received, the decisions made, and next steps can be found in the consultation response document and on the consultation pages. In addition to the consultation response document, we have provided summary documents that detail the consultation responses by GA aircraft category:
We have now drafted the accompanying Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM) to support the legislative changes. AMC sets out the more detailed means by which compliance may be achieved. GM assists in understanding the meaning and interpretation of a regulation.
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To help with the contextual understanding of the consultations, draft implementing rules have been included for reference purposes only as per the Opinion and Instruction Documents (OID) submitted to the Department for Transport (DfT).
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The implementing rules provided for reference have already been the subject of consultation in Phase 2 of this project. Whilst the legislative drafting process continues, they should not be taken as the final wording of UK law as all amendments to legislation are subject to a drafting process by Government.
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There are three consultations containing the draft AMC/GM:
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The Aircrew Regulation AMC GM consultation relates to UK Regulation (EU) 1178/2011 on procedures related to civil aviation aircrew
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The Balloon AMC GM consultation relates to UK Regulation (EU) 2018/395 (the “Balloon Regulations”)
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The Sailplane AMC GM consultation relates to UK Regulation (EU) 2018/1976 (the “Sailplane Regulations”)
\r\n", "id": "ga-pilot-licensing-amc-and-gm-aircrew"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2025/02/20", "enddate": "2025/05/02", "title": "CAP3082 Consultation on Changes to UK Regulation (EU) No. 965/2012 with regards to the Specific Cargo Compartment Safety Risk Assessment", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/flight-operations-policy/consultation-on-changes-to-uk-regulation-eu-no-965/consult_view", "overview": "
The CAA is considering making the necessary regulatory changes to adopt the new SARPS of Annex 6, Chapter 15 in UK Regulation (EU) No. 965/2012 (The Air Operations Regulation).
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Through this regulatory action, the UK CAA aims to establish the requirements, means of compliance and guidance for operators to adequately mitigate risks introduced by unknown entities in the supply chain, and to mitigate the consequences of a potential fire hazard in the cargo compartment of an aeroplane due to the presence of incorrectly identified and classified items which are offered for transport in passenger baggage, cargo or mail.
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The CAA strongly recommend that you read CAP3082 before responding to the questions in the survey.
The purpose of the consultation is to gain feedback from industry and the wider public on the proposed amendments detailed below. \r\nThis Consultation relates to:
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1. Addition of CS definitions for terms used in Annex II to IV of Assimilated Regulation (EU) 139/2014.
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2. Change to the of Aerodrome compliance monitoring schedule Assimilated Regulation Reg (EU) 139/2014 in order to align with AMC1 ADR.AR.B.005(a) Management system
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3. Alignment of Assimilated Regulation (EU) 139/2014 to UK differences published in the UK AIP GEN 1.7 relating to the placement of runway edge, taxiway and stopway lighting.
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4. Removal of the definitions, and the removal of related text in CAP 168 relating to Aircraft Classification Number and Pavement Classification Number.
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5. Reordering of text in CAP168 Chapter 1, CAA oversight.
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6. Revision of helicopter related visual aids.
\r\n", "id": "consultation-on-amendments-to-uk-reg-eu-139-2014-a"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2024/12/03", "enddate": "2025/02/28", "title": "Proposal to amend ATOL Standard Term 5", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/policy-development/amendment-to-atol-standard-term-5/consult_view", "overview": "
This proposal amendment to ATOL Standard Term 5 is to clarify the requirements for booking data to be held by Standard ATOL holders with an ATOL limit equal to, or in excess of £20 million.
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The Civil Aviation (Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing) Regulations 2012 (ATOL Regulations) require the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to publish a schedule of standard terms for an ATOL, which ATOL holders must adhere to. These ATOL Standard Terms are published in the CAA’s Official Record Series 3 (ORS3).
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ATOL Standard Term 5 (Business Systems Management) sets out that ATOL holders must maintain electronic business systems that meet the specified requirements. This includes a requirement to record and maintain certain booking data.
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The CAA are proposing to amend ATOL Standard Term 5 to provide clarity over the booking data required to be held by Standard ATOL holders with an ATOL limit equal to, or in excess of £20 million. For Standard ATOL holders, the ‘ATOL limit’ means the maximum annual licensable revenue in the Public Sales category authorised under the ATOL. For Small Business ATOL holders the ‘ATOL limit’ means the annual licensable revenue and the annual number of passengers in the Public Sales category authorised under the ATOL.
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\r\n
This consultation
\r\n
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The purpose of this consultation is to seek views on proposals to amend ATOL Standard Term 5 to require Standard ATOL holders with an ATOL limit equal to, or in excess of £20 million to record, maintain and provide to the CAA upon request specific items of booking data for each public sale (as defined in ATOL Standard Term 3.3).
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This consultation also seeks your views on the proposed CAA Publication Document (CAP) that sets out specific items of booking data that the CAA is seeking to be included in this requirement.
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How to respond
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The CAA will review all the responses received.
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Please submit your comments using the online survey link below only. Responses to this consultation can be submitted by no later than February 28 2025.
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At the end of the response period, the CAA will review each comment and publish a summary of responses document.
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Your feedback will be used to refine the policy, implementation, timelines and proposed changes.
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Any enquiries regarding the consultation content or clarification requests should be sent to us by email to atol.consultation@caa.co.ukor in writing to:
Assimilated Regulation (EU) 2017/373 (the Air Traffic Management Common Requirements Implementing Regulation), Annex III, Subpart A, point ATM/ANS.OR.A.065 contains general requirements that apply to ATM/ANS service providers (SPs) in respect of occurrence reporting. It is accompanied by Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM) to enable service providers to be compliant with the Regulation. The CAA is consulting on proposed changes to the AMC and GM to point ATM/ANS.OR.A.065.
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AMC and GM
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AMC are means by which the requirements in the Implementing Regulation and the Essential Requirements of the Basic Regulation to which it relates can be met. However, entities may show compliance by other means.
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An entity may choose to offer an alternative means of compliance (AltMOC) which must be reviewed and accepted by the CAA. However, it is important to note they will lose the presumption of compliance provided by the CAA AMC so it is essential for the operator to demonstrate that the AltMOC meets the intent of the Implementing Regulation and the Essential Requirements of the Basic Regulation.
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GM is non-binding and provides explanatory and interpretation material on how to achieve the requirements in the law and the AMC. It contains information, including examples, to assist the applicant with the interpretation of the legislative provisions.
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This consultation
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The purpose of this consultation is to seek views on the changes that are being proposed to the AMC and GM to point ATM/ANS.OR.A.065 Occurrence reporting.
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The proposed changes, which are set out in the proposed wording document include:
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Establishing a general rule as to when both ATCOs and ATSEP should give input to reports;
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Specifying other organisations to which an SP should report under point ATM/ANS.OR.A.065(a);
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Clarifying the responsibilities of the SP when considering whether failures must be reported under ATM/ANS.OR.A.065(b) or where the engineering function is carried out by a third party;
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Clarifying what types of failure should be considered to fall within the duty to report under point ATM/ANS.OR.A.065(b);
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Recommending additional reporting to Design Organisations (DOs) under point ATM/ANS.OR.A.065(b) once the nature of a failure is understood or the SP requires external assistance, to enable trend analysis;
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Clarifying who is responsible for reporting failures that occur in delegated Air Traffic Services areas; and
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Updating the GM to reflect the repeal of Regulation (EC) No 552/2004.
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How to respond
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Responses to this consultation can be submitted by no later than 24 February 2025 by providing feedback using the online survey.
\r\n", "id": "caa-amc-gm-consultation"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2025/01/16", "enddate": "2025/02/12", "title": "Public Consultation on DRAFT CAP1724: Flying Display Pilot Authorisation and Evaluation: Requirements and Guidance (Edition 7)", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/ga/public-consultation-on-draft-cap1724/consult_view", "overview": "
This consultation contains the proposed amendments to the next edition of CAP1724: Flying Display Pilot Authorisation and Evaluation: Requirements and Guidance (Edition 7), which are planned to be effective from mid-March 2025.
\r\n", "id": "public-consultation-on-draft-cap1724"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2024/12/05", "enddate": "2025/02/12", "title": "London and London City Control Zones SVFR Weather Minima", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/safety-and-airspace-regulation-group/helilanes-svfr-minima-amendment/consult_view", "overview": "
The CAA is conducting a review of the weather minima applied to operations under Special Visual Flight Rules (SVFR) within the London Control Zone and the London City Control Zone (the London CTRs). This is being undertaken because the CAA no longer considers the current minima appropriate for the maintenance of a high standard of aviation safety in this operating environment. Questions regarding the suitability of the minima were first raised in response to the tragic fatal helicopter accident near Vauxhall Bridge in 2013. Work undertaken since has identified a number of areas of concern, including the changing urban landscape and proliferation of tall buildings, changing traffic density and traffic mix, the introduction of drones and the plans for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), for example. It is the advent of AAM, which is expected to introduce passenger carrying electric vehicles, at scale, into the urban aviation environment over the next 5 years, that has required the CAA to respond proactively to ensure that a high standard of aviation safety is maintained in the London CTRs.
The purpose of the 8-week engagement period, plus an additional 2-weeks for the Christmas and New Year period, is for the CAA to seek feedback from stakeholders on its proposal to change the existing SVFR weather minima applied within the London CTRs, which are longer considered fit for purpose. The CAA proposes the following replacement minima:
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Cloudbase 1000ft above ground level (agl);
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Visibility 3000m for all aircraft types;
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Applicable throughout the geographical area covered by the London and London City CTRs.
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While the CAA believes these minima to be reasonable and justifiable, all stakeholders are encouraged to provide feedback that supports, opposes, or offers justifiable alternative minima. The CAA is committed to considering all feedback received and using it to amend the proposal, where suitable.
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Engagement period
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The engagement period will open on 5 December 2024 and will close on 12 February 2025. We cannot commit to taking into account any comments or feedback received after this date.
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How to respond
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You can submit your comments by clicking the link below and answering the questions, which include a mixture of multiple choice and free-text answers. At the beginning of the survey there is an option for you to request that your identity is withheld when your submission is published, or to refuse publication of your submission entirely. In the interests of transparency, we hope that you will not refuse publication.
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If you require any of this information in an alternative format, please contact: airspace.policy@caa.co.uk.
\r\n", "id": "helilanes-svfr-minima-amendment"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2025/01/07", "enddate": "2025/02/11", "title": "Air Operations Regulations \u2013 General Update to Helicopter Offshore Operations Part 1", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/flight-operations-policy/air-operations-regulations-update-to-survivability/consult_view", "overview": "
The CAA is proposing to perform a general update to the Air Operating Regulations for offshore helicopters (Subpart K: Helicopter Offshore Operations) comprising a number of elements. This consultation relates to the following three elements which involve changes to the Implementing Rules:
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Upgrade of survivability material:
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Resulting from EASA Rule Making Task RMT.0120 for which UK CAA was a major driver and participant, ASD-STAN D12/WG02 Ditching Equipment was established to produce new, upgraded standards for emergency breathing systems (EBS), lifejackets, immersion suits and life rafts. The need for improved standards is set out in EASA NPA 2016-01.
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This work has been completed and four new standards have been published in EN 4856:2023 covering EBS, EN 4862:2023 covering lifejackets, EN 4863:2023 covering immersion suits, and EN 4886:2024 covering life rafts. UK versions (BS ENs) of the standards have been published by BSi; the EBS, lifejacket and immersion suit standards include a national foreword relating to the need for a self-righting capability. It is understood that EASA will be publishing all of the EN standards in ETSOs.
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It is proposed that the implementation timescale be set such that survival equipment meeting the new standards is effectively substituted as and when existing equipment requires replacement resulting in no significant cost to industry.
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In addition, EASA RMT.0120 agreed to adopt the high visibility ‘chevron’ markings applied to the underside of offshore helicopter fuselages to assist location of capsized helicopters. It was agreed that these be applied via the air operating regulations as opposed to the Certification Specifications (CS 27/29). Most/all UK offshore helicopters already have these markings.
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EASA is pursuing a similar rule making activity – see NPA 2022-11. The proposed EASA text has been adopted where appropriate.
The background and justification for these initiatives is contained in the Safety Directive. It is normal procedure for the content of Safety Directives to be incorporated into the regulations, where appropriate, whereupon the corresponding Safety Directive is withdrawn. It is envisaged that the content of the Safety Directive will have been fully implemented before the Statutory Instrument (SI) is published, hence this update will not impose any additional cost to industry.
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Addition of a requirement for the provision and use of an Aircraft Collision Avoidance System (ACAS):
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For many years mid-air collision (MAC) has featured as one of the top seven (“the significant seven”) risks to civil aviation identified by the CAA. An internal CAA study produced in 2005 cited flight in uncontrolled airspace and mixing of civilian and military air traffic as two of the single largest factors associated with risk bearing Airproxes (during the 2001-2004 study period).
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The majority of offshore helicopter operations take place off the north-east coast of the UK where both of these factors prevail. It is therefore proposed to add a requirement for ACAS II to the Air Operating Regulations in order to reduce the risk of MAC and align the regulations with current industry practice. Wording similar to the CAT.IDE.A.155 requirement for aeroplanes will be proposed for addition to SPA.HOFO.160 (new para. (d)) in order to ‘future proof’ the requirement.
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Following a high profile very near miss between a military aircraft and an offshore helicopter in February 2004, all helicopters currently used for UK offshore operations are voluntarily equipped with ACAS, mostly ACAS II. Some aircraft are equipped with ACAS I, about half of which are already scheduled to be upgraded to ACAS II. A two-year period is proposed to allow time for all aircraft to be upgraded and to allow the costs to be spread.
\r\n", "id": "air-operations-regulations-update-to-survivability"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2025/01/08", "enddate": "2025/02/08", "title": "Notification of Intention to Surrender the Type Certificate for the HS 748", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/airworthiness-policy-team/notification-of-intention-to-surrender-the-type/consult_view", "overview": "
The UK CAA is issuing a Notification of Intention to Surrender the Type Certificate for the HS 748 (EASA.A.397 Issue 2).
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This is at the request of the Type Certificate Holder, BAE Systems (Operations) Ltd.
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Notification Number UK.CN.00001 provides the full details and requests that any potential TC transferees or affected parties should respond to the UK CAA within one month of the issue date of this notification.
The UK CAA is consulting on a Deviation that is applicable to CS-25 Large Aeroplanes.
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This particular Deviation is to address a non-compliance with the affected CS 25.1322 at Amendment 21, and to ensure defined mitigating factors are met.
\r\n", "id": "consultation-on-deviation-uk-dev-f-0001-flight-cre"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2024/11/14", "enddate": "2025/01/16", "title": "Proposed amendments to the UK Performance-Based Navigation Regulation", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/innovation/proposed-amendments-to-the-uk-performance-based-na/consult_view", "overview": "
We are currently proposing to amend and consolidate the regulations that govern Performance-based Navigation (PBN) in the UK to support the development of a systemised, sustainable, and modernised airspace network that meets the needs of economic growth, enables noise mitigation, and helps to reduce greenhouse gasses.
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Your feedback will help us to better understand whether there are any issues that still need to be resolved, concerns to be addressed and improvements to be made, and whether our proposed timelines are reasonable before a proposal is put to the Secretary of State (Department for Transport) for new legislation.
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Regulations (also known as Implementing Rules)
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Regulations contain requirements which must be complied with. The CAA’s statutory role is to consider the required content of regulations, consult on our proposed changes to the regulations, take consultation responses into account before forming a final view and then communicate that view to the Secretary of State (Department for Transport) in the form of an Opinion. Our Opinions are published.
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The Secretary of State makes the final decision whether to implement CAA’s proposed changes to the regulations, and the final wording of the regulations. The proposed wording of the regulations in this consultation may well change if and when the Secretary of State decides to amend the regulations.
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This consultation
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The purpose of this consultation is to seek views on proposals to update PBN legislation in the UK by amending and consolidating Assimilated Regulation (EU) 2018/1048 (the UK PBN Regulation) and the PBN elements contained within Assimilated Regulation (EU) No. 716/2014 (the UK PCP Regulation).
This consultation document sets out our proposals for revisions to the existing UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Schemes of Charges, due to take effect from 1 April 2025.
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Our mission to protect people and enable aerospace has been at the core of our thinking when creating these proposals. We believe that they are fair balance of our regulatory obligations with investment in future innovation, helping the aviation sector to grow in the future and considering the interests of all our customers.
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We are looking for your feedback on these proposals to make sure that they are fit for purpose, please submit all feedback through this site to ensure we are able to respond to your feedback as efficiently as possible.
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The consultation is open for an eight-week period and closes at midnight on 6 January 2025. Following the consultation period, we will publish a response document reflecting the consultation feedback received from industry and the Secretary of State for Transport.
\r\n", "id": "caa-statutory-charges-consultation-25-26"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2024/12/09", "enddate": "2025/01/03", "title": "CAP 403 Edition 22 Flying Displays and Special Events: Safety and administrative requirements and guidance for 2025", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/ga/cap403-edition-22/consult_view", "overview": "
This consultation contains the proposed amendments to the edition 22 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 2025.
\r\n", "id": "cap403-edition-22"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2024/12/13", "enddate": "2024/12/27", "title": "Special Condition UK.SC.E.0001 Cabin Evacuation - Protection from Fuel Tank Explosion due to External Fuel Fed Ground Fire", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/innovation/consultation-for-special-condition-cabin-evacuatio/consult_view", "overview": "
The CAA is consulting on a special condition to be used to protect the cabin occupants during evacuation of fuel tank explosion triggered by an external ground fuel fed fire.
\r\n", "id": "consultation-for-special-condition-cabin-evacuatio"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2024/12/13", "enddate": "2024/12/27", "title": "Special Condition UK.SC.C.0001 Installation of Conformal Rear Centre Tank - Crashworthiness Conditions", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/innovation/consultation-for-special-condition-crashworthiness/consult_view", "overview": "
The CAA is consulting on a special condition to be used for the crashworthiness conditions of a conformal rear centre fuel tank installation on a large transport aeroplane.
The UK CAA is consulting on an Equivalent Safety Finding that is applicable to CS-25 Large Aeroplanes.
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This particular Equivalent Safety Finding is to address a non-compliance with the requirement of CS 25.1326(b)(2), and to ensure defined mitigating factors are met.
\r\n", "id": "consultation-for-special-condition-cabin-evacuatio"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2024/12/09", "enddate": "2024/12/23", "title": "Equivalent Safety Finding UK.ESF.F.0002 (Terrain Information Display and Synthetic Vision System) Consultation: CS-25 Large Aeroplanes", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/airworthiness-policy-team/equivalent-safety-finding-uk-esf-f-0002-terrain-in/consult_view", "overview": "
The UK CAA is consulting on an Equivalent Safety Finding that is applicable to CS-25 Large Aeroplanes.
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This particular Equivalent Safety Finding is to address a non-compliance with the affected CS ACNS.E.TAWS.030 (b)(3), (b)(4), (e) at Initial Issue, and to ensure defined mitigating factors are met.
\r\n", "id": "equivalent-safety-finding-uk-esf-f-0002-terrain-in"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2024/10/22", "enddate": "2024/12/20", "title": "Airspace modernisation - consultation on a UK Airspace Design Service", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/policy-development/ukads-consultation/consult_view", "overview": "
Purpose of this consultation
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Modernisation of UK airspace is essential to ensure that it is fit for purpose in the future. Modernisation will benefit UK consumers through greater system capacity and better resilience to disruption. Crucially, it will help UK aviation to achieve net zero greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050.
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Unlike in most other countries, UK airspace design is today delivered via a complex model, where multiple organisations, usually airports and air navigation service providers, each individually sponsor and fund airspace change proposals (ACPs), often with interdependent designs. This complexity puts at risk the ability to accommodate increasing demand for access to UK airspace and, eventually, innovative new technologies such as remotely piloted aircraft systems (drones).
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This consultation proposes creating a single guiding mind responsible for future airspace design – a UK Airspace Design Service (UKADS) – to deliver this much-needed modernisation at scale and at pace, as envisaged by the CAA’s Airspace Modernisation Strategy published in January 2023.
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This joint consultation by the Department for Transport (DfT) and UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), as co\u2011sponsors of airspace modernisation, seeks views on what the UKADS could do and how we might set it up.
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At this stage no decisions have been made and these are proposals for consultation.
Our proposal is to set up the UKADS in two phases:
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In the first phase, the initial operating model for the UKADS function (UKADS1) would be established as soon as possible and tasked to NATS (En Route) plc (NERL) through a change to its air traffic services licence. The scope of UKADS1 would initially be to take forward (sponsor) ACPs to modernise the complex airspace around London. Subject to UKADS1’s capability and capacity, the DfT and CAA may expand this scope in the future.
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UKADS1 would take on all aspects of each ACP, except for the safety case, implementation and (depending on the circumstances) managing aspects of stakeholder engagement, where the airport, air navigation service provider or other proposer of the change may take the lead on consulting with their stakeholders, supported by the ADS.
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The second phase, running in parallel but necessarily on a longer timeframe, would be to establish the end-state operating model for the UKADS function (UKADS2). UKADS2 could be responsible for sponsoring and progressing all ACPs in the UK. UKADS2 would be likely to require primary legislation. This second phase would be conditional on the outcome of a review of the success of the first phase.
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The detail of UKADS2, including its form and options for any new legislation, would be subject to further consultation in the future. We are not making proposals for UKADS2 in this consultation other than the broad concept.
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A new airspace charge to fund all ACPs
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Alongside our proposals for the UKADS, we propose to reform the funding of ACPs UK-wide by creating a new UK Airspace Design Charge which would:
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meet the efficient costs of NERL to provide an airspace design service through UKADS1, and
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capitalise a new UK Airspace Design Support Fund to cover relevant costs of the sponsors of eligible UK airport ACPs that are outside the scope of UKADS1.
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Why are we making this proposal?
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As the airspace change masterplan has progressed, it has become clear that the challenges of today’s airspace change model risk the delivery of much-needed modernisation:
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the complex nature of UK airspace, particularly in the London area
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neighbouring airports, each having their own requirements, proposing and funding individual ACPs where the airspace designs are interdependent
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dispersed and scarce expertise in the industry sometimes leading to inconsistent standards and variable quality in ACP submissions
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increasing demand from new or developing types of airspace user (such as drones, aerial taxis, high-altitude platforms, space launch) to have routine access to an integrated airspace for all users, but no obvious sponsor to take forward or fund any changes to the airspace design needed to accommodate them.
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The consultation
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What is in scope of this consultation (what we are consulting on)
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This consultation is seeking your views on these proposals, including:
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the overall concept of a UKADS
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the scope of the UKADS’s responsibilities (whether geographically or in terms of the types or process stages of ACPs)
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funding the UKADS and other UK airspace design change
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suitable governance to ensure the UKADS delivers what is needed and on time
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a proposed two-phase approach of UKADS1 and UKADS2
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how to transition ACPs to UKADS1 from the current approach for making changes to airspace design
the concept of the end-state UKADS2, which could eventually become solely responsible for progressing changes in UK airspace design.
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What is not in scope of this consultation (what we are not consulting on)
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We are not seeking views on any of the following:
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the CAP 1616 airspace change process, other than where you believe the UKADS proposals might require it to be modified
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specific ACPs past or present
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issues with specific volumes of airspace, other than examples of where you believe a UKADS might address the issue
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aspects of government environmental policy, including the Air Navigation Guidance (the statutory guidance given to the CAA by the Secretary of State on how it should take environmental impacts into account).
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Consequently, the DfT and CAA will only take into account elements of responses to this consultation that are within scope.
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Who is this consultation for?
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This consultation is principally for anyone who uses, manages and designs airspace. It may also be of interest to anyone otherwise affected by airspace or the aircraft that use it. We have tried to keep technical terminology to the minimum as we appreciate that we have a wide range of stakeholders who will have an interest in the proposals for a UKADS.
The DfT and CAA held a webinar on 20 November 2024, from 1.30pm to 3pm to give an overview of the consultation and answer any questions. Watch now: UK Airspace Design Service Consultation - Webinar
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How to respond to this consultation
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The consultation will close at 23.59 on 20 December 2024 (a consultation period of eight weeks). We cannot commit to taking into account comments received after this date.
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You can submit your comments by following the link below and answering the 21 consultation questions, which require a mix of multiple-choice and free-text answers. For convenience, you can also download all the questions in MS Word from the link under 'Related' below, but your response should be submitted through this online portal.
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Our strong preference is that you complete the online consultation. While we will take account of responses that are submitted by other means, we ask that you arrange any such submission using the subject headings of the consultation document. Otherwise we will not be able to analyse your submission in the same way that we analyse the online responses.
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Publication of responses
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We will assume that all responses can be published on the CAA website. When you complete the online consultation there will be an option for you to hide your identity or refuse publication. (In any event, your email address will not be published.) In the interests of transparency, we hope you will not refuse publication. If you do send us a separate submission and it includes any material that you do not want us to publish, please also send us a redacted version that we can publish.
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Please note that your response will be shared with the DfT, CAA and relevant employees of any consultancy firms that we contract to assist with the UKADS project.
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You should be aware that information sent to and therefore held by us is subject to legislation that may require us to disclose it, even if you have asked us not to (such as the Freedom of Information Act and Environmental Information Regulations). Therefore, if you do decide to send information to us but ask that this be withheld from publication via redacted material, please explain why, as this will help us to consider our obligations to disclose or withhold this information should the need arise. Please see General privacy notice | Civil Aviation Authority (caa.co.uk) and DfT Personal Information Charter for more information.
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(Added 6 December 2024) \r\nOur starting point will be that we expect to publish any response in its entirety. We will use moderation in order to remove any unsuitable content, but not as a general means of censoring or filtering responses. Subject to the permissions given by the sender, we will publish an unredacted response with the name of the sender as long as it:
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a) is not malicious or offensive in nature, and does not constitute a personal attack on a person’s character
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b) doesn’t break the law; this includes potentially libellous (defamatory) material concerning third parties, condoning illegal activity, and breaching copyright
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c) doesn’t incite hatred on the basis of race, religion, gender, nationality or sexuality or other personal characteristic
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d) doesn’t include swearing, hate-speech or obscenity
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e) doesn’t reveal personal details, such as private addresses, phone numbers, email addresses or other online contact details.
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Irrespective of any text we redact for the purposes of publishing a response, the full content of any response will still be assessed for the purpose of the relevant analysis of responses, whether it relates to the consultation or other feedback.
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Proposed changes to the NERL licence
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On 21 November 2024 the CAA launched a complementary consultation providing illustrative information on changes to NERL air traffic service licence obligations, costs and charges that might be needed to implement proposals set out in this UKADS consultation. Please see CAP 3063: Economic Regulation of NERL: Illustrative proposals for modifying the licence to support the implementation of a UK Airspace Design Service for more information. This complementary consultation closed on 9 January 2025.
\r\n", "id": "ukads-consultation"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2024/10/01", "enddate": "2024/12/10", "title": "2024 Consultation on the Future Direction of the UK Aviation Environmental Review", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/policy-development/aviation-environmental-review-consultation/consult_view", "overview": "
The CAA is seeking views on the future development of the UK Aviation Environmental Review (AER). We aim to develop the AER into a comprehensive and robust tool that can be used by Government, industry and other interested stakeholders to inform and drive positive environmental change. To ensure the AER develops into a useful tool for stakeholders, this consultation seeks feedback on:
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the overall ambition and aims for the AER; and
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the nature of environmental data reported within the AER, including how this data should be presented.
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The consultation is open between 1 October 2024 and 10 December 2024.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) proposes to continue its existing policy to recognise certain EASA Form One documents as equivalent to CAA Form One documents in certain limited circumstances, namely for maintained parts released by the Original Equipment Manufacturer or authorised agent for use on aircraft falling within the scope of Part ML, where a component cannot be repaired by an organisation holding a UK approval. Currently this is managed by CAA ORS9 Decision No. 24 that was issued in December 2022 with an expiry date of 31 December 2024.
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The objective of the proposal is to clarify that applicable parts issued with EASA Form One documents pursuant to the effect of the ORS9 Decision referred to above may continue to lawfully be fitted as standard to aircraft within the scope of Part ML from 1 January 2025 onwards. The market conditions have not changed within the UK substantially since the original decision was taken in December 2022 and after consideration of any available alternative options, this extension is being proposed.
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To achieve the policy objective the CAA is proposing to amend the current end date within Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) to UK Regulation (EU) No. 1321/2014, specifically in Part-145, and Part-ML. The amendments clarify that specified EASA Form 1s (only) are ‘equivalent documents’ as permitted by the terms of the regulation to which the AMC applies.
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In doing so the UK CAA intends to issue a renewed ORS9 decision extending the current date for 5 years until till 31 December 2029.
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These amendments are required because the current ORS9 decision that was issued by the CAA will expire on the 31 December 2024. The AMC needs to reflect the new expiry date and continued recognition of the EASA Form 1s in these limited circumstances to prevent disruption of access to maintained parts. Guidance Material would also be updated to reflect the new expiry date.
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During the period of any extension, the CAA will consider what the further longer-term requirements of the general aviation community may be in this area.
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This consultation:
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The AMC consultation document relates to the articles within UK Regulation (EU) 1321/2014, on the continuing airworthiness of aircraft and aeronautical products, parts and appliances.
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The material being consulted on contains amendments to the AMC to Part-145 (145.A.42), and Part-ML (ML.A.501) Continuing Airworthiness – UK Acceptable Means of Compliance for UK Regulation (EU) No. 1321/2014 as assimilated in UK law.
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How to respond:
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Responses to this consultation can be submitted by no later than 12 November 2024. If you wish to provide feedback please use the online survey.
We have launched a consultation on the introduction of Recognised Assessment Entities for Flightworthiness – RAE(F) organisations – and a related SAIL Mark policy.
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These new policies will complement UK SORA to enable Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) operations at scale. UK SORA will become the primary risk assessment policy framework for the future of the Specific category.
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This consultation forms part of the UK Civil Aviation Authority's (CAA) ongoing work to enable Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) to operate in UK Airspace in the Specific Category, a key component of the CAA Future of Flight Programme.
Our project to modify the Flight Operations regulations, Assimilated Regulation (EU) No.965/2012 to incorporate all types of VTOL aircraft, multicopters, tilt-rotor, lift-cruise, any other equivalent innovative design types and gyrocopters will allow the new aircraft to operate safely within the Flight Operations regulations alongside existing aircraft types.
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As part of this process, the CAA is committed to ensuring that needs and expectations of stakeholders are considered in the development and implementation and adjustment of regulations to enable the operation of eVTOL and gyrocopters, maintaining a high standard of safety while continuing to promote efficiency and innovation.
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To do this, we are establishing the VTOL Operations Stakeholder Working Group (OSWG) to facilitate engagement, consultation, and collaboration between the CAA, and industry and operator stakeholders.
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The CAA invites stakeholders to register their interest in one (or more) areas:
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eVTOL or gyrocopter/OEM/Parts OEM
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eVTOL or gyrocopter Operators and other service providers and professional associations
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Safety experts or other Aviation Professionals with relevant expertise in eVTOL or gyrocopter operations and regulations
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Any stakeholder with a legitimate interest in the new eVTOL or gyrocopter Operations
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Safety experts or other professionals with relevant expertise in electric propulsion systems.
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Safety experts or other professionals with relevant expertise in batteries, recharging and thermal runaway.
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This application process is designed to ensure that the SWG is comprised of a fair and inclusive balance of stakeholders. All applications will be considered on their own merit against qualitative and quantitative assessment criteria. If we receive large numbers of applications of equal merit that exceed places available, then the decision panel will use applicants’ personal statements to make a final decision.
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The SWG will only accept applications from individuals, or an individual acting as a representative of their respective organisation(s) or industry group. We are unable to accept applications from organisations as an entity.
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Note:
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This application form is for stakeholders who work with or plan to work with eVTOL in a civil capacity in the UK.
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If, after the application process closes, any SWG lacks specific and unique expertise not already represented in the SWG, then the CAA reserves the right to accept individual applications from stakeholders who possess the necessary expertise. The applications will be considered by existing members of the SWG for them to consider their appropriateness. The CAA reserves the right to make any final decision(s).
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\r\n", "id": "vtol-operations-stakeholder-working-group"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2024/08/12", "enddate": "2024/10/25", "title": "Amendment to UK Regulation (EU)139/2014", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/safety-and-airspace-regulation-group/adr-amc-gm-consultation/consult_view", "overview": "
The CAA propose to make changes to Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC), Guidance Material (GM), Certification Specifications (CS) and Guidance material (GM) for UK Reg (EU) No 139/2014 regarding the ICAO change to the reporting method of pavement bearing strength from Aircraft Classification Number (ACN) and Pavement Classification Number (PCN) to Aircraft Classification Rating (ACR) and Pavement Classification Rating (PCR) which becomes applicable on 28th November 2024.
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The benefits expected;
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The ACR/PCR system overcomes the deficiencies and limits of the ACN-PCN system and allows consistency between pavement design and pavement rating systems.
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The new system enables optimised use (in terms of allowable aircraft weights and frequencies) of existing and future pavements, without excessive conservatism.
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For aircraft operators this should globally lead to less pavement induced weight restrictions
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For aerodrome operators, it provides a consistent damage-based approach to optimise the use of their pavements, assess the impact of overload operations, and improve pavement life predictability providing the ability to plan maintenance rather than performing reactive maintenance when a failure occurs.
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For aircraft manufacturers it allows the optimisation of landing gear geometry (both leg and overall geometry) of their future products.
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Also included are changes stemming from Amendment 15 to ICAO Annex 14, ‘Aerodromes’, Volume I Aerodrome Design and Operations, (ICAO State Letter AN 4/1.2.28-20/35) and editorial amendments. The changes will apply to both UK Reg (EU) No 139/2014 and CAP 168 Licensing of Aerodromes.
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Introduced are CS and GM for Engineered Materials Arresting Systems (EMAS), Instrument Runway Visual Range (IRVR) interfaces and Pilot Controlled Lighting (PCL).
\r\n", "id": "adr-amc-gm-consultation"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2024/09/19", "enddate": "2024/10/17", "title": "CAP1220 Operation of experimental aircraft under E Conditions \u2013 Revision 3", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/ga/cap1220-e-conditions-revision-3/consult_view", "overview": "
E Conditions was introduced by the CAA in 2015 to encourage innovation and development of aviation products in the UK. By permitting operation of an aircraft without having to comply with the usual airworthiness requirements and delegating the safety and risk mitigation of the project to a competent person, E Conditions has allowed many projects to undertake proof of concept testing in a much more efficient way.
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Revision 3 incorporates changes raised and agreed by the E Conditions working group as a part of our regular review process to improve the guidance for users. Additionally, changes have been incorporated to satisfy our public commitment to address the five Safety Recommendations issued by the AAIB relative to an accident involving an aeroplane operating under E conditions. We are consulting on revision 3 of the document to gain opinions on these updates and understand if any further improvements can be made.
Our 2022 Environmental Sustainability Strategy sets out our role in the provision of environmental information to consumers and the public generally. An essential part of this work is ensuring that consumers can make informed choices about their flight booking selections through relevant, accurate, understandable, comparable and accessible information.
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We are developing our policies on how we can work with the industry on consumer environmental information, including designing a set of draft principles for airlines (and other companies that advertise or sell flights) to follow when calculating and providing environmental information to consumers on their flight. Our purpose in developing these principles is to provide guidance for those organisations to calculate and publish environmental information for aviation consumers.
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We published a Call for Evidence on this subject in January 2023 to seek views from stakeholders. A summary of responses to that consultation is available, CAP3009: Consumer Environmental Information: Call for Evidence Summary of Responses.
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The draft principles set out in this consultation were developed from and informed by the submissions to the Call for Evidence. A summary of key themes of responses to the Call for Evidence, a summary of the consumer research and a link to more information are below.
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This consultation seeks views on:
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whether our draft principles on consumer environmental information will enable consumers to make informed choices about their flights;
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options for policy implementation of those draft principles; and
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potential environmental labels for aviation.
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For the purposes of this consultation, aviation consumer environmental information relates to the emissions caused by aviation, particularly CO2 but also non-CO2 impacts.
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This consultation does not include consideration of aviation noise, as the CAA already has longstanding functions and expertise in this area.
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We are also doing work on standardising methodologies and verification of outputs in relation to aviation environmental reporting and this will be consulted on separately.
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Responses to this consultation can be made either via this consultation or by emailing environment@caa.co.uk. To help you respond to this consultation, a copy of the questions is available.
\r\n", "id": "consumer-environmental-information-consultation"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2024/08/09", "enddate": "2024/09/27", "title": "Economic regulation of Gatwick Airport Limited: Second consultation on extending the current commitments", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/economic-regulation/gal-second-consultation-on-current-commitments/consult_view", "overview": "
Our economic regulation of Gatwick Airport Limited (GAL) is based on a commitments framework that is intended to be a proportionate and targeted approach to economic regulation, which encourages bilateral contracting and facilitates commercial rather than regulator-led decision making. Following discussions with airlines, GAL submitted a proposal to extend the current commitments.
The Future of Flight Action Plan aims to enable the demonstration of piloted eVTOL flights in the UK in 2026 as a first step to scaled operations and a sustainable industry.
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To achieve initial, scaled, and sustainable operations, the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) has determined that a number of Implementing Rules (IR), Approved Means of Compliance (AMC), Guidance Material (GM) and other documents need to be considered to enable safe operations VTOL Capable Aircraft (VCA).
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To assist with this, a working group comprised of stakeholders and representatives from industry is being established to support the CAA policy teams and other subject matter experts tasked with developing policy and regulation pertaining to vertiports established at a location other than an existing licensed or certificated aerodrome. The project comprises 4 key elements when developing this new style of aerodrome including vertiport design, obstacle limitation surfaces/ volume, visual aids and rescue and firefighting services (RFFS). Other areas of discussions will include vertiport licencing, Safety Management Systems (SMS) and emergency planning/emergency orders.
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As part of this process, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is committed to ensuring that needs and expectations of stakeholders are considered with the development and implementation of bespoke vertiports, maintaining a high standard of safety while continuing to promote efficiency and innovation in aerodrome development and operations for VTOL Capable Aircraft (VCAs).
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To do this, we are establishing the Vertiport Stakeholder Working Group (VSWG) to facilitate engagement, discussion, and collaboration between the CAA and industry stakeholders. \r\nThe CAA invites stakeholders to register their interest in one (or more) areas:
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VCA Manufacturers/OEMs,
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Future VCA operators or other AOC holders, professional pilots, or other service providers and professional associations,
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Vertiport designers, operators, or other aviation professionals with relevant expertise in aerodrome design, operations, and regulation,
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Safety experts or other aviation professionals with relevant expertise in aerodrome operations and regulations (including RFFS),
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Any stakeholder with a legitimate interest in vertiport design and operations, who would like to participate in this rulemaking programme.
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This application process is designed to ensure that the VSWG is comprised of a fair and inclusive balance of stakeholders. The CAA shall invite potential stakeholders to participate in the VSWG based on their individual expertise, experience, and ability to contribute constructively to the objectives of the group. The selection process will apply transparent selection criteria which aim for a balanced representation of stakeholders, ensuring diversity and inclusivity. If we receive large numbers of applications of equal merit that exceed places available, then the decision panel will use applicants’ personal statements to make a final decision.
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The VSWG will only accept applications from individuals, or individuals acting as a representative of their respective organisation(s). We are unable to accept applications from organisations as an entity.
There is currently a strong industry demand for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operation of Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS) within the UK, and while forecast estimates vary, they consistently show a large increase in the sector over the next 10+ years. Perhaps the most significant barrier to the growth of this sector is the mid-air collision risk associated with Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations.
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The UK Civil Aviation Authority’s vision for the BVLOS RPAS operation within the UK is set out in the Airspace Modernisation Strategy, which describes a transition from the use of segregated airspace to integrated operations, supported by the use of Transponder Mandatory Zones (TMZs). In support of this vision, we are now consulting on our proposed policy concept for the assurance of Detect and Avoid (DAA) systems.
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How to respond
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We would like all stakeholders to consider our proposed policy concept and provide their views using this online survey, by 23:59 on 19 September 2024.
\r\n", "id": "detect-and-avoid-policy-concept-consultation"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2024/07/25", "enddate": "2024/09/06", "title": "Proposal to adopt the UK Specific Operations Risk Assessment (UK SORA) as AMC to UK Regulation (EU) 2019/947", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/policy-development/uk-s-proposals-for-specific-operations-risk-assess/consult_view", "overview": "
We have launched a consultation on the proposal to implement the UK Specific Operations Risk Assessment (UK SORA) as AMC to UK Regulation (EU) 2019/947
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The introduction of UK SORA is a key policy to enable UAS operations at scale. UK SORA will become the primary risk assessment policy framework for the future of the Specific category.
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The consultation is seeking views on the UK SORA methodology being proposed including a set of UK specific differences which are highlighted in the document.
\r\n", "id": "uk-s-proposals-for-specific-operations-risk-assess"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2024/07/23", "enddate": "2024/09/05", "title": "Call for Action \u2013 Industry invitation to CAA Hydrogen Working Group", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/innovation/hydrogen-challenge-stakeholder-working-group/consult_view", "overview": "
Our Hydrogen Working Group project will facilitate collaboration with industry and academia to improve understanding of hydrogen-related risks in aviation, identify gaps in regulations and policies, and propose new recommendations to develop net-zero regulations and policies.
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This will allow for increased regulatory readiness, reduced risk of failure, and improved collaboration with the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
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As part of this process, the CAA is committed to ensuring that needs and expectations of stakeholders align with the development and implementation of hydrogen as an aviation fuel – sustainably powering propulsion towards net-zero in 2050 while maintaining the existing high safety standards in civil aviation.
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In order to do this, we are establishing Hydrogen Working Group (H2Wo) to facilitate engagement, consultation, and collaboration between the CAA, industry, operator and academic stakeholders.
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\r\nThe CAA invites stakeholders to register their interest in one (or more) areas:
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H2Wo(1) Hydrogen Propulsion Systems – hydrogen combustion, hydrogen electric and hydrogen fuel system.
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H2Wo(2) Hydrogen Aircraft Safety & Certification – standards as guidance, Special Conditions and Human Factors/Flight Ops.
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H2Wo(3) Aerodromes and Airports – infrastructure, fuelling/de-fuelling and airport safety
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This application process is designed to ensure that the H2Wos are comprised of a diverse range of members withappropriate expertise, experience, and ability to contribute to the objectives of the H2Wos. All applications will be considered on their own merit against published assessment criteria. If we receive large numbers of applications of equal or similar merit that exceed places available, then the decision panel may use applicants’ personal statements to make a final decision.
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The H2Wos will only accept applications from individuals, or individuals acting as a representative of their respective organisation(s). We are unable to accept applications from organisations as an entity.
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Please note:
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After the application process closes, the CAA reserves the right to accept individual applications from stakeholders who possess the necessary expertise, experience, and ability to contribute to the objectives of the H2Wos.
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The applications will be considered by existing members of the H2Wos for them to consider their appropriateness. The CAA reserves the right to make any final decision(s).
To carry out spaceflight activity in the UK spaceport and launch operators must be licensed by the UK Civil Aviation Authority.
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As part of their licence application, spaceport and launch operators are required to submit an Assessment of Environmental Effects (AEE). The purpose of the AEE is to ensure applicants have adequately considered any potential environmental effects of their intended activities and, if necessary have taken steps to avoid, mitigate or offset the risks and their potential effects.
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Skyrora are applying for a launch operator licence. This consultation sets out their AEE: Skyrora SaxaVord AEE V5
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The proposals are for Skyrora to undertake up to 16 launches per year from SaxaVord Spaceport, located on the northeast of Unst, Shetland Islands. All launches will take place in a northerly direction over the sea. The launch system, assessed for the purposes of the AEE, consists of the preparation and vertical launch of the sub-orbital Skyrora Skylark L and orbital Skyrora XL launch vehicles. The Skyrora Skylark L is an 11.6 m long (approximately), guided suborbital launch vehicle powered by a single pressure fed, bi-liquid propellant engine. The Skyrora XL is a 24 m long and 2.2 metres diameter (approximately), three-stage liquid fuelled orbital launch vehicle intended to place customer payloads into sun synchronous or polar orbits.
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For spaceport and launch operator licenses the CAA must take into account the applicant’s assessments and the proposed measures to mitigate any significant environmental effects before a recommendation for approval can be granted.
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More information on the CAA’s approach to public consultation can be found by reading the following guidance document (CAP2352).
The UK CAA is consulting on a deviation request that is applicable to CS-25 Large Aeroplanes.
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This particular deviation is to address a non-compliance with the affected CS 25.951(c) at Amdt. 23, CS 25.952(a) at Amdt. 23, CS 25J951(c) at Amdt. 23 and CS 25J952(a) at Amdt. 23, and to ensure defined mitigating factors are met.
This consultation concerns the proposed revision to CAP 764: CAA Policy and Guidelines on Wind Turbines.
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Draft CAP 764 edition 7’s most significant change is to reorder text and introduce new chapters on specific topics.
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The main drivers for change are incorporating a general permission for aviation obstacle lighting requirements for onshore and offshore wind turbines, previously published separately on the CAA web site, incorporation of international standards for wind turbines specified the International Electrotechnical Commission Technical Standard 61400-29:2023 as well as general editorial updates.
In October 2022, we published CAP2335 (General Aviation Pilot Licensing & Training Simplification – Phase 1: Strategic Direction) as part of a 3 Phase program to simplify training and licensing for the UK’s General Aviation (GA) Sector.
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The subsequent GA community response (CAP2532) showed strong support in several key areas for updating our current legislation with regards to Licensing and Training.
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This consultation (Phase 2) will explore these key areas in more detail, to ensure that we are working towards the goals of the community whilst maintaining legislative compliance within these areas.
In October 2022, we published CAP 2335 (General Aviation Pilot Licensing & Training Simplification – Phase 1: Strategic Direction), as part of a 3-phase programme to simplify pilot licensing and training for the UK’s General Aviation (GA) community.
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The subsequent GA community response (CAP 2532) showed strong support in several key areas for updating our current legislation with regards to licensing and training.
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This consultation (Phase 2) will explore these key areas in more detail, to ensure that we are working towards the goals of the community, whilst maintaining safety and legislative compliance where appropriate.
In October 2022, we published CAP2335 (General Aviation Pilot Licensing & Training Simplification – Phase 1: Strategic Direction) as part of a 3 Phase program to simplify training and licensing for the UK’s General Aviation (GA) Sector.
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The subsequent GA community response (CAP2532) showed strong support in several key areas for updating our current legislation with regards to Licensing and Training.
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This consultation (Phase 2) will explore these key areas in more detail, to ensure that we are working towards the goals of the community whilst maintaining legislative compliance within these areas.
In October 2022, we published CAP2335 (General Aviation Pilot Licensing & Training Simplification – Phase 1: Strategic Direction) as part of a 3 Phase program to simplify training and licensing for the UK’s General Aviation (GA) Sector.
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The subsequent GA community response (CAP2532) showed strong support in several key areas for updating our current legislation with regards to Licensing and Training.
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This consultation (Phase 2) will explore these key areas in more detail, to ensure that we are working towards the goals of the community whilst maintaining legislative compliance within these areas.
In October 2022, we published CAP2335 (General Aviation Pilot Licensing & Training Simplification – Phase 1: Strategic Direction) as part of a 3 Phase program to simplify training and licensing for the UK’s General Aviation (GA) Sector.
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The subsequent GA community response (CAP2532) showed strong support in several key areas for updating our current legislation with regards to Licensing and Training.
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This consultation (Phase 2) will explore these key areas in more detail, to ensure that we are working towards the goals of the community whilst maintaining legislative compliance within these areas.
\r\n", "id": "pilot-licensing-review-phase-2-aeroplanes"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2024/04/02", "enddate": "2024/04/30", "title": "Amendments to the Air Operations Regulation", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/airworthiness-policy-team/awo-and-fuel-energy-planning-and-management-paper/consult_view", "overview": "
The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the Contracting States, of which the UK is one, determined that the effectiveness of the current alerting of search and rescue services should be enhanced by addressing a number of key improvement areas and by developing and implementing the Global Aeronautical Distress and Safety System (GADSS), which addresses all phases of flight under all circumstances including distress.
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This GADSS will maintain an up\u2010to\u2010date record of the aircraft’s progress and, in case of a crash, forced landing or ditching, the location of survivors, the aircraft and recoverable flight data.
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The ICAO requirement will be reflected in the UK in Annex IV xx of the Air Operations Regulation at CAT.GEN.MPA.210 from 1 January 2025 for all aircraft with a Maximum Certified Take Off Mass (MCTOM) of more than 27,000 kg, with a Maximum Operational Seating Capacity (MOPSC) of more than 19 in addition to all aeroplanes of more than 45,500 kg and first issued with an individual Certificate of Airworthiness on or after 1 January 2024.
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This Acceptable Means of Compliance and Guidance Material (AMC and GM) is to assist Commercial Air Transport (CAT) operators in ensuring compliance with these requirements.
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There is a minor amendment to the current AMC and GM for CAT.GEN.MPA.205 clarifying who the competent authority is and to advise operators to ensure appropriate contact details are registered with ANSPs preferably via the ICAO OPS Control Directory.
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The AMC and GM for CAT.IDE.A and H.280 Emergency locator transmitter (ELT) and AMC2 CAT.IDE.A.285 and AMC1 CAT.IDE.H.300(b)(3) & CAT.IDE.H.305(b) Flight over water & Survival equipment provide more information on the specific requirements of distress tracking ELT (ELT(DT))s.
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AMC and GM for SPA.HOFO.145 Flight Data Monitoring has been updated to provide details of industry good practice.
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AMC2 NCC.IDE.A.215 Emergency locator transmitter (ELT) has been amended to reference AMC2 CAT.IDE.A and H.280 for details of the applicable types of ELTs and AMC2 CAT.IDE.A, H.280 AMC2 SPO.IDE.A.190 on crash survivability and homing-signal capability applicability.
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AMC2 NCO.IDE.A.170 and AMC2 SPO.IDE.H.190 Emergency locator transmitter (ELT) is amended to enable an ELD(AD) to be either a stand-alone beacon or an inseparable part of a deployable recorder.
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Further GM have been included regarding Global Report Formatting for reporting runway conditions that were inadvertently missed in a previous revision to UK Regulation 965/2012.
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What is AMC and GM?
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AMC are means by which the requirements in the Implementing Rule and the Essential Requirements of the Basic Regulation to which it relates can be met. However, entities may show compliance by other means.
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An entity may choose to offer an alternative means of compliance (AltMOC) which must be reviewed and accepted by the CAA. However, it is important to note they will lose the presumption of compliance provided by the CAA AMC so it is essential for the operator to demonstrate that the AltMOC meets the intent of the Implementing Rule and the Essential Requirements of the Basic Regulation.
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GM is non-binding and provides explanatory and interpretation material on how to achieve the requirements in the law and the AMC. It contains information, including examples, to assist the applicant with the interpretation of the legislative provisions.
\r\n", "id": "awo-and-fuel-energy-planning-and-management-paper"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2024/03/07", "enddate": "2024/04/15", "title": "AMC & GM to UK Reg (EU) 748/2012 Part 21 SMS consultation", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/airworthiness-policy-team/copy-of-all-weather-operations-fuel-energy-plannin/consult_view", "overview": "
The UK Regulation (EU) No. 748/2012 has been amended to incorporate Safety Management Systems (SMS) in design and production organisations. This consultation document presents the proposed changes to the associated Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM).
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These amendments cover the following topics:
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The introduction of safety management principles that implement International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Annex 19; a management system for Part-21 organisations and a management system for the CAA in relation to the oversight of Part 21 organisations;
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An organisational culture for effective safety management and effective occurrence reporting;
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Production management and design management systems;
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Production organisation exposition (POE)/design organisation handbook (DOH);
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Findings, corrective action, and observations;
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Alternative means of compliance (AltMoC);
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Record-keeping and reporting systems.
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What are AMC and GM?
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AMC are means by which the requirements in the Implementing Rule and the Essential Requirements of the Basic Regulation to which it relates can be met. However, entities may show compliance by other means.
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An entity may choose to offer an alternative means of compliance (AltMoC) which must be reviewed and accepted by the CAA. However, it is important to note they will lose the presumption of compliance provided by the CAA AMC, so it is essential for the organisation to demonstrate that the AltMoC meets the intent of the Implementing Rule and the Essential Requirements of the Basic Regulation.
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GM is non-binding and provides explanatory and interpretation material on how to achieve the requirements in the law and the AMC. It contains information, including examples, to assist the applicant with the interpretation of the legislative provisions.
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This consultation
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To support the transposition of the ICAO Annex 19 Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) in the production and design domains, and facilitate the implementation of the SMS requirements introduced by UK Regulation (EU) No 748/2012, the UK CAA is proposing to amend the AMC and GM to Part-21 (Annex I).
\r\n", "id": "copy-of-all-weather-operations-fuel-energy-plannin"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2024/02/14", "enddate": "2024/04/10", "title": "All Weather Operations and Fuel/Energy Planning and Management Consultation Paper", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/flight-operations-policy/copy-of-awo-and-fuel-energy-planning-and-managemen/consult_view", "overview": "
While the UK was still part of the EU the CAA worked very closely with both ICAO and EASA on developing a performance-based set of regulations that would:
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• Facilitate the use of new technological advances enhancing situational awareness; \r\n• Facilitate the operation of helicopters in low visibility conditions; \r\n• Enhance all aspects of initial and recurrent pilot training; \r\n• Harmonise the UK legislative framework relating to flight operations, flight crew licensing and aerodromes with ICAO amendments to Annexes 6 and 14, in particular amendment 44 to Annex 6 Part I, Amendment 37 of Annex 6 Part II, Amendment 23 of Annex 6 Part III and ICAO Doc 9365 \r\n• Introduce changes to fuel/energy planning and management as a result of new ICAO SARPs to Annex 6 Part I via Amendment 38 to ICAO Doc 9976 Flight Planning and Fuel Management (FPFM) Manual.
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The CAA is therefore considering the Acceptable Means of Compliance and Guidance Material to support the regulatory requirements necessary to:
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• Introduce the concept of ‘fuel schemes’ for Commercial Air Transport (CAT) which will take into consideration the interrelationships of the operators’ fuel planning policy, in-flight fuel management and the selection of aerodromes; \r\n• Amend Annex VII (Part-NCO) and Annex VIII (Part-SPO) to enable a more performance-based approach with regard to the Final Reserve Fuel (FRF) including moving some of the regulatory requirements to AMC and GM; \r\n• Address fuel issues that are specific to helicopter operations; \r\n• Allow for a better integration and use of new, advanced technology as well as new operational procedures to support AWOs; \r\n• Ensure the availability of aerodrome infrastructure (including meteorological equipment), information and procedures to support AWOs; \r\n• Allow for the use of enhanced flight vision systems (EFVS) to the maximum extent possible (e.g. EFVS to land) and includes ‘light operational credits’ for EFVS 200 operations, not requiring the use of specific low-visibility procedures (LVPs); and \r\n• Allow for safe helicopter flights under instrument flight rules (IFR), using of point-in-space (PinS) approaches and departures. \r\n• Improve the existing mandatory crew training and checking requirements for air operators by addressing initial and recurrent training and checking, the conditions for the operation on more than one aircraft type or variant, the acceptance of previous training and checking by non-commercial operators, and multi-pilot operations of single-pilot certified helicopters.
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The purpose of the consultation is to gain feedback from industry and the wider public on the proposed amendments to: \r\n• the Air Operation Regulation (UK) Reg (EU) 965/2012) (Air OPS), \r\n• the Aircrew Regulation (UK) Reg (EU) 1178/2012 (Part-FCL); and \r\n• the Aerodromes Regulation (UK) Reg (EU) 139/2014 (ADR).
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The Acceptable Means of Compliance, Guidance Material and Certification Standards are necessary to support the implementation of any changes to the regulatory requirements which are anticipated to be laid before Parliament in a Statutory Instrument (SI) Q2/Q3 2024. \r\n
This consultation covers the CAA’s proposed policy position on the recognition of atypical air environments for Unmanned Aircraft operations.
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If you would like to hear how this could work in practice and how your views can shape the final policy, listen to the CAA Drone safety podcast on BVLOS within Atypical Air Environments.
\r\n", "id": "cap-2968-atypical-operations-consultation-first-ed"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2024/03/01", "enddate": "2024/03/31", "title": "Amendment to UK Regulation (EU)139/2014", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/air-traffic-management/amendments-to-the-air-operations-regulation/consult_view", "overview": "
The objective of the proposed changes is to maintain a high level of safety for the aerodrome design and operations and to ensure alignment with Amendment 15 to ICAO Annex 14, Volume I
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This proposed changes to existing organisational and operational requirements of Assimilated Regulation (EU) No. 139/2014 and the related Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM).
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The proposed amendments are expected to enhance safety and improve alignment with ICAO and will improve runway safety and reflect the industry best practice.
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The purpose of the consultation is to gain feedback from industry and the wider public on the proposed amendments to the Aerodromes Regulations to reflect the CAA’s previous work with ICAO. The output of the consultation will be taken into consideration and a Comment Response Document (CRD) will be published.
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The changes are anticipated to be laid before Parliament in a Statutory Instrument (SI) in November 2024. We would welcome your views on your ability to meet the requirements of the proposed regulation by that date.
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It is on this date that all operators will be required to comply with the new regulations.
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The CAA is also considering the AMC/, GM and Certification Specifications (CS) necessary to support the implementation of these changes to the regulator requirements. It is anticipated that these will be published in draft form as part of another consultation ahead of the SI being laid, with a final version published as close to the laying of the SI as possible.
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What are the Regulations?
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Regulations contain requirements which must be complied with. The CAA’s statutory role is to consider the required content of the regulations, consult on our proposed changes to the regulations, take consultation responses into account before forming a final view and then communicating that view to the Secretary of State (Department for Transport) in the form of an Opinion. Our Opinions are published.
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The Secretary of State makes the final decision whether to implement CAA’s proposed changes to the regulations, and the final wording of the regulations. The proposed wording of the regulations in this consultation may well change if and when the Secretary of State decides to amend the regulations.
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This consultation
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This consultation document relates to the: \r\n• Revision of the rule related to the operation of higher code letter aircraft \r\n• The establishment of criteria for pavement overload operations
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Areas requiring Regulatory change
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\r\nDefinitions Revised and new definitions to support changes. \r\nADR.OPS.B.090 Use of the aerodrome by aircraft exceeding the certified design characteristics of the aerodrome
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Since the term ‘higher code letter’ is no longer appropriate, it is proposed to be replaced by ‘exceeding the certified design characteristics of the aerodrome’ in all occurrences. \r\nThe Outer Main Gear Wheel Span (OMGWS) parameter is proposed to be added in paragraph (a). \r\nParagraph (c) contains the aircraft characteristics that needs to be assessed against the aerodrome design characteristics. \r\nAlthough not all the aircraft characteristics may be applicable depending on the case, the list is exhaustive and ensures that during the assessment all the aircraft characteristics have been taken into account.
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ADR.OPS.C.011 Overload operations
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This provision is amended to establish criteria for overload operations that may result in pavement damage with regard to the absence of criteria to regulate overload operations.
Public Call for Input Engagement on the implementation of better alignment of UK Flight Information Services with International Civil Organisation (ICAO) Flight Information Service (FIS) in the UK.
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This engagement supports the implementation of the Airspace Modernisation Strategy (AMS). We have an obligation to review and optimise our degree of alignment with ICAO provisions. That allows us to demonstrate our air traffic services provision is complementary to that of our neighbouring states, thereby enhancing overall flight safety and providing an adaptable ‘Visual Flight Rules (VFR) or Instrument Flight Rules (IFR)’ solution to service recipients in Classes E and G airspace.
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This call for input engagement
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This engagement complements and supports a number of other changes being introduced through the implementation of the AMS. In relation to the change itself, we have an obligation to review and, where possible, optimise our degree of alignment with ICAO provisions. That improved alignment allows us to demonstrate that our air traffic services provision is complementary to that of our neighbouring states, thereby enhancing overall flight safety and providing an adaptable ‘VFR or Instrument Flight Rules (IFR)’ solution to service recipients in Classes E and G airspace.
The CAA is considering the regulatory requirements, means of compliance and guidance necessary to:
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ensure the continuing airworthiness of electric and hybrid propulsion aircraft;
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embrace non-conventional aircraft and aircraft with non-conventional powerplants, where some regulatory gaps have been identified;
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support, more generally, the development of new technologies;
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ensure smooth and flexible transitioning of AML holders in the current subcategories to obtain certification privileges for the maintenance of non-conventional aircraft; and
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support the competitiveness of the UK industry. One objective of the legal framework on which we are consulting is to provide a level playing field while maintaining a high uniform level of civil aviation safety in the UK.
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In order to ensure that we achieve the right level of compliance and guidance we are seeking feedback on the proposals in this consultation. Your feedback will help us to better understand the potential issues or improvements that can be made to our proposals.
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Regulations (also known as Implementing Rules)
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Regulations contain requirements which must be complied with. The CAA’s statutory role is to consider the required content of the regulations, consult on our proposed changes to the regulations, take consultation responses into account before forming a final view and then communicating that view to the Secretary of State (Department for Transport) in the form of an Opinion. Our Opinions are published. The Secretary of State makes the final decision whether to implement CAA’s proposed changes to the regulations, and the final wording of the regulations. The proposed wording of the regulations in this consultation may well change if and when the Secretary of State decides to amend the regulations.
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AMC and GM
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AMC are means by which the requirements in the Implementing Rule and the Essential Requirements of the Basic Regulation to which it relates can be met. However, entities may show compliance by other means.
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An entity may choose to offer an alternative means of compliance (AltMOC) which must be reviewed and accepted by the CAA. However, it is important to note they will lose the presumption of compliance provided by the CAA AMC so it is essential for the operator to demonstrate that the AltMOC meets the intent of the Implementing Rule and the Essential Requirements of the Basic Regulation.
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GM is non-binding and provides explanatory and interpretation material on how to achieve the requirements in the law and the AMC. It contains information, including examples, to assist the applicant with the interpretation of the legislative provisions.
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This consultation
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This consultation document sets out our proposed changes. It includes text for specific licence sections, GM, AMC and appendices for Part 66 and relevant Part 145 content and the rationale behind each change.
We are carrying out a review of our approach to setting price controls (including the lessons learnt from H7 and NR23) to inform our overall approach to future price controls. We will conduct this work in consultation with relevant stakeholders and seek independent input and comment to help ensure we adopt a robust and objective approach. CAP2618 sets out our initial views on the scope of this lessons learnt review and on the key issues we should consider for the next price control reviews for HAL and NERL. We welcome views from stakeholders on these issues.
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Views invited
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We welcome views on all the proposals included in this document.
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We have decided to extend the deadline for responses to the consultation on the review of our approach (CAP 2618) to allow stakeholders to provide their views on all parts of the consultation, including the scope of the lessons learnt review, the key issues, the broader strategic issues and next steps. Responses to this consultation should be clearly labelled which area they are responding to and sent to economicregulation@caa.co.uk by 17:00 on 28 March 2024 (previously 20 March 2024 in the consultation document).
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___________________________________________
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We expect to publish the submissions we receive on our website as soon as practicable after the consultation period ends. Any material that is regarded as confidential should be clearly marked as such, with an explanation of why the information is confidential, and included in a separate annex. We have powers and duties with respect to the disclosure of information under Schedule 9 of the TA00, Section 59 of CAA12 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and it may be necessary to disclose information consistent with these requirements.
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Any questions related to this decision document should be sent to Stewart Carter at stewart.carter@caa.co.uk.
To carry out spaceflight activity in the UK spaceport and launch operators must be licensed by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
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\r\nAs part of their licence application, spaceport and launch operators are required to submit an Assessment of Environmental Effects (AEE). The purpose of the AEE is to ensure applicants have adequately considered any potential environmental effects of their intended activities and, if necessary have taken steps to avoid, mitigate or offset the risks and their potential effects.
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\r\nRocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) are applying for a launch operator licence. This consultation sets out their AEE:
\r\nThe proposals are for RFA to undertake up to 10 launches per year from SaxaVord Spaceport, located on the northeast of Unst, Shetland Islands. All launches will take place in a northerly direction over the sea. The launch system, assessed for the purposes of the AEE, consists of the preparation and vertical launch of the RFA ONE NOM launch vehicle.
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The RFA ONE NOM is approximately 40.5 metres long and 3.3 metres in diameter and is a three-stage liquid fuelled launch vehicle. The orbital launch vehicle will be operated to launch small satellites into a variety of orbits.
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\r\nFor spaceport and launch operator licenses the CAA must take into account the applicant’s assessments and the proposed measures to mitigate any significant environmental effects before a recommendation for approval can be granted.
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More information on the CAA’s approach to public consultation can be found by reading the following guidance document (CAP2352).
The CAA has been actively engaged on the topic of carbon monoxide (CO) in general aviation (GA) over the last three years and has undertaken multiple initiatives to raise GA pilot awareness of CO as well as the various prevention and protection measures that can be taken to mitigate the risk.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has launched a consultation on proposals for existing aerodromes that wish to accommodate VTOL aircraft. We anticipate that the initial eVTOL flights will take place from existing infrastructure, hence this consultation only applies to existing aerodromes and not bespoke vertiports.
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These proposals apply to all land-based aerodromes that wish to incorporate an area or “vertiport” for commercial VTOL aircraft operations. This design proposal is for VTOL aircraft in day and night Visual Flight Rule (VFR) operations; it does not cater for Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) and operations under Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC).
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The CAA defines a vertiport as a type of aerodrome or operating site that is used or intended to be used for the arrival, departure, and surface movement of VTOL aircraft.
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The CAA are consulting on aerodrome design where vertiports or areas for VTOL aircraft operations differ from that of traditional aerodromes. Comments from this consultation will inform our final design proposals that will form the requirements to supplement:
best practises for vertiport implementation at unlicensed aerodromes
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The CAA does not have enough validated VTOL aircraft performance and design data and therefore the provisions in this document are subject to change as that relevant information becomes available. Vertiport guidance is expected to evolve into a performance-based design standard, which may require increased or decreased dimensions to those in this document.
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The design proposals set out in this consultation will also form the initial basis of bespoke vertiport design, the further detail of which will be established once the VTOL aircraft manufacturers and operators provide further data.
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The factors on which we are consulting will place additional requirements on existing aerodromes should they want to establish VTOL aircraft operations. This includes the physical characteristics of the operating environment such as the design of operating areas, obstacle limitation surfaces and visual aids, as well as rescue and firefighting services. One fundamental licensing criterion requires the licence holder to establish and maintain an appropriate Safety Management System (SMS). This will remain the same as for all licensed aerodromes.
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The CAA is in parallel considering the circumstances in which unlicensed aerodromes that are looking to establish commercial VTOL aircraft operations, or a vertiport, may be required to obtain a licence. We will continue to engage with stakeholders on our initial proposals and carry out a separate consultation process in due course.
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International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) documentation does not currently support the novel inclusion of VTOL aircraft operations at an existing aerodrome. Where required, ICAO Annex 14 Vols I and II, as well as Document 9261: The Heliport Manual, have been consulted. The specifications provided for in this chapter are based on the principles of heliport and helicopter design, and on statistical analysis of the population of helicopters as described in Appendix A to Chapter 3 of the Heliport Manual. A review of the design specifications will be required for vertiport regulations once information from VTOL aircraft manufacturers has been made available.
\r\n", "id": "vertiport-design-proposal-for-existing-aerodrome"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2024/01/18", "enddate": "2024/02/15", "title": "Call for Evidence for the Impact Assessment for proposed new Fuel/Energy Planning Management regulations", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/policy-development/call-for-evidence-for-the-impact-assessment-for-pr/consult_view", "overview": "
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has today launched it's Call for Evidence for the Impact Assessment for proposed new Fuel/Energy Planning Management regulations.
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The Civil Aviation Authority has previously consulted on its proposal to amend the Implementing Rules (IRs) to implement Fuel/Energy Planning Management requirements during the period 24 April – 25 May 2023. \r\n \r\nWe invite stakeholders to give us your views, responses are requested by 15 February 2024.
\r\n", "id": "call-for-evidence-for-the-impact-assessment-for-pr"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2024/01/08", "enddate": "2024/02/09", "title": "VTOL using battery for propulsion", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/rpas/vtol-using-battery-for-propulsion/consult_view", "overview": "
This document presents UK Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) position on battery handling rules for VTOL aircraft using battery for propulsion. It highlights the overall approach to battery handling for VTOL aircraft and is directed at operators of battery or hybrid powered VTOL aircraft, operations performed using battery powered aircraft, and aerodrome operators servicing such VTOL aircraft.
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Responses are requested by 9th February 2024 .
\r\n", "id": "vtol-using-battery-for-propulsion"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2024/01/03", "enddate": "2024/02/07", "title": "Prohibition of Supersonic, Transonic and Hypersonic Flight over land", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/air-traffic-management/prohibition-of-supersonic-transonic-and-hypersonic/consult_view", "overview": "
The existing Rules of the Air Regulations (UK Reg (EU) No 923/2012) permit, by omission, instrument flight rules (IFR) flights to be undertaken at supersonic and hypersonic speeds over land, and the environmental implications on the ground (due to the effects of sonic booms) of such flights are potentially significant. Consequently, we propose to amend to UK Reg (EU) No 923/2012 to prohibit supersonic IFR flight over land unless approved by the competent authority.
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Additionally, we propose to amend SERA.5005 Visual Flight Rules (VFR) to include the prohibition of hypersonic flight over land (transonic and supersonic flight over land are already prohibited by the current rules). This aligns the rules for both IFR and VFR flights over land.
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Post Concorde, there have been no commercial aircraft capable of hypersonic or supersonic flight; this has resulted in policy in this area not being reviewed due to a lack of requirement. However, with several manufacturers now actively working on the development of new commercial aircraft types that will be capable of supersonic and hypersonic speeds, with a stated desire to commence flights in mid to late 2020s, a review of policy is now necessary.
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Flights at hypersonic or supersonic speeds can create an acoustic effect known as a ‘sonic boom.’ This is the manifestation of the shock wave created by the aircraft flying at supersonic or hypersonic speeds and the environmental implications on the ground of such flights are potentially significant.
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The effects of a sonic boom can vary dependent on several factors including, but not limited to, sensitivity of the individual on the ground, weather, surrounding background noise and whether someone is likely to be anticipating a sonic boom. Without the ability to predict or control these factors, the only way to prevent the impacts of sonic booms is to prohibit flights which have the potential to create such events.
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This is intended to be an interim-measure which provides the flexibility to support research and development and the subsequent certification of ‘low-boom’ aircraft through the power afforded to the competent authority to approve such flights, whilst still ensuring the protection of people on the ground.
\r\n", "id": "prohibition-of-supersonic-transonic-and-hypersonic"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2024/01/05", "enddate": "2024/02/02", "title": "Adoption of new Special Conditions in relation to Airworthiness of Part 21 aircraft ", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/airworthiness-policy-team/part-21-aircraft-airworthiness-special-conditions/consult_view", "overview": "
A Decision was taken by the CAA to adopt all airworthiness Special Conditions (SC) published by EASA on or before 31 December 2020. A number of SC and associated Means of Compliance were published by EASA after that date, which due to its step-by-step decision-making process were in draft form prior to 31 December 2020 or had at least in part been substantially formed or considered (eg through preliminary Opinions, Notice of Proposed Amendments, Rulemaking Task discussions). CAA experts contributed to these earlier documents and discussions, upon which the final published SC have been based.
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The CAA intends to introduce into its regulatory framework the Special Conditions developed and published by EASA on or after 1 January 2021. Your feedback will help us to better understand the potential issues or improvements before we finalise these.
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What are Special Conditions?
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Special Conditions are detailed technical specifications prescribed by the CAA for a product where the related current Certification Specifications (CS) do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for that product. This is usually because the product has novel or unusual design features relative to the design practices on which the applicable CS are based.
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Special Conditions are developed to provide further direction to OEMs on how these safety requirements can be met.
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This consultation
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The CAA is consulting on the approach to adopt EASA Special Conditions at their latest version, consisting of the following documents.
\r\n", "id": "part-21-aircraft-airworthiness-special-conditions"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2023/12/20", "enddate": "2024/01/31", "title": "Economic regulation: Consultation on Statement of Policy on Penalties under Chapter 1 of Transport Act 2000", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/economic-regulation/policy-on-penalties-under-ch-1-of-ta-2000/consult_view", "overview": "
We are reviewing our approach to our enforcement powers under the Transport Act 2000 (“TA00”) in the light of the changes introduced to the TA00 by section 10 of the Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Act 2021 (“ATMUAA21”). As part of this, we are now consulting on a draft statement of policy on penalties to support our enforcement work under the TA00.
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Views invited
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\r\n
We are seeking views on the approach set out in this draft statement of policy on penalties from stakeholders with an interest in our enforcement work under Chapter 1 of the TA00.
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Please e-mail responses to economicregulation@caa.co.uk by no later than 31 January 2024. We cannot commit to take into account representations received after this date.
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Once the consultation has closed, we will consider all responses carefully. Please note that any non-confidential responses to the consultation may be published on our website. Any material that is regarded as confidential should be clearly marked as such and included in a separate annex. Please note that we have powers and duties with respect to information under section 102 and Schedule 9 of the TA00 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
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If you would like to discuss any aspect of this consultation, please email Pedro.Pinto@caa.co.uk.
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________________________________________
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We expect to publish the representations on our website for other interested parties to read after the period for written representations expires. Any material that is regarded as confidential should be clearly marked as such and provided in a separate appendix. Please note that we have powers and duties with respect to information under Section 102 of the Act and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
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 cyber attacks. It will also support the ICAO Aviation Cybersecurity Strategy (link to external website: icao.int), and will ensure the UK is compliant with ICAO Annexes and SARPs.
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The regulation introduces new requirements on aviation organisations for the management of cyber security risks that could impact the safety and security of civil aviation, and will encompass aerodromes, air operations, aircrew, air traffic management, maintenance organisations as well as design and production organisations.
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The CAA expects the introduction of this regulation to enhance safety and security through:
\r\n\r\n
\r\n\t
an increased level of safety, protecting civil aviation from information security risks and making it more resilient to information security events and incidents;
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an economic benefit for the organisations, helping to protect against the potential for liability costs and the operational and reputational damage caused by cyber incidents
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Regulation
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Regulations contain requirements which must be complied with. The CAA’s statutory role is to consider the required content of regulations, consult on our proposed changes to the regulations, take consultation responses into account before forming a final view and then communicate that view to the Secretary of State (Department for Transport) in the form of an Opinion. Our Opinions are published. The Secretary of State makes the final decision whether to implement CAA’s proposed changes to the regulations, and the final wording of the regulations. The proposed wording of the regulations in this consultation may well change if and when the Secretary of State decides to amend the regulations.
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The CAA’s proposal is to introduce a standalone regulation relating to information security risks, and to make incidental amendments to the existing regulatory framework to incorporate this new regulation into the legal requirements for industry.
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Acceptable Means of Compliance and Guidance Material
\r\n\r\n
Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) are means by which the requirements in the Implementing Rule and the Essential Requirements of the Basic Regulation to which it relates can be met. However, entities may show compliance by other means.
\r\n\r\n
An entity may choose to offer an Alternative Means of Compliance (AltMoC) which must be reviewed and accepted by the CAA. However, it is important to note they will lose the presumption of compliance provided by the CAA AMC so it is essential for the operator to demonstrate that the AltMoC meets the intent of the Implementing Rule and the Essential Requirements of the Basic Regulation.
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Guidance Material (GM) is non-binding and provides explanatory and interpretation material on how to achieve the requirements in the law and the AMC. It contains information, including examples, to assist the applicant with the interpretation of the legislative provisions.
\r\n\r\n
This consultation
\r\n\r\n
The first document presented in this consultation contains the outline structure of the regulation, which includes the scope of applicability.
The second document in this consultation includes the Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM) associated with this regultation.
This consultation contains the proposed amendments to the next edition of CAP1724: Flying Display Pilot Authorisation and Evaluation: Requirements and Guidance (Edition 6), which are planned to be effective from mid-February 2024.
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Why we are consulting
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It is vital that CAP1724 is up-to-date and relevant to allow the display industry to prosper whilst maintaining public safety at all times. Feedback from the regulated community is crucial in supporting this.
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In addition, this feedback will assist in ensuring that the regulations governing the gaining, maintenance and evaluation of Display Authorisations are proportionate, clear and unambiguous.
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This consultation period allows the regulated community to provide feedback on the changes to CAP1724 ahead of the forthcoming 2024 Display Season.
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.
\r\n\r\n
We believe these proposals represent a balanced approach to delivering our regulatory obligations today and enabling the sector to grow in the future, improving our efficiency in line with the commitments made in the Arm’s Length Body review of the CAA and taking account of the interests of those who pay our charges.
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We welcome feedback on these proposals, in particular from those we regulate, in relation to the proposed charging structure and the level of charges. Please could all responses be submitted through this site to ensure we are able to respond to your feedback as efficiently as possible.
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The consultation is open for an eight-week period and closes at midnight on the 15 January 2024. Following the consultation period, we will publish a response document reflecting the consultation feedback received from industry and the Secretary of State for Transport.
\r\n", "id": "uk-caa-scheme-of-charges-24-25"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2023/11/22", "enddate": "2024/01/10", "title": "Review of UK UAS Regulations ", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/rpas/review-of-uk-uas-regulations-consultation/consult_view", "overview": "
The CAA have launched a consultation on proposals to make it easier for drone users to fly safely and meet regulatory requirements.
\r\n\r\n
The proposals are based on feedback from the drone community in a previous Call for Input. Proposals include introduction of product requirements for drones, extension of Flyer ID training to users of drones under 250g, introduction of Remote ID and extension of time period to adopt class-marked drones by 2 years.
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 evaluate the proposed mitigations through verification and validation.
\r\n\r\n
Our intention is that the hydrogen sandbox will enable appropriate stakeholders to test hydrogen technologies and show how the proposed mitigations will either comply with or close gaps in current CAA regulations. This outcome of testing will enable the proposal of recommendations to create new hydrogen policies.
\r\n\r\n
The call is open to individual organisations or consortia working on developing and using hydrogen as an aviation fuel.
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.
\r\n", "id": "pilot-medical-declaration-pmd-phase-2-review"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2023/11/29", "enddate": "2023/12/22", "title": "CAP 403 Flying Displays and Special Events: Safety and administrative requirements and guidance 2024", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/ga/copy-of-cap403-2023/consult_view", "overview": "
\r\n", "id": "copy-of-cap403-2023"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2023/10/25", "enddate": "2023/12/06", "title": "Policy for the establishment and operation of Special Use Airspace", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/safety-and-airspace-regulation-group/policy-for-the-establishment-and-operation-of-spec/consult_view", "overview": "
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 awareness of all airspace users.
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Our draft Policy for the establishment and operation of Special Use Airspace document can be found at the bottom of this page.
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It will improve efficiency and enable better integration of all airspace users by building towards and enabling the strategic objectives of the Airspace Modernisation Strategy 2023–2040.
The engagement period will end on 6th December 2023 (an engagement period of 6 weeks). We cannot commit to taking into account comments received after this date.
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How to respond
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You can submit your comments by clicking the link below and answering the questions that include a mixture of multiple choice and free-text answers. When you complete the information at the beginning of the survey there is an option for you to request that your identity is withheld when your submission is published, or to refuse publication. In the interests of transparency, we hope that you will not refuse publication.
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If you require any of this information in an alternative format, please contact: airspace.policy@caa.co.uk.
\r\n", "id": "policy-for-the-establishment-and-operation-of-spec"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2023/11/02", "enddate": "2023/11/30", "title": "Proposed changes to the advertising element of the cost sharing regulations", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/ga/proposed-change-advertising-cost-share-regulations/consult_view", "overview": "
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 General Aviation flying compared to Commercial Air Transport flights.
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Our proposals on advertising of cost sharing flights, which we are now consulting on, have been developed as the result of concerns raised by respondents to the first open public consultation. We published our response to the public consultation in December 2022 which confirmed our position and what changes would be made to the cost sharing regulation. Since then, we have continued to engage with stakeholders whilst we work to finalise our recommendations for legislative change.
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We are now seeking to gain the views of the public on these additional advertising proposals as they represent significant changes to the measures outlined in the initial consultation and subsequent response document.
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We are providing the GA community with this additional opportunity to input their views on the advertising of cost sharing flights through this additional consultation before the policy is finalised.
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This consultation document concentrates solely on the advertising element of the proposed changes to the cost sharing rules.
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.
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The CAA is using existing legislation for the regulation of VTOL operations to the greatest extent possible, as we appreciate that our collective understanding of the new technology will grow as designs mature and operations commence. This understanding will inform the CAA’s ongoing work of amending existing legislation to better enable deployment of new aviation technologies such as VTOL operations.
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This CAA policy statement aims at highlighting the overall approach to type-certification for VTOL aircraft.
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The deadline for responses has been extended and they are requested by 20 November 2023.
\r\n", "id": "type-certification-of-vtol-aircraft"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2023/10/16", "enddate": "2023/11/20", "title": "Licensing Pilots of VTOL-Capable Aircraft ", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/policy-development/licensing-pilots-of-vtol-capable-aircraft/consult_view", "overview": "
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 continue to work with stakeholders to enhance our understanding of the technology and how it is to be operated. This policy statement only concerns the conversion of existing commercial pilot licenses, to allow operations to be initiated. Ab-initio training and other training routes will be developed in due course.
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The deadline for responses has been extended and they are requested by 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 enhance our understanding of the technology and how it is to be operated. It enables industry to plan for future operations while detailed rulemaking takes place.
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The deadline for responses has been extended and they are requested by 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 be operated. It enables industry to plan for future operations while detailed rulemaking takes place.
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The deadline for responses has been extended and they are requested by 20 November 2023.
\r\n", "id": "continuing-airworthiness-of-vtol-aircraft"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2023/09/07", "enddate": "2023/10/09", "title": "RPAS DiSCO Stakeholder Working Group Application", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/rpas/rpas-disco-stakeholder-working-group-application/consult_view", "overview": "
The Digitising Specific Category Operations (DiSCO) project will play a key role in enabling scalable Beyond-Visual-Line-of-Sight (BVLOS) RPAS operations in the UK, transforming the operational authorisation process for Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) in the Specific Category. The project comprises four key elements looking at risk assessment, pilot competence, flightworthiness, and a new online application tool. \r\n \r\nTo achieve this, the project will deliver a new globally standardised approach to RPAS risk assessment (SORA), an expanded and enhanced remote pilot competency framework, and a new flightworthiness scheme that allows operators to demonstrate the robustness of their RPAS through assessment by an external Recognised Assessment Entity (RAE). These elements will be brought together within a new online application tool that provides a streamlined and user-friendly process that supports operators in applying for and receiving operational authorisations. \r\n \r\nTo do this, we are establishing the DiSCO Stakeholder Working Group to facilitate engagement, consultation, and collaboration between the CAA and industry.
\r\n", "id": "rpas-disco-stakeholder-working-group-application"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2023/08/15", "enddate": "2023/09/15", "title": "The adoption of EASA Design related Certification Specifications", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/policy-development/the-adoption-of-easa-design-related-certification/consult_view", "overview": "
Consultation
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Proposal to adopt a simplified approach to the adoption of Certification Specifications (CS) used to support compliance demonstration under the Basic Regulation (EU) 2018/1139.
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For Regulation (EU) 748/2012 (the UK Initial Airworthiness Regulation) as retained and amended in UK domestic law) under the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018.
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The issue
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Certification Specifications (CS) are established by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) using the provisions of Article 76 and 115 of the Basic Regulation and provide design and performance specifications for use in the aircraft design certification process.
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The Basic Regulation requires the CAA to establish transparent procedures for issuing opinions, certification specifications and acceptable means of compliance material.
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In the case of certification specifications and other detailed specifications, the CAA is required to establish a procedure for the prior consultation of relevant stakeholders before adoption. These obligations are currently fulfilled through the CAA running an individual consultation exercise for each update to a specific certification specification.
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Certification specifications and their equivilent are developed by major regulators such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), Transport Canada and the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) in Brazil, with extensive input from the aircraft design and manufacturing community. Their contents are developed, consulted on and amended with both the adequacy of the specification and technical harmonisation in mind.
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Stakeholders can provide inputs at several stages of the development process i.e., during the development of the change and when these proposals are subject to consultation by the FAA, EASA, etc.
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The CAA supports the development of harmonised certification specifications and wishes to ensure that stakeholders can make use of new and updated CS without undue delay after they are published. Consequently, the CAA would like to implement an abridged adoption process that would not result in an additional round of consultation in the United Kingdom after other significant regulators have published a new or revised certification specification.
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Expediting adoption and would help to increase the competitiveness of UK businesses, while continuing to recognise the value of the internationally harmonised specifications.
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This will enable British businesses to design and produce products, parts and articles, that when certified by the CAA can be exported without the need for redesign to meet the specifications implemented in other major regulatory systems.
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Policy proposal
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Following an internal review the CAA proposes to adopt new and revised Certification Specifications issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency without further consultation, unless the CAA considers there are deficiencies in these Certification Specifications.
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In this case, the CAA will develop its own proposal and conduct an individual consultation exercise with relevant stakeholders, before making a final decision to adopt the new or revised Certification Specification.
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The Certification Specifications included in the scope of this proposal are:
\r\n\r\n
\r\n\t
UK AMC 20
\r\n\t
CS-22 - Sailplanes and Powered Sailplanes
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CS-23 - AMC/GM Issue 3 Normal-Category Aeroplanes
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CS-25 - Large Aeroplanes
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CS-27 - Small Rotorcraft
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CS-29 - Large Rotorcraft
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CS-31 - GB Gas Balloons, HB Hot Air Balloons, TGB Tethered Gas Balloons
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CS-34 - Aircraft Engine Emissions and Fuel Venting
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CS-36 - Aircraft Noise
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CS-APU - Auxiliary Power Units
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CS-AWO - Initial issue All Weather Operations
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CS-CCD - Cabin Crew Data
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CS-CO2 - Aeroplane CO2 Emissions
\r\n\t
CS-DEF - Definitions and abbreviations used in Certification Specifications for products, parts and appliances
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CS-E - Certification Specifications and Acceptable Means of Compliance for Engines
\r\n\t
CS-ETSO - European Technical Standard Orders
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CS-FCD - Initial issue Operational Suitability Data Flight Crew Data
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CS-MCSD - Maintenance Certifying Staff Data
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CS-GEN-MMEL - Generic Master Minimum Equipment List issue
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CS-LSA - Light Sport Aeroplanes
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CS-MMEL - Master Minimum Equipment List
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CS-P - Propellers
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CS-SIMD - Simulator Data
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CS-STAN - Standard Changes and Standard Repairs
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CS-VLA - Very Light Aeroplanes
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CS-VLR - Very Light Rotorcraft
\r\n\t
CS-ACNS - Airborne Communications, Navigation and Surveillance
\r\n
\r\n", "id": "the-adoption-of-easa-design-related-certification"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2023/08/09", "enddate": "2023/09/07", "title": "Call for Input: Review of UK UAS Regulations", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/rpas/call-for-input-review-of-uk-uas-regulations/consult_view", "overview": "\r\n\r\n
As uptake of Unmanned Aviation Systems (UAS) grows, regulation needs to effectively mitigate safety and security risks, whilst meeting the needs of UAS users. The CAA is currently reviewing UK UAS regulation to ensure it is fit for the future and that safety and security risks are proportionately mitigated.
\r\n\r\n
This Call for Input seeks views from UAS stakeholders on opportunities to improve regulation of UAS. Feedback will be used by CAA, in addition to other evidence and analysis, to inform a future consultation on the changes we propose to progress.
\r\n\r\n
Responses to this Call for Input are required by 7 September 2023.
\r\n\r\n
Stakeholders should read the Call for Input document before completing the Online Response Form below.
\r\n", "id": "drone-safety-advice-and-education-feedback"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2023/07/05", "enddate": "2023/08/23", "title": "The Future of Remote Pilot Competency in the Specific Category", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/rpas/remote-pilot-competency-rpcwg/consult_view", "overview": "
The purpose of this consultation is to share the CAA’s proposal for the future of remote pilot (RP) competency in the specific category and provide an update on the progress of supporting policy workstreams. We are keen to receive feedback on our proposal from all UAS industry stakeholders.
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The proposal
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The proposal covers a wide range of RPAS policy work including:
\r\n\r\n
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Rulemaking to establish RAEs under an improved legal basis such as the UK Regulation (EU) 2018/1139, the Basic Regulation
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Establishing medical standards for RPs in the specific category
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Developing a framework for the future of RP competency
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Developing the supporting RP competency policy, AMC, and GM
\r\n
\r\n", "id": "remote-pilot-competency-rpcwg"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2023/07/13", "enddate": "2023/08/18", "title": "CAP670 Air Traffic Services for ATM Regulatory Compliance and Interoperability", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/air-traffic-management/atm-regulatory-compliance-and-interoperability/consult_view", "overview": "
Regulation (EU) 552/2004 (the Interoperability Regulation) is repealed in full on 12 September 2023. The CAA is consulting on an interim arrangement to continue to require ANSPs to provide documented evidence to demonstrate compliance with other Interoperability Regulations as listed in the associated consultation documents, ICAO Annexes, the Basic Regulation Essential Requirements, and other existing Means of Compliance in CAP 670, as part of the Air Navigation Order Article 205 approval process.
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Currently a Technical File, Declarations of Verification and manufacturer Declarations of Suitability for Use are required under Regulations (EU) 552/2004. Broadly, the CAA proposes that the documentation stakeholders are required to provide will remain similar as that used prior to September 2023, however, declarations will no longer be used, rather it is proposed that new forms will be used to record verification activities and to summarise manufacturer evidence of compliance.
\r\n\r\n
To achieve the policy objective and provide clarity to stakeholders how they should demonstrate compliance with the relevant regulations and relevant Articles of the ANO the CAA proposes to add a new section to CAP 670 Part B, ‘APP 05 Regulatory Compliance and Interoperability’, including Means of Compliance requesting ANSPs to provide this documentation. Updated guidance will also be provided on the CAA Website. Subject to consultation, the proposed changes to CAP 670 will be initially introduced as a Supplementary Amendment.
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In the longer term the CAA intends to establish a new regulatory framework for ATM interoperability, taking into account international developments in this area. The new UK regulatory framework will be subject to separate consultation.
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What is AMC and GM?
\r\n\r\n
For existing UK national law (i.e. the ANO and the Regulations published under the powers in the ANO) the criteria the CAA will use for determining whether a requirement in the law has been met will be published in CAPs.
\r\n\r\n
AMC are means by which the requirements in the Implementing Rule and the Essential Requirements of the Basic Regulation to which it relates, can be met; However, entities may show compliance by other means.
\r\n\r\n
Guidance is non-binding and provides explanatory and interpretation material on how to achieve the requirements in the law. It contains information, including examples, to assist the applicant with the interpretation of the legislative provisions.
\r\n\r\n
This consultation
\r\n\r\n
This CAP consultation relates to (1) a Supplementary Amendment to CAP 670 ‘Air Traffic Services Safety Requirements’ and (2) new Means of Compliance entitled Introduction of a new Section APP 05 Regulatory Compliance and Interoperability
\r\n\r\n
Other information such as the CAA Website guidance, templates and forms are provided for information but not subject to the subject of this consultation. However consultees may identify where they consider further guidance is necessary at anytime.
\r\n", "id": "atm-regulatory-compliance-and-interoperability"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2023/06/07", "enddate": "2023/07/28", "title": "Economic regulation of Gatwick Airport Limited: consultation on proposal to extend the current commitments", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/economic-regulation/gatwick-airport-limited-commitments/consult_view", "overview": "
Our economic regulation of Gatwick Airport Limited (GAL) is based on a commitments framework that is intended to be a proportionate and targeted approach to economic regulation, which encourages bilateral contracting and facilitates commercial rather than regulator-led decision making.
\r\n\r\n
The current commitments were introduced in 2021 and cover the four year period to 31 March 2025. Following discussions with airlines, GAL has submitted a proposal to extend the current commitments by four years from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2029.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is responsible for the enforcement of UK Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006 concerning the rights of disabled and less mobile persons when travelling by air. This applies to all flights from the UK and flights to the UK on UK and EU registered carriers. This legislation is intended to ensure that such people have the same opportunities for air travel as others, in particular that they have the same rights to free movement, freedom of choice and non-discrimination.
\r\n\r\n
In 2014 the CAA introduced a UK wide Airport Accessibility Performance Framework. We consider that in general the framework has been successful in driving improved compliance with UK Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006 and improving the overall quality of assistance at many UK airports. We have been heartened by the positive and constructive way in which airports have embraced the framework and its aims.
\r\n\r\n
The CAA is now considering developing a similar framework for airlines. This consultation seeks stakeholder’s views on the CAA’s proposal to develop an Airlines Accessibility Performance Framework.
\r\n\r\n
Consultation documents
\r\n\r\n
CAP 2486: Performance framework for airline accessibility sets out the work undertaken by the CAA to date for the potential development of an Airlines Accessibility Framework and seeks views from stakeholders. It includes the questions in each section.
\r\n", "id": "performance-framework-for-airline-accessibility"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2023/05/02", "enddate": "2023/06/02", "title": "Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) related to UK Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 (the UK Aircrew Regulation)", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/safety-and-airspace-regulation-group/amc-no-1178-2011-the-uk-aircrew-regulation/consult_view", "overview": "
The Civil Aviation Authority is proposing an update within the Learning Objectives (LO) of Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) related to UK Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011.
\r\n\r\n
These amendments are to direct Training Providers and Students to the latest International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) documents related to the subject of the LOs stated within AMC1 FCL.310; FCL.515(b); FCL.615(b); FCL.825(d) Theoretical knowledge examinations.
\r\n\r\n
The intent of this is to reduce the possibility of negative learning.
\r\n\r\n
This consultation
\r\n\r\n
The purpose of the consultation is to gain feedback from industry and the wider public on the proposed amendments to:
Proposed replacement text is set out in each LO section of the online survey.
\r\n", "id": "amc-no-1178-2011-the-uk-aircrew-regulation"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2023/04/24", "enddate": "2023/05/25", "title": "All Weather Operations and Fuel/Energy Planning and Management", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/airworthiness-policy-team/all-weather-operations-fuel-energy-planning/consult_view", "overview": "
While the UK was still part of the EU the CAA worked very closely with both ICAO and EASA on developing a performance and risk-based set of regulations that would:
\r\n\r\n
\r\n\t
Facilitate the use of new technological advances enhancing situational awareness;
\r\n\t
Facilitate the operation of helicopters in low visibility conditions;
\r\n\t
Enhance all aspects of initial and recurrent pilot training;
\r\n\t
Harmonise the UK legislative framework relating to flight operations, flight crew licensing and aerodromes with ICAO amendments to Annexes 6 and 14, in particular amendment 44 to Annex 6 Part I, Amendment 37 of Annex 6 Part II, Amendment 23 of Annex 6 Part III and ICAO Doc 9365;
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Introduce changes to fuel/energy planning and management as a result of new ICAO SARPs to Annex 6 Part I via Amendment 38 to ICAO Doc 9976 Flight Planning and Fuel Management (FPFM) Manual.
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Due to delays in implementation within the EU caused by the COVID-19 pandemic these provisions were not part of the legislation retained in UK law at EU Exit.
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The CAA is therefore now considering the regulatory requirements necessary to:
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Introduce the concept of ‘fuel schemes’ for Commercial Air Transport (CAT) which will take into consideration the interrelationships of the operators’ fuel planning policy, in-flight fuel management and the selection of aerodromes;
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Amend Annex VII (Part-NCO) and Annex VIII (Part-SPO) to enable a more performance-based approach with regard to the Final Reserve Fuel (FRF) including moving some of the regulatory requirements to AMC and GM;
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Address fuel issues that are specific to helicopter operations;
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Allow for better integration and use of new, advanced technology as well as new operational procedures to support All Weather Operations (AWOs);
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Ensure the availability of aerodrome infrastructure (including meteorological equipment), information and procedures to support AWOs;
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Allow for the use of enhanced flight vision systems (EFVS) to the maximum extent possible (e.g. EFVS to land);
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Allow for safe helicopter flights under instrument flight rules (IFR), using point-in-space (PinS) approaches and departures; and
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Improve the existing mandatory crew training and checking requirements for air operators by addressing initial and recurrent training and checking, the conditions for the operation on more than one aircraft type or variant, the acceptance of previous training and checking by non-commercial operators, and multi-pilot operations of single-pilot certified helicopters.
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The purpose of the consultation is to gain feedback from industry and the wider public on the proposed amendments to:
Any changes the CAA proposes to ask the Secretary of State to make to the Regulations following this consultation are anticipated to be laid before Parliament in a Statutory Instrument (SI) on 30 November 2023. The CAA’s proposals for transitional arrangements to give industry time to comply with any new requirements are set out within this consultation.
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The CAA will also develop Acceptable Means of Compliance, Guidance Material and Certification Standards necessary to support the implementation of any changes to the regulatory requirements. It is anticipated that these will be published in draft form as part of another consultation ahead of the SI being laid, with a final version published as close to the laying of the SI as possible.
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Previous consultations
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The UK participated in work with EASA to develop AWO rulemaking task (RMT 0379) and Fuel/energy planning and management (RMT 0573). These tasks were subject to consultation through the EASA Notice of Proposed Amendment (NPA) process while the UK was still a member of the EU. The output of this process was Commission Implementing Regulations (EU) 2021/2227 (for Flight Crew Licensing), 2021/2237 and 2021/1296 (for Air Operations) and Commission Delegated Regulation 2022/208 (for Aerodromes). Interested UK stakeholders played a significant part in the development of these tasks. While the UK CAA has not yet directly consulted with UK industry on the proposed changes, respondents to this consultation would have had the opportunity to comment on similar changes while the UK was a member of EASA.
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This consultation
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This consultation document relates to the Air Operations, Aircrew and Aerodromes Regulations.
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The proposed changes cover areas including:
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All Weather Operations
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Fuel/Energy Planning and Management
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Flight crew licensing and training; and
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Aerodromes infrastructure
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Regulations
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Regulations (also called Implementing Rules or IRs) contain requirements which must be complied with. The CAA’s statutory role is to consider the required content of the regulations, consult on our proposed changes to the regulations, take consultation responses into account before forming a final view and then communicating that view to the Secretary of State (Department for Transport) in the form of an Opinion. Our Opinions are published. The Secretary of State makes the final decision whether to implement CAA’s proposed changes to the regulations, and on the final wording of the regulations. The proposed wording of the regulations in this consultation may well change if and when the Secretary of State decides to amend the regulations.
This consultation seeks your views on defining the scope of the environmental assessments for the airspace change masterplan.
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The airspace change masterplan is being developed by the Airspace Change Organising Group (ACOG) to coordinate airspace changes that will upgrade and modernise UK airspace at a system level. Our consultation is not about the content of the masterplan or the modernisation programme more generally - ACOG will carry out its own public engagement exercise about that, beginning later this year.
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To ensure that environmental impact considerations are integrated into the development of the masterplan, the CAA must ensure that the masterplan is subject to a strategic environmental assessment(SEA) and a Habitats Regulations assessment (HRA). These assessments are a legal requirement.
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The first stage of each of these assessments is to decide what they must cover, including the methodology we propose to use. We are therefore seeking your views on our proposals, which are set out in:
We are also taking this opportunity to seek your views on our approach to producing, later on, the actual SEA and HRA assessments themselves. We have set this out in a third document, Approach to the SEA and HRA.
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All three reports have been produced for the CAA by specialist advisers.
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Once we have decided what each assessment will cover, work will begin on the actual environmental assessments for both SEA and HRA as the masterplan is developed. We will consult on those assessments later.
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Information about the consultation
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We have grouped this under five headings. Click on each for more information.
UK airspace is an invisible but vital piece of our national infrastructure. The basic design has remained the same for decades, despite technological advances and an increase in demand from airspace users. Modernisation is long overdue and is critical to ensure that UK airspace is fit for purpose in the future. The Department for Transport and CAA are working together to deliver it through an Airspace Modernisation Strategy.
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Airspace modernisation will be achieved, in part, through of a series of individual airspace change proposals initiated by airports (for routes close to airports) and the en-route air traffic control provider NATS (for upper airspace routes connecting airports). The airspace changes proposed by these ‘sponsors’ are being coordinated by the Airspace Change Organising Group (ACOG), which was set up to prepare an airspace change masterplan. The masterplan is a single coordinated implementation plan for airspace changes in the UK up to 2040 to upgrade the UK’s airspace and deliver the objectives of airspace modernisation at a system level. The masterplan must be consistent with the delivery of airspace modernisation as described in the Airspace Modernisation Strategy.
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The masterplan will:
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identify where and when airspace change proposals need to be developed in coordination to support delivery of the objectives of the CAA’s Airspace Modernisation Strategy
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describe how individual airspace change proposals relate to each other (i.e. interdependencies) and where there are potential conflicts in their proposed designs
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explain how trade-off decisions to resolve those conflicts have been made
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set out the proposed timelines for implementation of the individual airspace changes
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demonstrate the anticipated cumulative impact of the airspace change proposals.
The CAA has accepted that ACOG can organise the airports involved in the masterplan into four geographical ‘clusters’, as shown in the diagram below (TMA means Terminal Control Area).
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Airspace change proposals in one cluster can thus progress at their own speed without delaying those in other parts of the UK. Each cluster also has at least one NATS airspace change proposal to connect the airports to the network.
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The London TMA is expected to be implemented in phases, which are referred to as ‘deployments’. Northern Ireland is not currently in scope of the masterplan.
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Masterplan iterations
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The masterplan is being produced by ACOG in iterations. More detail is added with each iteration as the individual airspace change proposals are themselves developed. The CAA and Department for Transport check that each submission of the masterplan covers the right material. The CAA then decides whether to accept it into our Airspace Modernisation Strategy.
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Iteration 1 was assessed, but did not need to be accepted because it was only a high-level plan. Iteration 2 of the masterplan was accepted in January 2022. ACOG is currently working on Iteration 3. For the Scottish TMA, ACOG expects to submit Iteration 3 to the CAA for assessment in summer 2023. Submissions of Iteration 3 for other clusters will follow. The final iteration of the masterplan for each ‘cluster’ or deployment, Iteration 4, will act as a framework for the constituent airspace change proposals.
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For Iteration 3 and Iteration 4, ACOG will show how the SEA and HRA have been taken into account in developing the masterplan.
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Iteration 3
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Iteration 3 will describe the proposed airspace structure and route network envisaged by the airspace change proposals when viewed as a collective, but without the detailed designs of all the routes. It will explain the specific airspace design trade-offs between interdependent airspace change proposals in greater detail than Iteration 2, with more information about the cumulative impacts of different design choices and the methods used to calculate them.
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ACOG will create Iteration 3 by working with the sponsors of the constituent airspace change proposals to incorporate the outputs that are available from the ‘options appraisals’ that form part of the CAA's CAP 1616 airspace change process. The options appraisal is used by the airspace change sponsor to determine, in a transparent way, which option(s) to take forward to the public consultation on their airspace design.
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For each interdependency, ACOG will coordinate input from the airspace change sponsors concerned as to what types of solutions could potentially be deployed in the masterplan to resolve any conflicts between their collective airspace change proposals for them to work as a system. Iteration 3 will describe the intended approach to coordinating the CAP 1616 consultations within the relevant cluster or deployment. It will include the high-level consultation plans of constituent airspace change proposals and ensure stakeholders understand how they will be able to respond.
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As part of Iteration 3, ACOG is developing a ‘cumulative assessment framework’ tool to guide sponsors in assessing the cumulative impacts (positive or negative) of different options in interdependent airspace change proposals, and thus inform the decision to choose their preferred design option(s).
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Iteration 4
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Iteration 4 will describe the final proposed trade-offs between interdependent airspace change proposals, taking account of the outputs of the sponsors’ coordinated consultations. It will provide a description of the proposed airspace structure and route network when viewed as a collective, but without the detailed designs of all the routes.
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ACOG public engagement exercise
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Prior to submitting Iteration 3 to the CAA, we expect ACOG to run a public engagement exercise.
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Later on in the process, each sponsor will also run a consultation about the specific airspace design of its airspace change proposal, coordinated within each cluster as needed. For the Scottish TMA, those consultations would probably be in the first half of 2024.
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Through its public engagement exercise, ACOG would make stakeholders aware of those CAP 1616 consultations on airspace change proposals, how they are linked together, and how stakeholders can feed back on trade-off decisions that will have to be made that may affect them. We expect ACOG to undertake targeted engagement with affected stakeholders, including a series of regional engagements as the proposals in each cluster progress.
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You can read more about the masterplan on the CAA and ACOG websites.
SEA is an iterative process of gathering data and evidence, assessment of environmental effects, developing mitigation measures and making recommendations to refine plans or programmes in view of the predicted environmental effects. The aim is to influence strategic decisions taken early on, to take account of alternatives and assess the cumulative effects of multiple proposals. The SEA complements the more specific assessment of environmental impacts carried out by each sponsor of individual airspace change proposals through the CAP 1616 process. The SEA must be kept up to date through monitoring as the masterplan is developed and implemented.
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SEA is wide-ranging in terms of the scope of environmental impact and is not just confined to noise or emissions. Also in scope are issues such as biodiversity, population, human health, fauna, flora, soil, water, air, climatic factors, material assets, cultural heritage including architectural and archaeological heritage, landscapes and the interrelationship between these factors.
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HRArefers to the several distinct stages of assessment which must be undertaken in accordance with law on conservation of habitats and species. HRA determines the potential effects of the masterplan on protected sites, referred to as ‘European sites’, in view of the sites’ conservation objectives. The first stage of the process is screening for ‘likely significant effects’. Any potential adverse effects which are not screened out at the first stage are taken forward to detailed assessment (called the ‘appropriate assessment’).
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If we are not satisfied that adverse effects on integrity can be ruled out, the CAA can only accept the masterplan by relying on a legal derogation. To rely on the derogation, the CAA must satisfy itself that there are no alternative solutions, and that the masterplan must nevertheless be accepted for ‘imperative reasons of overriding public interest' (often shortened to IROPI).
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For more information, please see the draft SEA Scoping Report and draft HRA Screening Report, and the third document explaining our proposed Approach to the SEA and HRA. The reports include an explanation as to why the law requires these assessments to be carried out for the masterplan.
The CAA is the ‘responsible authority’ for the SEA. We must ensure that it is carried out at an appropriate stage, based on current knowledge and the level of detail available. The CAA is also the ‘competent authority’ for the purposes of the HRA assessment. Again, we must consider the assessment and be satisfied that our statutory obligations have been properly discharged.
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In each case the CAA is therefore responsible for preparation of the necessary reports, including how these assessments should be scoped proportionately so as to best inform the masterplan (the purpose of this consultation), and later on the SEA and HRA assessment reports, including consultation on drafts of those reports.
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The CAA will require ACOG to show how the SEA and HRA assessments have been taken into account in the masterplan as Iteration 3 matures and later iterations are developed.
These reports are the early stages of the SEA and HRA processes that determine what the assessments must cover. This consultation is only about these reports and how we propose to approach the SEA and HRA for the masterplan.
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In the case of SEA, we have already carried out a screening stage which has determined that the masterplan must be subject to SEA. A scoping stage then determines the extent and coverage of the SEA assessment, hence the draft SEA Scoping Report on which we are consulting.
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In the case of HRA, the screening stage is an initial assessment to check if the masterplan will have a ‘likely significant effect’ on a ‘European site’ on its own or in combination with other plans and projects.
This consultation is about the application of SEA and HRA to the masterplan.
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By integrating environmental impacts into the masterplan development, the purpose of SEA is to influence strategic decisions taken early on, to take account of alternatives and assess the cumulative effects of multiple proposals. The CAA then takes this into account (alongside other factors) when deciding whether to accept the masterplan into the Airspace Modernisation Strategy.
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The purpose of HRA is to assess the possible harm the masterplan as a whole could cause to certain protected sites.
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At the level of each individual airspace change proposal, the specific environmental impacts are also considered by the CAA, but as part of the CAP 1616 airspace change process. The potential impacts considered are noise, CO2 emissions, local air quality, tranquillity and biodiversity. Consequently, an airspace change proposal may require its own HRA, depending on its environmental impact.
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CAP 1616 already makes reference to the potential need for an airspace change proposal to require its own HRA, but we plan to augment CAP 1616 with further guidance. Where appropriate, we will use responses to this consultation to inform that further guidance.
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Responding to the consultation
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What we are consulting on
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At this stage we are only consulting on the scope of the SEA and HRA assessments and the way we will approach carrying them out, including methodology.
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What we are not consulting on
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We are not consulting on the masterplan itself. The masterplan is produced by ACOG. ACOG will carry out its own public engagement exercise about the masterplan, as explained above.
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Nor are we consulting on the individual airspace change proposals that make up the masterplan. These will be consulted on by the relevant airport or air traffic control provider at the appropriate point in the airspace change process, and will include their own assessments of their environmental impact.
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Who is this consultation for?
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When deciding on the scope and level of detail of information that must be included in these assessments, the law requires that certain organisations must be consulted. We are not obliged to consult a wider range of stakeholders at this scoping/screening report stage. However, we have decided to do so, in order to get early feedback about the scope of these assessments from a wide range of stakeholders with an interest in the environmental impacts of airspace change. Once the assessments themselves are completed, we will consult publicly on these too.
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Consultation period
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We have extended the consultation by a few days. The consultation will now close at 23.59 on 17 May 2023 (a consultation period of seven weeks). We cannot commit to taking into account comments received after this date.
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How to respond
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You can submit your comments by following the link below and answering the questions, which require a mix of multiple-choice and free-text answers. For convenience you can download the questions as a pdf from the link under 'Related' below, but all responses should be submitted through this online survey.
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If there are good reasons why you cannot respond using the online survey, please contact us first at airspace.modernisation@caa.co.uk so that we can explain how you must do this.
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We will assume that all responses can be published on our consultation website. When you complete the information at the beginning of the survey there is an option for you to request that your identity is withheld when your submission is published, or to refuse publication. (In any event, your email address will never be published.) In the interests of transparency, we hope that you will not refuse publication.
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Supporting information
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If you wish to supplement your on-line survey response with supporting evidence in the form of a file, please indicate this in question 19 of the online survey and then email the file(s) to us at airspace.modernisation@caa.co.uk, making a clear reference to the consultation and ideally quoting the response ID of your online response.
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If you send us additional material but do not want us to publish some of it, please also send us a redacted version that we can publish. You should be aware that information sent to and therefore held by the CAA is subject to legislation that may require us to disclose it, even if you have asked us not to (such as the Freedom of Information Act and Environmental Information Regulations). Therefore, if you do decide to send information to the CAA but ask that this be withheld from publication via redacted material, please explain why, as this will help us to consider our obligations to disclose or withhold this information should the need arise.
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What happens next?
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We will analyse responses and, in the SEA and HRA assessments that will be produced later on, we will explain how we have taken feedback received as part of this consultation into account.
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\r\n", "id": "airspace-change-masterplan-scoping-the-environment"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2023/03/20", "enddate": "2023/05/05", "title": "UK Means of Compliance for Vertical Take-off and Landing aircraft under Special Condition VTOL ", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/airworthiness-policy-team/uk-vtol-moc-under-vtol-special-condition/consult_view", "overview": "
Following the decision in 2022 to adopt the Special Condition VTOL (SC-VTOL) as the basis for certification of Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft, the CAA is proposing adoption of EASA Means of Compliance (MOC) to SC-VTOL to aid the development of guidance for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) entering or intending to enter into the certification process for VTOL aircraft.
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These aircraft are developing fast and the CAA recognises the importance of enabling the certification process for the benefit of the UK aviation sector. The CAA has been an active member of the collaborative project to develop safety standards within Europe for eVTOL since before EU exit. MOC material is needed to enable industry to demonstrate compliance to the SC-VTOL standards already adopted. The work on MOC started in 2018, with the identification of a priority list of topics.
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The MOC for priority 1 and 2 topics have been published by EASA, priority 3 topics were subject to public consultation in 2022 and resolution of comments is almost complete. Priority 4 topics are being drafted and are planned for release shortly. \r\n \r\nThe CAA independently concluded that in order to enable the latest design of VTOL related certification projects and the validation projects where EASA is the Certification Authority, and after establishing no technical objections to the EASA MOCs to SC-VTOL as published, the proposal is to adopt the MOCs in their most up-to-date version.
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The CAA intends to introduce into its regulatory framework the MOC to SC VTOL by adoption of the materials developed in collaboration with EASA and the eVTOL industry. Your feedback will help us to better understand the potential issues or improvements before we finalise these.
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What are Means of Compliance to Special Conditions?
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Special Conditions are detailed technical specifications prescribed by the CAA for a product where the related current certification specifications do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for that product. This is usually because the product has novel or unusual design features relative to the design practices on which the applicable certification specifications are based.
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Means of Compliance are developed for Special Conditions to provide further direction to OEMs on how these safety requirements can be met.
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This consultation
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The CAA is consulting on the approach to adopt EASA MOCs to SC-VTOL at their latest version, consisting of the following documents.
\r\n", "id": "uk-vtol-moc-under-vtol-special-condition"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2023/03/08", "enddate": "2023/04/14", "title": "Acceptable Means of Compliance & Guidance Material to UK Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014 SMS in Part-145 and Occurrence Reporting", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/airworthiness-policy-team/uk-1321-2014-sms-part-145-occurrence-reporting/consult_view", "overview": "
The CAA is proposing to amend UK Regulation (EU) No. 1321/2014 as regards safety management systems (SMS) in maintenance organisations and correcting that regulation.
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This document presents the proposed changes to the Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM) material associated with the rule changes described above together with background and explanatory information regarding this consultation.
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These amendments are required as a consequence of amendments to UK Regulation (EU) No. 1321/2014 which will be revised to:
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introduce safety management principles that implement International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Annex 19; a management system for Part-145 maintenance organisations and a management system for the CAA in relation to the oversight of Part 145 maintenance organisations.
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harmonise general organisation provisions and CAA procedures with those of Part-CAMO (Annex Vc to UK Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014);
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foster an organisational culture for effective safety management and effective occurrence reporting in accordance with UK Regulation (EU) No 376/2014.
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The CAA expects by doing such an amendment, safety will be enhanced through:
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the establishment of safety policies and objectives that are associated with sufficient resources;
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the systematic identification of hazards, and a risk management system;
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the safety assurance system, including giving consideration to safety performance; and safety promotion.
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Our independent conclusion is that the legal changes to UK Regulation (EU) No. 1321/2014 should closely follow what has been published by EASA and will be published, together with the accompanying AMC and GM, in the first quarter of 2023.
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AMC and GM
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AMC are means by which the requirements in the Implementing Rule and the Essential Requirements of the Basic Regulation to which it relates can be met. However, entities may show compliance by other means.
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An entity may choose to offer an alternative means of compliance (AltMoC) which must be reviewed and accepted by the CAA. However, it is important to note they will lose the presumption of compliance provided by the CAA AMC so it is essential for the operator to demonstrate that the AltMoC meets the intent of the Implementing Rule and the Essential Requirements of the Basic Regulation.
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GM is non-binding and provides explanatory and interpretation material on how to achieve the requirements in the law and the AMC. It contains information, including examples, to assist the applicant with the interpretation of the legislative provisions.
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This consultation
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To support the transposition of the ICAO Annex 19 Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) in the maintenance domain, and facilitate the implementation of the SMS requirements introduced by UK Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014, the UK CAA is proposing to amend the AMC and GM to Part-145 (Annex II) in respect of the following topics:
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Introduction of the SMS for Part-145 maintenance organisations;
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Introduction of the SMS for the CAA in relation to the oversight of Part 145 maintenance organisations;
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Revise Part-M, Part-CAO, and Part-66, such that these remain consistent with the amended Part 145 regulatory material.
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Occurrence reporting
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Revise Part-CAMO to address an implementation issue in relation to the qualification of the safety manager.
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This AMC and GM consultation document relates only to Part-145, Part-M, Part 66, Part-CAMO and Part-CAO of UK Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014.
This Call for Evidence seeks views on what environmental information should be provided to people when they are looking for and booking flights, and how that information can be presented in a way that is meaningful and enables people to make informed choices about their travel options.
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For the purposes of this Call for Evidence, environmental information includes the emissions caused by aviation (both CO2 and non-CO2) and how consumer information is and could be provided on those emissions. \r\n \r\nThis Call for Evidence does not focus on aviation noise, but the CAA has expertise and functions on aviation noise.
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Please see CAP2395 Consumer Environmental Information: Call for Evidence for more information on this Call for Evidence including a list of questions, the context, next steps and examples of aviation consumer environmental information and international aviation environmental activity. \r\n \r\nThis consultation will close on 7 April 2023. We cannot take into account comments received after this date. We will assume that all responses can be published once the consultation has closed. There is an option within the questionnaire to request for your name to remain private, but in any event your email address will never be published. \r\n \r\nPlease submit your comments using the survey link below.
\r\n", "id": "environmental-information-call-for-evidence"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2023/01/24", "enddate": "2023/03/31", "title": "Assessing the impacts of the options for ATOL reform: Request for further information", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/corporate-communications/atol-reform-request-for-further-information/consult_view", "overview": "
ATOL Reform: assessing the impacts of the options for reformupdates stakeholders on the progress to date, on amendments to the scope of the ATOL reform programme as requested by the Government via the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust, and on the timetable moving forward.
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This document also explains the CAA’s overall approach to appraising the options for reform set out in the first stage of the consultation and seeks stakeholders’ views on this and on the options being considered.
\r\n", "id": "atol-reform-request-for-further-information"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2023/01/05", "enddate": "2023/03/19", "title": "Consultation on the Revised Airspace Change Process Guidance (CAP1616)", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/safety-and-airspace-regulation-group/acp2022/consult_view", "overview": "
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Our formal consultation closed on 19 March 2023. We are now collating and analyzing responses received. We will update this page once a consultation report is finalized. Thank you to all those who responded. \r\n_________________________________________________________________ \r\n \r\nPLEASE NOTE, THIS CONSULTATION HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL SUNDAY, 19 MARCH 2023.
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The CAA’s guidance on the regulatory process for airspace change, CAP1616, is due to be updated. Following stakeholder engagement, we are ready to consult on options on what the new airspace change guidance may look like.
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To inform our updated version we have:
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Completed workshops with internal stakeholders in the CAA (in June 2021) and with external stakeholders (in September 2021); and
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Completed an engagement survey and published a report (CAP 2401) on findings on all engagement activity to date (September 2022).
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We have listened to feedback and are now ready to begin the formal consultation phase of the review.
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Before you complete the survey, we strongly advise that you read our accompanying consultation document, as it gives details of the options we have developed. It also includes background information about the consultation and a glossary of airspace terms. You may also wish to review our current airspace change guidance (CAP1616) before completing the survey.
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Before you start the survey, please be aware of the following:
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Depending on how you respond, the survey should take 15-45 minutes.
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If you wish to, you can answer just the questions that you think are relevant to you.
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If you want complete the survey at a different time, you can return to it by selecting the 'save and come back later' tab.
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Text boxes within the survey do not have word limits.
This consultation set out the proposed amendments to the next edition of CAP 1724: Flying Display Pilot Authorisation and Evaluation: Requirements and Guidance (Edition 5), which are planned to be effective from the start of April 2023.
\r\n", "id": "cap-1724-flying-display-standards-edition-5"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2023/01/31", "enddate": "2023/02/24", "title": "CAP 403 Flying Displays and Special Events: Safety and administrative requirements and guidance 2023", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/ga/cap403-2023/consult_view", "overview": "
\r\n", "id": "cap403-2023"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2023/01/04", "enddate": "2023/02/11", "title": "Acceptable Means of Compliance & Guidance Material to UK Regulation (EU) 748/2012: Annex I (Part-21) ", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/airworthiness-policy-team/amc-gm-reg-748-2012-annex-1-part-21/consult_view", "overview": "
Acceptable Means of Compliance & Guidance Material to Regulation (EU) 748/2012 as retained (and amended in UK domestic law) regarding instructions for continued airworthiness, the production of parts to be used during maintenance and the consideration of ageing aircraft aspects during certification.
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The CAA is amending UK Regulation (EU) No. 748/2012, including amendment and correction of Annex I (Part 21) for the following reasons:
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To clarify the obligations of type-certificate holders so that they produce a standardised set of instructions on how to maintain their product or part to ensure it remains airworthy for the entirety of its life.
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To remove the requirement to certify the conformity of new components with their design data when non-conformity of these components will have a negligible effect on the safety of the operation of the aircraft, and to permit their installation in type-certified products without the issuance of a CAA Form 1 or equivalent.
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To make consequential amendments to ageing aircraft legislation that are needed following the 2021 update to Annex I (Part-26) to UK Reg (EU) No. 2015/640. To address safety risks going forward, it is necessary to amend existing rules to achieve the same level of safety when large aeroplane structure will be subject to future structural changes or repairs developed and approved in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 748/2012.
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Our independent conclusion is that the legal changes to UK Regulation (EU) No. 748/2012 should closely follow what has been published by EASA and will be formally published, together with the accompanying AMC & GM, in the first quarter of 2023.
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Below are the proposed changes to the AMC and GM material associated with the rule changes described here together with background and explanatory information regarding this consultation.
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Instructions for continued airworthiness
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UK Regulation (EU) No. 748/2012 includes requirements for the development and availability of Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (“ICA”). The amendment provides a definition for ‘instructions for continued airworthiness’ and clarifies that the ICA are part of the Type Certificate (TC). The amendment also merges the requirements related to record keeping, manuals and ICA in the various subparts into a single requirement for each of these aspects in Subpart A (new points 21.A.5, 21.A.6 and 21.A.7). These changes are expected to improve the harmonisation of the ICA among the design approval holders (DAHs) in relation to the identification, approval, formatting and availability of the ICA to the end users.
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The production of parts to be used during maintenance
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UK Reg (EU) 748/2012 is further amended to permit the production of certain parts and appliances for which their effect on the safety of the operation of the aircraft is negligible in the case of non-conformity with their design, and to permit their installation in type-certified products without the issuance of a CAA Form 1 (or equivalent). Such parts will be defined by the Design Organisation Approval (DOA) holder and be detailed in the ICA.
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Similarly, these requirements will be introduced into UK Regulation (EU) 1321/2014 where these parts will be exempted from the requirement to be maintained in a maintenance organisation approved in accordance with Part 145.
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These changes are expected to allow for more proportionate and efficient requirements by introducing commensurate manufacturing requirements for new spare parts. They are expected to reduce the regulatory burden on owners and maintenance organisations that use these parts, without decreasing the level of safety.
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Ageing aircraft structures
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The ageing of an aircraft is dependent on multiple factors. Service experience has shown that there is a need to continuously update knowledge about the structural integrity of ageing aircraft. The Aviation Safety (Amendment)(No. 3) Regulations 2021 (Statutory Instruction 2021 No. 1203), laid before parliament in October 2021, introduced new requirements in UK Regulation (EU) No. 2015/640 Annex I (Part 26 - Additional airworthiness specifications for operations). These requirements ensure design organisations and operators of aircraft in service, keep up to date knowledge about ageing factors on the basis of real-time operational experience and with the use of modern tools of analysis and testing. The design approval holders, with this data will produce instructions and manuals for existing design available to operators for them to implement in a timely manner to prevent ageing structure failures.
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Consequently, to address these safety risks going forward, it is necessary to amend the existing Initial Airworthiness rules to achieve the same level of safety when large aircraft will be subject to future structural changes or repairs developed and approved in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 748/2012. These requirements will also require that any holder or future holder of the type-certificate or restricted type-certificate for large aircraft shall ensure that the continuing structural integrity programme remains valid throughout the operational life of the aeroplane.
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AMC and GM
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AMC are means by which the requirements in the Implementing Rule and the Essential Requirements of the Basic Regulation to which it relates can be met. However, entities may show compliance by other means.
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An entity may choose to offer an alternative means of compliance (AltMOC) which must be reviewed and accepted by the CAA. However, it is important to note they will lose the presumption of compliance provided by the CAA AMC so it is essential for the operator to demonstrate that the AltMOC meets the intent of the Implementing Rule and the Essential Requirements of the Basic Regulation.
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GM is non-binding and provides explanatory and interpretation material on how to achieve the requirements in the law and the AMC. It contains information, including examples, to assist the applicant with the interpretation of the legislative provisions.
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This consultation
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As a consequence of the above rule changes, and in support of them, the CAA is also amending the accompanying Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM) to Part 21 of UK Regulation (EU) No. 748/2012.
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This AMC & GM consultation document relates to the amendments to the Implementing Rules (IRs) in UK Regulation (EU) No. 748/2012 (RMT 0124) regarding “Instructions for continued airworthiness, the production of parts to be used during maintenance and the consideration of ageing aircraft aspects during certification” planned for Statutory Instrument in 2023.This AMC & GM material being consulted on contains amendments to:
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AMC and GM to Part 21 [Airworthiness and Environmental Certification - UK Acceptable Means of Compliance and Guidance Material for Regulation (EU) No. 748/2012 as retained (and amended in UK domestic law)]; and
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AMC-20[Initial Airworthiness - UK Acceptable Means of Compliance for Airworthiness of Products, Parts and Appliances], which includes Section AMC 20-20B “Continuing structural integrity programme”. The CAA has independently reviewed all of the existing EASA AMC-20 (at Amendment 23) and we propose to maintain consistency and our target levels of safety by adopting this content. Our changes in this proposed document will therefore be only to the extent necessary for adoption under UK frameworks.
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Related consultations
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Alongside this consultation, is a separate AMC and GM consultation proposing changes to the AMC and GM to Annex I (Part-M), Annex II (Part-145), Annex Va (Part-T), Annex Vb (Part-ML), Annex Vc (Part-CAMO) and Annex Vd (Part-CAO) of UK Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014 as regards the maintenance data and the installation of certain aircraft components during maintenance:
\r\n", "id": "amc-gm-reg-748-2012-annex-1-part-21"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2023/01/04", "enddate": "2023/02/11", "title": "Acceptable Means of Compliance & Guidance Material to UK Regulation (EU) 1321/2014: Maintenance data and component installation", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/airworthiness-policy-team/amc-gm-reg-1321-2014-data-and-installation/consult_view", "overview": "
Acceptable Means of Compliance & Guidance Material to Regulation (EU) 1321/2014 as retained (and amended in UK domestic law) regarding maintenance data and the installation of certain aircraft components during maintenance.
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The CAA is amending UK Regulation (EU) No. 1321/2014, including revision and correction of Part-M, Part-145, Part-T, Part-ML, Part-CAMO and Part-CAO as regards maintenance data and the installation of certain aircraft components during maintenance.
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This document presents the proposed changes to the AMC and GM material associated with the rule changes described above together with background and explanatory information regarding this consultation.
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These amendments are required as a consequence of amendments to UK Regulation (EU) No. 748/2012 which will be revised to:
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Remove the requirement to certify the conformity of new components with their design data when non-conformity of these components will have a negligible effect on the safety of the operation of the aircraft, and to permit their installation in type-certified products without the issuance of a CAA Form 1 or equivalent.
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Clarify the obligations of the type-certificate holders to produce a standardised set of instructions for continued airworthiness on how to maintain their product or part to ensure it remains airworthy for the entirety of its life.
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In order to achieve the same objective of proportionality and efficiency as detailed above, and to ensure consistency in terminology, UK Regulation (EU) No. 1321/2014 will also be amended to:
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Permit the installation of certain parts during maintenance (for which their effect on the safety of the operation of the aircraft is negligible in case of non-conformity with their design data) and to maintain and certify these parts without the requirement for the issuance of a CAA Form 1.
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Define 'maintenance data' to ensure consistency across UK Regulation (EU) No.748/2012 and UK Regulation (EU) No. 1321/2014.
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The CAA expects the results of such an amendment to reduce the regulatory burden on maintenance organisations that use these parts during their maintenance work without decreasing the level of safety.
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It also expects, through establishing the ICA as part of the TC, increased safety benefits due to clarity and availability of all required maintenance data.
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Our independent conclusion is that the legal changes to UK Regulation (EU) No. 1321/2014 and UK Regulation (EU) No. 748/2012 should closely follow what has been published by EASA and will be published, together with the accompanying AMC & GM, in the first quarter of 2023.
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AMC and GM
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AMC are means by which the requirements in the Implementing Rule and the Essential Requirements of the Basic Regulation to which it relates can be met. However, entities may show compliance by other means.
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An entity may choose to offer an alternative means of compliance (AltMOC) which must be reviewed and accepted by the CAA. However, it is important to note they will lose the presumption of compliance provided by the CAA AMC so it is essential for the operator to demonstrate that the AltMOC meets the intent of the Implementing Rule and the Essential Requirements of the Basic Regulation.
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GM is non-binding and provides explanatory and interpretation material on how to achieve the requirements in the law and the AMC. It contains information, including examples, to assist the applicant with the interpretation of the legislative provisions.
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This consultation
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As a consequence of the above rule changes, and in support of them, the CAA is also amending the accompanying Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM) to Part-M, Part-145, Part-T, Part-ML, Part-CAMO and Part-CAO of UK Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014.
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This AMC & GM consultation document relates only to Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM) to Part-M, Part-145, Part-T, Part-ML, Part-CAMO and Part-CAO of UK Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014.
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The AMC and GM material being consulted on contains amendments relating to the classification, installation, and release of components; the definition of maintenance data; the use of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) for remote audits; and editorial corrections.
Alongside this consultation, is a separate AMC and GM consultation proposing changes to the AMC and GM to Annex I (Part-21) of UK Regulation (EU) No 748/2012 regarding instructions for continued airworthiness, the production of parts to be used during maintenance and the consideration of ageing aircraft aspects during certification.
\r\n", "id": "amc-gm-reg-1321-2014-data-and-installation"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2022/12/12", "enddate": "2023/02/06", "title": "Acceptable Means of Compliance & Guidance Material to UK Regulation (EU) 965/2012: Air Operations", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/flight-operations-policy/amc-uk-reg-eu-965-2012-air-operations/consult_view", "overview": "
The Aviation Safety (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 2021 (UK Statutory Instrument 2021 No. 1203) (SI) introduced changes to UK Regulation (EU) No. 965/2012 (the Air Operations Regulation).
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This SI introduced a requirement for the CAA to conduct ramp inspections which include arrangements for alcohol testing. In addition, there is an obligation on Commercial Air Transport (CAT) operators to take all reasonable measures to prevent a person from boarding an aircraft or being on board when that person is under the influence of a psychoactive substance. This includes the requirement to develop a policy on the prevention and detection of misuse of psychoactive substances.
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There is a further obligation on operators to facilitate accesss to a proactive and non-punitive support programme for flight crew members to assist those persons to recognise, cope with and overcome any problem which could negatively affect their ability to safely exercise the privileges of their licence.
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We are intending to introduce the Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM) in relation to the amendments to the Implementing Rules (IRs) in UK Regulation (EU) 965/2012 in the 2021 SI.
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In order to ensure that we achieve the right level of compliance and guidance we are seeking feedback on the proposals in this consultation. Your feedback will help us to better understand the potential issues or improvements before we finalise the text of the AMC/GM.
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AMC and GM
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AMC are means by which the requirements in the Implementing Rule and the Essential Requirements of the Basic Regulation to which it relates can be met. However, entities may show compliance by other means.
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An entity may choose to offer an alternative means of compliance (AltMOC) which must be reviewed and accepted by the CAA. However, it is important to note they will lose the presumption of compliance provided by the CAA AMC so it is essential for the operator to demonstrate that the AltMOC meets the intent of the Implementing Rule and the Essential Requirements of the Basic Regulation.
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GM is non-binding and provides explanatory and interpretation material on how to achieve the requirements in the law and the AMC. It contains information, including examples, to assist the applicant with the interpretation of the legislative provisions.
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This consultation
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This AMC & GM consultation document relates to the amendments to the Implementing Rules (IRs) in UK Regulation 965/2012 in the 2021 SI which apply to CAT Operators. However, they may be taken into account by non-commercial operations.
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The AMC and GM cover several areas including:
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The conduct of alcohol testing during RAMP inspections;
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operator responsibilities towards the prevention of a person boarding an aircraft when under the influence of a psychoactive substance and behaving in such a way as to endanger safety;
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operator responsibilities for the development and implementation of a policy and associated procedures for the prevention and detection of misuse of psychoactive substances by crew members and other safety-sensitive personnel; and
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operator provision of a support programme for flight crew.
This consultation document explains our proposals for revisions to the existing CAA Charges Schemes, due to take effect from 1 April 2023.
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We believe our proposals represent a balanced approach to charging, reflecting current circumstances and the important role of the CAA in industry’s recovery. We look forward to receiving feedback on these proposals, in particular from those we regulate.
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We welcome comments on all aspects of the proposals, including the charge structures and the level of the charges. Please could all responses be submitted through this site to ensure we are able to respond to your feedback as efficiently as possible.
\r\n", "id": "caa-charges-23-24"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2022/12/08", "enddate": "2022/12/22", "title": "Economic regulation of Heathrow Airport Limited: Setting an interim price cap for 2023", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/economic-regulation/setting-an-interim-price-cap-for-2023/consult_view", "overview": "
This consultation sets out the interim price cap for 2023 and replaces the holding cap that was put in place by CAA in 2022.
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This consultation sets out draft modifications to amend the per passenger charge price that Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) can charge Airline customers in 2023 up until CAA publishes its final determination and licence modifications later in the same year.
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In addition to the above, we are also consulting on a series of minor amendments to HAL’s licence which effectively remove two elements from the Service Quality and Rebates and Bonuses (SQRB) scheme. These amendments facilitate HAL’s preparations to implement Outcomes Based Regulation (OBR) framework that we set out in our final proposals.
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Views invited
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We welcome views on all the proposals included in this document.
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Please e-mail responses to economicregulation@caa.co.uk by no later than close of business on Thursday 22 December 2022.
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We expect to publish the representations on our website for other interested parties to read after the period for written representations expires. Any material that is regarded as confidential should be clearly marked as such and provided in a separate appendix. Please note that we have powers and duties with respect to information under Section 102 of the Act and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
We are looking to consolidate and simplify the current general aviation pilot licensing and training regulation.
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This takes forward a request from the community made in response to our 2020 consultation on opportunities for general aviation regulation post-EU exit.
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We think the community would be better served by an overhaul of the current system in favour of a more straightforward and integrated set of licences that allow easier progression should the holder wish to do so.
\r\n", "id": "ga-pilot-licensing-training-phase-1"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2022/10/27", "enddate": "2022/12/13", "title": "Economic regulation of NATS (En Route) plc: Initial Proposals for the next price control review (NR23)", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/economic-regulation/initial-proposals-nr23/consult_view", "overview": "
CAP2394 sets out for consultation our Initial Proposals for the UK en route, London Approach and Oceanic price controls that will apply for the five calendar years from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2027 (the NR23 period).
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Views invited
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We welcome views on all the proposals included in this document. Please email responses to economicregulation@caa.co.uk by 13 December 2022.
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________________________________________
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We expect to publish the representations on our website for other interested parties to read after the period for written representations expires. Any material that is regarded as confidential should be clearly marked as such and provided in a separate appendix. Please note that we have powers and duties with respect to information under Section 102 of the Act and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
\r\n", "id": "initial-proposals-nr23"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2022/11/10", "enddate": "2022/12/08", "title": "Public consultation on the Assessment of Environmental Effects: SaxaVord Spaceport", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/corporate-communications/public-consultation-aee-saxavord/consult_view", "overview": "
To carry out spaceflight activity in the UK spaceport and launch operators must be licensed by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
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As part of their licence application, spaceport and launch operators are required to submit an Assessment of Environmental Effects (AEE). The purpose of the AEE is to ensure applicants have adequately considered any potential environmental effects of their intended activities and, if necessary have taken steps to avoid, mitigate or offset the risks and their potential effects.
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Shetland Space Centre Limited has applied to operate a vertical spaceport, known as SaxaVord Spaceport. SaxaVord will be located on the Lamba Ness Peninsula, in the northeast of Unst.
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Shetland Space Centre Limited are proposing up to 30 launches per year over a period of 30 years from SaxaVord spaceport, comprising both orbital and sub-orbital launches.
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For orbital launches, the height of the launch vehicle is assumed to be between 13 and 30 meters; rockets will have either two or three stages. The sub-orbital launch vehicles will be between 1.5 to 8 metres in height and will be a single stage. All launches will take place in a northerly direction over the sea.
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For spaceport and launch operator licences the CAA must take into account the applicant’s assessments and the proposed measures to mitigate any significant environmental effects before a recommendation for approval can be granted.
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Please use the contents page to go through the documents below in order to read the AEE.
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More information on the CAA’s approach to public consultation can be found by reading the following guidance document (CAP2352)
Following the launch of Pilot Medical Declarations (PMD) in October 2016, 14,000 PMDs have been submitted.
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A post implementation internal review of the PMD process concluded that the PMD process needed to be examined and potentially amended.
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In addition, feedback received from the General Aviation (GA) community from the consultation on UK GA opportunities for change now that the UK has left EASA included a suggested review of the PMD process to enhance user experience and identify opportunities in the context of the simplification and rationalisation of GA flight crew licensing.
\r\n", "id": "pilot-medical-declaration-review"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2022/11/21", "enddate": "2022/12/05", "title": "Acceptable Means of Compliance & Guidance Material to UK Regulation (EU) 1321/2014: Recognition of the EASA Form 1", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/airworthiness-policy-team/amc-uk-reg-1321-2014-easa-form-1/consult_view", "overview": "
The CAA proposes to continue its existing policy to recognise certain EASA Form 1s as equivalent to CAA Form 1s in certain limited circumstances.
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To date, this policy has been given effect via exemptions issued by the CAA (exemptions ORS4 No. 1538, 1539 and 1552 published here).
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The objective of the proposal is to clarify that those parts issued with EASA Form 1s pursuant to the effect of the exemptions referred to above, that remain in the supply chain and have not yet been fitted to UK registered aircraft, may lawfully be fitted in the normal way from 1 January 2023 onwards.
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To achieve the policy objective the CAA is proposing to amend the AMC to UK Regulation (EU) No. 1321/2014, amending relevant AMC to Part-M, Part-145, and Part-ML, to clarify that that limited set of EASA Form 1s (only) are ‘equivalent documents’ as permitted by the terms of the Regulation to which the AMC applies.
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These amendments are required because the exemptions that were issued by the CAA will expire at the end of 2022 and the AMC needs to reflect the continued recognition of the EASA Form 1s that these exemptions allowed.
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This consultation
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The AMC & GM consultation document relates to the articles within UK Regulation (EU) 1321/2014, on the continuing airworthiness of aircraft and aeronautical products, parts and appliances.
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The material being consulted on contains amendments to the AMC to Part-M (M.A.501), Part-145 (145.A.42), and Part-ML (ML.A.501) Continuing Airworthiness – UK Acceptable Means of Compliance and Guidance Material for Regulation (EU) No. 1321/2014 as retained (and amended in UK domestic law).
\r\n", "id": "amc-uk-reg-1321-2014-easa-form-1"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2022/10/04", "enddate": "2022/10/25", "title": "Deviation Request UK.ETSO-C90dA1.Dev.001 for a UKTSO Authorisation for CS-ETSO applicable Cargo Pallets, Nets and Containers (Unit Load Devices)", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/safety-and-airspace-regulation-group/uk-etso-c90da1-dev-001/consult_view", "overview": "
The UK CAA is consulting on a deviation request to CS-ETSO in accordance with the provisions of Part 21.A.610.
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This particular deviation is to deviate from ETSO-C90d A1 and SAE AS36100A and AS36102 by using the minimum performance standards and the test method applicable to the pallet cargo restraint track defined in SAE AS36100C and AS36102B respectively.
As part of our program of legal and policy work, the CAA and Department for Transport (DfT) are proposing to introduce new regulations under UK Regulation (EU) 2019/947, in order to establish Recognised Assessment Entities (RAEs) in law.
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What is the proposed legal change?
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The CAA policy team, working with colleagues across the wider CAA and DFT, are proposing to add new article(s) under UK Regulation (EU) 2019/947, establishing RAEs under this regulation. Currently, RAEs make reports to the CAA under powers established under the Air Navigation Order (ANO) article 268.
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Why is the CAA doing this?
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This work is important for the following reasons:
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it establishes a robust legal basis for RAEs, which allows for the possibility of expanding their remit in the future outside of the ANO
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it brings together all RPAS regulation under UK Regulation (EU) 2019/947, simplifying how we communicate compliance with the regulation (through acceptable means of compliance and guidance material rather than publications)
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it provides the powers for the CAA to continue to focus on its role of RAE oversight and respond to future industry needs
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What Changes are proposed
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There are very few substantive changes that will affect current RAEs as a result of this proposed change.
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The primary change is that the CAA will be able to formally authorise RAEs to undertake pilot training, and assessment, under UK Regulation (EU) 2019/947.
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Additionally, in the future we will be able to expand the RAE framework as necessary to undertake other types of assessment, for example technical ‘airworthiness’ assessment of RPAS.
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There will be more regulatory requirements placed on RAEs that carry out complex assessments, which will aid CAA oversight.
\r\n", "id": "proposal-establish-recognised-assessment-entities"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2022/07/11", "enddate": "2022/09/05", "title": "Safety Standards Acknowledgement and Consent (SSAC) Class 5: Experience flight in an ex-military jet aeroplane", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/ga/cap1395-ssac-2022/consult_view", "overview": "
Safety Standards Acknowledgement and Consent (SSAC) is a CAA process that allows aircraft owners to offer fare-paying recreational flights in, primarily historic, aircraft that wouldn’t otherwise be possible if they had to meet the full requirements for normal commercial flying.
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Anyone that operates these flights must have permission from the CAA and prove they meet all relevant safety, maintenance, and insurance. Operators are regularly inspected and audited by the CAA, and the pilots who operate these flights would need to have a commercial licence.
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This process has been safely and successfully used for many years. The CAA is now considering expanding it to allow the general public to pay to fly in ex-military jet aeroplanes.
The CAA Strategy is available to read or download from this page. It sets out our mission, vision and purpose, as well as providing an overview of how we intend to achieve them.
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Our Strategy is agile; it provides the foundations to continue to successfully deliver our core regulatory roles, as well as position ourselves to tackle new challenges and opportunities, such as enabling recovery from Covid-19 and improving environmental performance. It will also give us the flexibility required to respond to unforeseen shocks or seize new opportunities to deliver on our vision.
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Our Strategy will be delivered through our annual business planning process. It is designed to be both ‘always on’ and open to change as and when required, and therefore does not have a time period attached to it. We will update it when needed, such as when our work programmes on strategic focus areas develop, or when we think it is time to refresh our strategic direction.
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Alongside the Strategy, we have articulated a set of five regulatory principles that underpin our approach to regulation. These are a set of principles we are guided by when carrying out our work to improve aviation and aerospace for consumers and the public.
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As well as changing the nature of our Strategy, we are changing the way we engage on it too, to ensure we can regularly hear from those who care about our work; our new online form means stakeholders and the public can share their views on what should be in future iterations of this Strategy at their convenience, and we can analyse and draw on trends in the responses in real time to inform our work and future iterations of the Strategy.
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We look forward to our Strategy being strengthened through your insights.
\r\n\r\n\r\n", "id": "our-strategy-and-regulatory-principles"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2022/07/06", "enddate": "2022/08/31", "title": "Acceptable Means of Compliance and Guidance Material to UK Regulation (EU) 2019/947", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/corporate-communications/amc-and-gm-to-uk-regulation-eu-2019-947/consult_view", "overview": "
The CAA is consulting on the proposed Acceptable Means of Compliance and Guidance Material to UK Regulation (EU) 2019/947 and would like your opinion.
\r\n\r\n
The purpose of this consultation is to gather input from a larger breadth of expertise and experience than contained within the CAA alone. There is also a legal requirement to consult when creating or amending AMC and GM, due to the legal status of these documents.
\r\n", "id": "amc-and-gm-to-uk-regulation-eu-2019-947"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2022/07/22", "enddate": "2022/08/19", "title": "Public Consultation on the Assessment of Environmental Effects: Virgin Orbit and Spaceport Cornwall", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/corporate-communications/aee-consultation-virgin-orbit-spaceport-cornwall/consult_view", "overview": "
To carry out spaceflight activity in the UK spaceport and launch operators must be licensed by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
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As part of their licence application, spaceport and launch operators are required to submit an Assessment of Environmental Effects (AEE). The purpose of the AEE is to ensure applicants have adequately considered any potential environmental effects of their intended activities and, if necessary have taken steps to avoid, mitigate or offset the risks and their potential effects.
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Virgin Orbit are applying for a launch operator licence. Spaceport Cornwall are applying for a spaceport licence. This consultation sets out the joint AEE from Virgin Orbit and Spaceport Cornwall.
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The proposals are for Virgin Orbit to undertake two horizontal launches per year from Spaceport Cornwall (at Cornwall Airport Newquay) until 2030. The launch system, assessed for the purposes of the AEE, consists of a modified Boeing 747 aircraft, carrying an air launched two stage rocket under its wing. The carrier aircraft will travel to an altitude of approximately 35,000 feet where the rocket is released, its engine fired, and it then ascends to the desired orbit where the satellite payload is released. The trajectory begins with the release of the rocket west of the UK and southwest of Ireland and continues south-southwest over the Atlantic Ocean.
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Spaceport Cornwall are applying to operate as a spaceport to facilitate Virgin Orbit’s launch proposals.
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For its proposed launch from Newquay Virgin Orbit has applied for a marine licence from the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) that is also open for public consultation. If you wish to comment on the marine licence, please click here and enter case reference MLA/2022/00134, this will be found in the public representation section.
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For spaceport and launch operator licences the CAA must take into account the applicant’s assessments and the proposed measures to mitigate any significant environmental effects before a recommendation for approval can be granted.
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More information on the CAA’s approach to public consultation can be found by reading the following guidance document (CAP2352).
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Views invited
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We encourage you to share any feedback on the AEE, including any potential effects on you and your local environment.
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In your comments, please consider the following:
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the identified environmental effects and the assessment of these effects
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if proposed mitigation methods are appropriate or where further mitigations may be required
\r\n\t
any gaps, improvements, or corrections to the AEE.
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We will consider comments received when deciding whether to grant the licence and any relevant licence conditions. Following the outcome of our assessment, we will publish information on our final decisions and associated reasoning related to the AEE.
\r\n", "id": "aee-consultation-virgin-orbit-spaceport-cornwall"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2022/07/08", "enddate": "2022/08/19", "title": "Consultation on BCAR: Section S - Small Light Aeroplanes", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/ga/bcar-section-s/consult_view", "overview": "
This consultation contains the proposed updates to the next edition of CAP 482, British Civil Airworthiness Requirements (BCAR) – Section S – Small Light Aeroplanes. The proposed changes follow on from the 2021 revision of the UK microlight aeroplane definition that incorporated the new 600kg microlight classification into law.
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BCAR Section S (Small Light Aeroplanes) is the main certification code for microlight aeroplanes in the UK and specifies the initial airworthiness requirements as well as acceptable means of compliance. The technical requirements in BCAR Section S have been revised to reflect the increased maximum take-off mass and stall speed limits in the new microlight aeroplane definition.
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In updating BCAR Section S, the CAA formed a working group that included the British Microlight Aircraft Association and Light Aircraft Association, and also received input from manufacturers and subject matter experts. The proposed updates to BCAR Section S presented in this consultation are the output from the working group.
\r\n", "id": "bcar-section-s"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2022/04/22", "enddate": "2022/05/13", "title": "Proposed extension to Legacy and Transitional UAS provisions in the Open Category", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/corporate-communications/legacy-and-transitional-provision/consult_view", "overview": "
We are consulting on a proposed extension to the Legacy and Transitional category UAS provisions in the Open category and would like your opinion.
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Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) operate within one of three categories: Open, Specific or Certified. This consultation primarily impacts Open category operations.
The CAA would like to hear your views on a draft of our refreshed Airspace Modernisation Strategy 2022–2040, which will replace the existing Airspace Modernisation Strategy (CAP 1711) that was published in December 2018.
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The strategy will now be in three parts, plus an annex. We are seeking your views on drafts of Part 1CAP 2298a and Part 2CAP 2298b, and on what changes are needed to the annex explaining the strategy’s governance structure, currently CAP 1711b. (Part 3 will be published later on, once we have heard views on these.)
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What are we not asking?
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Please note that we are 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.
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Nor are we seeking views on the CAP 1616 airspace change process, or on specific airspace changes or change proposals.
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We will not take into account elements of responses to this consultation that we consider to be out of scope.
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How to respond
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The consultation will close at 23.59 on 4 April 2022. We cannot commit to taking into account comments received after this date. You can submit your comments by following the link below and answering the questions, which require a mix of multiple-choice and free-text answers. For convenience you can download the questions in MS Word from the link under 'Related' below, but responses should be submitted through this online portal.
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We will assume that all responses can be published on our consultation website. When you complete the information at the beginning of the survey there is an option for you to request that your identity is withheld when your submission is published, or to refuse publication. (In any event, your email address will never be published.) In the interests of transparency, we hope people will not refuse publication.
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If you send us any additional material but do not want us to publish some of it, please also send us a redacted version that we can publish. You should be aware that information sent to and therefore held by the CAA is subject to legislation that may require us to disclose it, even if you have asked us not to (such as the Freedom of Information Act and Environmental Information Regulations). Therefore, if you do decide to send information to the CAA but ask that this be withheld from publication via redacted material, please explain why, as this will help us to consider our obligations to disclose or withhold this information should the need arise.
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What is the Airspace Modernisation Strategy?
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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.
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What has changed in the new refreshed version?
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We have refreshed the shared vision between the CAA and Department for Transport as co-sponsors for modernising airspace, and grouped the strategic objectives under four headings of safety, integration, simplification and sustainability:
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* for the CAA's understanding of \r\n ‘the most efficient use of airspace’ \r\n and ‘expeditious flow’ please see \r\n Appendix G of CAP 1616.
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The refreshed Airspace Modernisation Strategy will:
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extend the strategy out to 2040
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place integration of all airspace users at the core of the strategy, including accommodating new types of user like drones, aerial taxis and spacecraft
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aim for simpler airspace design and supporting regulations
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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
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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
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all without undermining the initiatives from the 2018 Airspace Modernisation Strategy, delivery of which will continue, and which are subsumed into the refreshed version.
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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.
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Structure of the refreshed Airspace Modernisation Strategy
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We have divided the strategy document into three parts, plus a governance annex:
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Part 1 Strategy and enablers (currently in draft for consultation as CAP 2298a)explains the strategy’s objectives (the 'ends') and a high-level overview of what will enable those objectives to be fulfilled (the enablers or 'ways').
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Part 2 Delivery elements (currently in draft for consultation as CAP 2298b)explains the different ‘elements’ that make up delivery of the strategy (the ways, in more detail). Part 2 links to a more detailed database on our website showing much more information about the deliverables. You can view this database here.
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Part 3 Deployment (being developed) will set out progress with deployment of those elements and supporting research projects (the 'means'). The plans in Part 3 are not being published at this stage until we have consulted on drafts of Parts 1 and 2 of the AMS.
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Parts 2 and 3 are likely to be updated more frequently than Part 1 as the elements evolve and mature for delivery. The intent is for stakeholders to be able to readily identify the modernisation elements that are relevant to them and which will help to deliver their ambitions.
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Governance annex
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The 2018 governance structure was developed by the Department for Transport and CAA working with NERL (NATS (En Route) plc) and the Infrastructure and Projects Authority. It formed an annex to the 2018 strategy which is now out of date. It sets out which organisations make decisions and have accountabilities, and the stakeholders they will engage and consult with as they carry out their strategic roles.
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Below is the governance structure we last published in CAP 1862 in December 2019, which itself updated the original 2018 CAA/Department for Transport governance annex CAP 1711b. Further changes have occurred in the last two years. We would like to hear your views on how effective the governance structure has been, for example in terms of overseeing delivery of the strategy, stakeholder engagement or transparency.
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There is also a more fundamental point on which we would welcome views. The 2018 Airspace Modernisation Strategy, including its delivery and governance structures, was mostly focused on commercial air transport, controlled airspace and larger air navigation service operations. Our refreshed strategy proposes adding new areas of focus, in particular around integration – for example, seamless integration of beyond visual line of sight drone operations, a Lower Airspace Service to better support both self-management of piloted VFR (Visual Flight Rules) aircraft and drone operators in class G airspace, flight progress information sharing to facilitate increased VFR access to class D airspace, an improved class G structure, etc. However, not all of these new areas of focus sit readily with the current strategy's delivery and governance, and by inference funding, structures.
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How can we deliver this broader strategy and what governance structure and groups would be necessary to do so, including future approaches to funding?
We decided in April 2021 to adopt a regional approach to our airspace classification review procedure to enable a more considered analysis of current usage. The Cotswold Region (an area based around the Cotswold Altimeter Setting Region) was the first area chosen to review under this new procedure.
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Our report sets out a comprehensive picture of our findings to date into the airspace usage within this region, informed by our engagement with stakeholders. This includes an overview of the different airspace control authorities operating within the region, such as commercial airports, regional airfields and military, as well as the type and scale of aviation activity by the broad range of user groups and an overview of existing airspace change activity in the region.
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The report contains the initial plan of volumes which we propose to take forward to the amend stage of this procedure, including an overview of how we have identified these volumes and the rationale for any volumes proposed which are not being taken forward to the amend phase.
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The report also sets out our more generic findings and associated recommendations relating to airspace classification and usage in the Cotswold Region focussed around a theme of pilot and controller education, which may have a broader application to UK airspace and which, if adopted, may lead to a more efficient use of airspace across the UK.
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Why we are asking for feedback
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We would like your feedback on our findings within our report and on the volumes proposed as part of our Initial Plan. We want to ensure we haven’t missed, misunderstood or misinterpreted any of the feedback given.
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This information will be used to inform our final report into the Cotswold Region and which will contain the Final Plan of airspace volumes we take forward to the amend stage of the procedure, as well as our approach to our other recommendations.
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Please note we are looking for feedback on the rationale used in deciding on the volumes contained within the Initial Plan and our other recommendations. We are not looking for views on the merits of the policy itself, which is a matter for the Government. Nor are we inviting further suggestions for volumes of airspace, or regions to investigate at this time.
\r\n", "id": "airspace-classification-draft-findings-on-cotswold"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2021/12/08", "enddate": "2022/03/03", "title": "Enforcement Guidance and Draft Statement of Policy on Penalties - Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Act 2021 Part 1", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/policy-development/enforcement-guidance-and-draft-statement-of-policy/consult_view", "overview": "
Historically, neither the government nor the CAA have had the powers to guarantee or compel that airspace change as part of a wider modernisation programme is taken forward.
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Following consultation, the Government introduced the Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft (ATMUA) Bill into Parliament to address this issue. The Bill received Royal Assent on 29 April 2021 and was made an Act of Parliament.
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Part 1 of the Act relates to airspace change proposals and contains powers for the Secretary of State to direct “a person involved in airspace change” to progress or cooperate in an ACP. Such persons are Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs), airports and other persons with functions relating to air navigation.
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The CAA has new roles and powers in relation to Part 1 of the Act, which are described in CAP2280 including:
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The CAA’s advisory role regarding the use of the Direction powers contained in Part 1 of the Act, and the impact on General Aviation. \r\n\t
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Enforcement Guidance covering the powers brought about by Part 1 of the Act. \r\n\t
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The ability to impose a penalty. A draft Statement of Policy on Penalties, which the CAA is required to consult on under Part 1 of the Act.
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We are seeking your views on our draft Statement of Policy on Penalties.
This CAP was first published in February 2019 alongside CAP403 Flying Displays and Special Events to ensure that the process of display pilot evaluation is standardised as far as is practicable.
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It provides a single point of access to guidance for Display Authorised pilots (DAs) and Display Authorisation Evaluators (DAEs) in areas such as preparation, standardisation and evaluations; and contains regulatory guidance material to enable those people to perform their tasks, discharge their responsibilities and maintain compliance with applicable aviation law. \r\nWe are now consulting on an amendment for a new Edition.
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Please note that in addition to the amendments underlined in red in the draft document, Edition 4 has been streamlined by 13% as a result of feedback from the community.
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How to respond
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We welcome views on this draft of CAP 1724 for consultation, please note that the proposed changes from the previous edition are underlined in red for easy reference.
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Please send us your comments online using the link below.
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Alternatively email ga@caa.co.uk stating the paragraph reference and suggested change/comment.
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What happens next?
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The consultation closes on 15th February 2022 and we aim to publish the new Edition thereafter.
This consultation document explains our proposals for revisions to the existing CAA Charges Schemes, due to take effect from 1 April 2022.
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We believe our proposals represent a balanced approach to charging, reflecting current circumstances and the important role of the CAA in industry’s recovery. We look forward to receiving feedback on these proposals, in particular from those we regulate.
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We welcome comments on all aspects of the proposals, including the charge structures and the level of the charges. Please could all responses be submitted through this site to ensure we are able to respond to your feedback as efficiently as possible.
This consultation sets out draft modifications to Heathrow Airport Limited’s (HAL) licence to show how we would implement the policy proposals in the October 2021 Initial Proposals for HAL’s H7 price control review if we were to adopt them in the form set out in that document.
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It includes:
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an introduction explaining the context for this consultation, including a brief summary of the scope of the October 2021 Initial Proposals, the timescales for making the modifications and how this relates to our proposals for a holding cap for 2022;
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details of policy proposals where we are still considering whether these should be implemented through licence changes or policy statements;
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a mark up of each licence condition where we are proposing modifications, with reasons for those modifications, including references to the relevant chapter of our Initial Proposals document; and
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a clean version of Schedule 1 to the licence “Statement of Measures, Targets and Incentives”.
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Views invited
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We welcome views on all the proposals included in this document.
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Please e-mail responses to economicregulation@caa.co.uk by no later than close of business on Friday 21 January 2022.
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We expect to publish the representations on our website for other interested parties to read after the period for written representations expires. Any material that is regarded as confidential should be clearly marked as such and provided in a separate appendix. Please note that we have powers and duties with respect to information under Section 102 of the Act and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
\r\n", "id": "h7-draft-licence-nov-2021"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2021/11/19", "enddate": "2022/01/18", "title": "Economic regulation of Heathrow Airport Limited: H7 Initial Proposals Working paper on outcome based regulation, November 2021", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/economic-regulation/h7-obr-paper-nov-2021/consult_view", "overview": "
This working paper follows on from the October 2021 Initial Proposals consultation and provides further details of the CAA’s proposed approach to implementing outcome based regulation (OBR) in the H7 price control for Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL). It sets out the CAA’s Initial Proposals on targets, rebates and bonuses and summarises the key proposed changes to HAL’s licence.
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Views invited
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We welcome views on all the issues raised in this working paper which should be considered alongside:
We expect to publish the representations on our website for other interested parties to read after the period for written representations expires. Any material that is regarded as confidential should be clearly marked as such and provided in a separate appendix. Please note that we have powers and duties with respect to information under Section 102 of the Act and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Cost sharing flights are flights shared by private individuals. The ‘cost-share’ element refers to the costs of the specific flight which can be shared between the pilot and others onboard the aircraft. These costs are the ‘direct costs’ which are directly incurred in relation to a specific flight such as fuel, airfield charges, or aircraft rental fees.
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One of the problems with cost sharing flights is where pilots and passengers of Illegal Commercial Air Transport collude to present illegal flights as legal cost shared flights.
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In 2021 we reviewed the cost sharing regulations. This consultation is focused on our proposals to update the regulations
\r\n", "id": "uk-cost-shared-flights"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2021/12/10", "enddate": "2022/01/10", "title": "CAP 403 Flying Displays and Special Events: Safety and administrative requirements and guidance 2022", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/ga/cap403-2022-flying-displays-special-events/consult_view", "overview": "
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 2022.
This consultation sets out our Initial Proposals for the Heathrow Airport Limited's (HAL) H7 price control review. It includes:
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This summary document which discusses our overall approach and the impact of the particularly challenging circumstances created by covid-19 on Heathrow airport, the price control review and these Initial Proposals.
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Section 1 which discusses: our proposed approach to the form of regulation for HAL, including our intention to introduce traffic risk sharing arrangements and to set a 5-year price control; and our projections for each of the key price control 'building blocks' (including numbers of passengers, costs and commercial revenues) that have informed our Initial Proposals.
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Section 2 which sets out our views on HAL's request for a covid-19 related RAB adjustment, the treatment of asymmetric risk, the WACC, financeability and our provisional range for the H7 price control on airport charges; and
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Section 3 which describes: our proposals for developing stronger capital efficiency incentives and implementing outcome based regulation (OBR); and our approach to dealing with airport charges in 2022 noting the particularly difficult and challenging circumstances that have been created by the pandemic and its impact on the CAA's H7 price control timetable.
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The appendices provide further information on the main issues set out in this consultation.
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We have also published, alongside these Initial Proposals, a number of supporting consultancy studies:
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CAP2266A - Review of H7 Opex and Commercial Revenues: Initial Assessment and Forecasts, CEPA Taylor Airey, October 2021
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CAP2266B - HAL RBP Update: Capex plan Review, Arcadis, October 2021
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CAP2266C - HAL RBP Update: Review of capex categories and delivery objectives, Arcadis, 2021
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CAP2266D - H7 Forecast Review [Passenger Forecasting], Skylark, October 2021
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CAP2266E - Estimating Heathrow's beta post Covid-19, Flint, August, 2021
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CAP2266F - Review of Consumer Acceptability Testing Research, FTI Consulting, October 2021
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Views invited
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We welcome views on all the issues raised in this document by no later than:
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Wednesday 17 November 2021 for any matters relating to airport charges for 2022 and the introduction of the holding cap discussed above; and
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Friday 17 December 2021 for the wider issues in this consultation relating to our Initial Proposals for HAL’s H7 price control and the associated incentive arrangements.
We expect to publish the representations on our website for other interested parties to read after the period for written representations expires. Any material that is regarded as confidential should be clearly marked as such and provided in a separate appendix. Please note that we have powers and duties with respect to information under Section 102 of the Act and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
***CAP 1616 Airspace Change Regulatory Guidance Engagement- Report Now Available*** \r\n \r\nCAP1616 sets out regulatory guidance for airspace change. First launched in 2018, it is now due an update, following review. To inform our updated version, we have completed workshops both internally (in June 2021) and externally (in September 2021).
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This engagement is focused on changes to the notified airspace design (i.e. Part 1 of CAP1616). This covers the regulatory process for permanent and temporary changes to the notified airspace design, as well as airspace trials.
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We are now to keen to extend engagement and invite you to share your views and experience of the CAP1616 process and its guidance.
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Visit our CAP1616 Review pages to find out more about the scope of the review and how it progresses.
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You may wish to review CAP1616 itself before completing the questionnaire.
Depending on how you respond, the survey should take 15 minutes. \r\n
\r\n", "id": "cap1616-engagement"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2021/10/01", "enddate": "2021/10/29", "title": "Economic regulation of NATS (En Route) Plc: consultation on licence modifications to implement exceptional measures", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/economic-regulation/nats-licence-modifications/consult_view", "overview": "
We are consulting on making changes to the price controls for NATS (En Route) Plc’s (NERL’s) regulated activities under its air traffic services licence for the year 2022.
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The main purpose of these modifications is to disapply this automatic calculation of the traffic risk sharing mechanism for 2022. Instead, allowed revenues will be recovered over a longer period of time to smooth the impact on charges to airspace users.
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The period of recovery will be determined through the next price control review (“NR23”). We are also proposing modifications for exceptional measures to remove service quality incentives for 2020 that have been unduly affected by the impact of covid-19 on traffic levels, and further technical modifications necessary to implement the CMA’s determination for the period 2020-2022.
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We welcome representations on the licence modifications and policy set out in CAP 2245 to economicregulation@caa.co.uk by no later than 29 October 2021. \r\n
This consultation seeks stakeholders’ views on the CAA’s intention to introduce changes to ATOL. The main changes relate to how ATOL holders fund their operations and how the use of their customers’ monies should be considered within the regulatory regime.
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The consultation document discusses the issues and invites comments on how the regulatory regime might change, but the CAA’s expectation is that any proposals for material change would be subject to a further round of consultation.
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The document also makes specific proposals in respect of:
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i) a changed treatment of mandatory terms to be included in written agreements between ATOL holders and their agents, \r\n \r\nand
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ii) changes to the way in which SBA and certain franchisee ATOL holders report and pay their APC returns. The CAA will consider whether to introduce change in these two areas after considering responses to this consultation document only.
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You can read our consultation document below or download a copy using the link at the bottom of this page.
\r\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n", "id": "atol-reform"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2021/06/07", "enddate": "2021/07/15", "title": "Economic regulation of NATS En Route plc: Further update on approach to the next price control review (N23)", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/economic-regulation/nerl-price-control-n23-update-june-202/consult_view", "overview": "
This consultation follows on from the December 2020 Consultation (CAP1944) and March 2021 Update (CAP2119) and provides further details on the next NERL price control review (“NR23”).
\r\n", "id": "nerl-price-control-n23-update-june-202"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2021/04/27", "enddate": "2021/06/18", "title": "Economic regulation of Heathrow Airport Limited: Q6 capital expenditure and early expansion costs", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/economic-regulation/heathrow-q6-capital-and-expansion-costs/consult_view", "overview": "
Heathrow Airport Limited's (HAL) capital expenditure (capex) is a key element in setting airport charges, as it feeds through to HAL's regulatory asset base (RAB) and so into airport charges (through a regulated return and depreciation on the capital invested). It is also essential that HAL invests efficiently to provide an appropriate quality of service and, where appropriate, new capacity. Previous CAA consultations have discussed the treatment and assessment of two categories of historical capex:
\r\n\r\n
\r\n\t
early expansion costs; and
\r\n\t
capex incurred during the Q6 price control period.
\r\n
\r\n", "id": "heathrow-q6-capital-and-expansion-costs"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2021/04/27", "enddate": "2021/06/18", "title": "Economic regulation of Heathrow Airport Limited: Consultation on the Way Forward", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/economic-regulation/hal-economic-regultation-way-forward/consult_view", "overview": "
This consultation document summarises our broad approach to the remainder of the Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) H7 price control review programme. It deals with the following main issues:
\r\n\r\n
\r\n\t
an update on timetable and recent developments (with our response to HAL’s request for a Covid-19 Related RAB adjustment being set out in a document published alongside this one);
\r\n\t
an overview of our proposed approach to the form of regulation for HAL, including our intention to set a 5-year price control;
\r\n\t
our assessment of HAL’s revised business plan (“RBP”) including our proposed approach to developing projections for each of the key price control “building blocks” that will inform our Initial Proposals due to be published this summer; and
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an update on our approach to introducing traffic or revenue risk sharing, developing stronger capital efficiency incentives, moving towards outcome based regulation (OBR), and our approach to assessing HAL’s financeability and the affordability of its charges.
\r\n
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Views invited
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We welcome views on all the issues raised in this document and, in particular, the issues set out in the executive summary and those highlighted in chapters 1 to 5.
We expect to publish the representations on our website for other interested parties to read after the period for written representations expires. Any material that is regarded as confidential should be clearly marked as such and provided in a separate appendix. Please note that we have powers and duties with respect to information under Section 102 of the Act and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
\r\n", "id": "hal-economic-regultation-way-forward"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2021/04/01", "enddate": "2021/05/27", "title": "UK Civil Aviation Authority launches consultation on proposed changes to CAP 553 (BCAR Section A, A3-7 and A8-26)", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/ga/uk-civil-aviation-authority-launches-consultation/consult_view", "overview": "
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has today published a consultation on proposed changes to the following chapters of CAP 553 (BCAR Section A):
\r\n\r\n
\r\n\t
Chapter A3-7: Permit to Fly Aircraft – Initial and Continuing Airworthiness
\r\n\t
Chapter A8-26. Approval of Organisations Supporting Recreational Aviation
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has today published a consultation on proposed changes to the following chapters of CAP 553 (BCAR Section A):
\r\n\r\n
\r\n\t
Chapter A8-21. Approval of Organisations Responsible for Design or Production
\r\n\t
Chapter A8-23: Approval of Organisations Responsible for Maintenance and Restoration of Non-Part-21 Aircraft
\r\n\t
Chapter A8-24: Approval of Organisations Responsible for Maintenance and Restoration of Non-Part-21 Aircraft below 5700kg, or Single Engine Helicopters, not used for Commercial Air Transport or State Purposes
\r\n
\r\n", "id": "cap-553-bcar-section-a-a8-21-a8-23-and-a8-24"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2021/03/19", "enddate": "2021/04/15", "title": "Economic regulation of NATS En Route plc: Update on approach to the next price control review", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/economic-regulation/nerl-price-control-review-update-march-2021/consult_view", "overview": "
This consultation provides an update on our thinking regarding our approach to the next NATS (En Route) plc (NERL) price control, following our December 2020 consultation (CAP1994).
This document gives formal notice under section 22(2) of the Civil Aviation Act 2012 (“CAA12”) of our proposal to modify Gatwick Airport Limited’s (“GAL”) economic licence to accept GAL’s proposed new commitments for the four year period from 2021/22 to 2024/25.
\r\n\r\n
This statutory consultation follows on from the consultation on our proposed approach in October 2020.
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Views invited
\r\n\r\n
We welcome views on the proposed modifications to GAL’s licence, which are set out in Appendix B.
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Please e-mail any comments to economicregulation@caa.co.uk by no later than 25 March 2021. We cannot commit to take into account representations received after this date.
\r\n\r\n\r\n
We expect to publish the responses we receive on our website as soon as practicable after the period for representations expires. Any material that is regarded as confidential should be clearly marked as such and included in a separate annex. Please note that we have powers and duties with respect to information under section 59 of the Civil Aviation Act 2012 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
\r\n", "id": "gatwick-airport-limited-licence-modifications"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2021/01/25", "enddate": "2021/03/08", "title": "Definition of Category D for Minimum Standards for Noise Modelling", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/policy-development/definition-of-category-d-for-minimum-standards-for/consult_view", "overview": "
In January 2020, the CAA first consulted on its proposed minimum requirements for noise modelling. Following feedback from this consultation we decided that the definition of Category D needed to be amendend and the CAA is now consulting on the new definition.
\r\n\r\n
A consultation document where the CAA puts forward options and its proposal for the new definition of Category D requirements has now been published and upon which we invite comments. We will consider any response we receive before the closing date publishing our final requirements.
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How to respond to this consultation
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Please let us have your comments by following the "Give us your views" link below.
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If you are not able to use the online consultation and wish to send a self-contained response we ask that your comments are structured around our questions. Otherwise we will not be able to analyse the submissions in the same way that we analyse the online responses.
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This consultation closes on 8 March 2021.
\r\n\r\n
If you would like to discuss anything about how to respond to the consultation, please email noise@caa.co.uk.
\r\n", "id": "definition-of-category-d-for-minimum-standards-for"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2021/02/05", "enddate": "2021/03/05", "title": "Economic regulation of Heathrow Airport Limited: Response to its request for a covid-19 related RAB adjustment - Updated consultation", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/economic-regulation/hal-covid-related-rab-adjustment-update/consult_view", "overview": "
In October 2020, we published a consultation document in response to the request made by Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) in July 2020 for the CAA to change its approach to the calculation of HAL’s regulatory asset base (RAB) to take account of the impact of the covid-19 pandemic.
\r\n\r\n
This update and consultation document provides our latest views on HAL’s request and our developing thinking on whether HAL’s price control framework should be changed in response to the circumstances created by the covid-19 pandemic. In particular the document sets out:
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\r\n\t
our framework for identifying and assessing options for intervention;
\r\n\t
the assessment of options, including HAL’s proposal for a RAB adjustment, in the light of this framework and the views of HAL and airlines in response to the October 2020; and
\r\n\t
our next steps and timetable for dealing with these matters.
We cannot commit to take into account representations received after the closing date.
\r\n\r\n\r\n
We expect to publish the responses we receive on our website as soon as practicable after the period for representations expires. Any material that is regarded as confidential should be clearly marked as such and included in a separate annex. Please note that we have powers and duties with respect to information under section 59 of the Civil Aviation Act 2012 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
CAP 1724 was first published in February 2019 alongside CAP403 Flying Displays and Special Events, the aim being to ensure that the process of display pilot evaluation is standardised as far as is practicable.
\r\n\r\n
It provides a single point of access to guidance for Display Authorised pilots (DAs) and Display Authorisation Evaluators (DAEs) in areas such as preparation, standardisation and evaluations; and contains regulatory guidance material to enable those people to perform their tasks, discharge their responsibilities and maintain compliance with applicable aviation law. We are now consulting on an amendment for a new edition.
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How to respond to this consultation
\r\n\r\n
We welcome views on this draft of CAP 1724 for consultation, please note that the proposed changes from the previous edition are underlined in red for easy reference.
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Please send us your comments online using the link below.
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Alternatively email ga@caa.co.uk stating the paragraph reference and suggested change/comment.
This consultation document explains our proposals for revisions to the existing CAA Charges Schemes, due to take effect from 1 April 2021.
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We believe our proposals represent a balanced approach to charging, reflecting current circumstances and the important role of the CAA in industry’s recovery. We look forward to receiving feedback on these proposals, in particular from those we regulate.
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We welcome comments on all aspects of the proposals, including the charges structure and the level of the charges.
\r\n", "id": "caa-charges-fy21-22"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2020/12/15", "enddate": "2021/01/15", "title": "CAP 403 Flying Displays and Special Events: Safety and administrative requirements and guidance 2021", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/ga/cap403-2021-flying-displays-special-events/consult_view", "overview": "
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 2021.
\r\n", "id": "cap403-2021-flying-displays-special-events"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2020/12/02", "enddate": "2021/01/12", "title": "Economic regulation of NATS En Route plc: Consultation on the approach to the next price control review ", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/economic-regulation/nerl-price-control-review-approach/consult_view", "overview": "
This consultation is on the approach to the next price control review for NATS (En Route) plc (NERL) in light of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Public Safety Zones are based on the risk to an individual from an aircraft accident over a year. They comprise an outer boundary which is the 1 in 100,000 risk contour and an inner, higher risk zone, based on the 1 in 10,000 risk contour.
\r\n\r\n
Previously NATS have been responsible (under contract to the Department for Transport) for modelling the risk contours that predict the size and shape of PSZs. This is done using the Department’s Third-Party Risk modelling methodology and is based on data supplied from airports on traffic forecasts for the next 15 years. To determine which airports should have PSZs, the Department considers CAA Statistics on Air Traffic Movements as well as drawing on background knowledge of the types of activities at individual airports.
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There are currently 32 airports with PSZs in the UK who will be affected by this proposed change. PSZ reviews have historically been carried out on a 7-year cycle, although there are no particular policy reasons for this.
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NATS have given notice to stop providing the risk modelling service and this, combined with the change in aviation safety over the last number of years, has led us to review the PSZ Policy.
\r\n\r\n
Therefore, the proposal, based on the knowledge that PSZ areas have not significantly changed in the last decade, is to standardise the zone profile and withdraw the review period. The proposed standardised shape, to replace the risk-based model profile, will capture 90-95% of accidents shown to be located outside the aerodrome boundary.
\r\n\r\n
This proposal will reduce the burden, both financially and resource, on aerodromes to review the zones at least every 7 years. Globally, there is an initiative to reduce the protection areas around aerodromes to take account of the flight performance of new aircraft types. This performance increases substantially with the introduction of each new aircraft type. The consequence of this is a decrease in the amount of accidents outside the aerodrome boundary. It is widely known that despite growing air traffic, the number of accidents is decreasing.
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Proposal
\r\n\r\n
Public Safety Zones have been established at all the airports with above 18,000 air traffic movement a year.
\r\n\r\n
They comprise an outer boundary which is the 1 in 100,000 risk contour and an inner, higher risk zone, based on the 1 in 10,000 risk contour. The length of the 1:100,000 risk contour for an aerodrome with less than 45,000 ATMs per year has been set at 1,000m from the landing threshold. For an aerodrome with greater than 45,000 ATMs, the PSZ follows the same lateral plan but extends to 1,500m.
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The width of the 1 in 100,000 risk contour at the landing threshold is equal to the relevant runway strip.
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Regardless of ATMs, the length of the 1:10,000 risk contour has been set at 500m from the landing threshold.
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The width of the 1:10,000 risk contour at the landing threshold is equal the cleared and graded area.
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In all cases the Public Safety Zones are based on the landing threshold for each end of the runway and taper away from the runway.
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The standardised shape that replaces the risk-based model profile and has been defined using the latest data on accidents shown to be located outside the aerodrome boundary.
The UK is leaving the EASA system in 2021, and the CAA have made a commitment to the Secretary of State for Transport to undertake a “Post-Brexit GA Challenge”. This challenge will be one of the key mechanisms for enabling the CAA to help the GA community overcome the challenges, take advantage of the opportunities and mitigate the impact that leaving EASA poses.
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In addition, the aviation industry has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic which continues to have a profound effect across individuals, businesses, associations and the CAA. We understand that GA communities do not have the same levels of resources as the commercial aviation sector, and may feel under threat or have different appetite for change.
Before we get started on the main survey we want to ask some questions about you. As we stated in CAP1985 one of the aims of this consultation is to improve our out-reach, engagement and collaboration with our external communities. To enable us to do this as efficiently and effectively as possible we are asking these questions to help us gather the demographic data we need.
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You are not obliged to answer these questions, however the more information we have the better informed we will be when making decisions about our out-reach, engagement methods and collaboration.
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For more information about the categories we are using in the gender related questions on this page, please visit the Stonewall website.
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\r\n
\r\n", "id": "uk-general-aviation-opportunities-after-easa"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2020/10/22", "enddate": "2020/11/30", "title": "Economic regulation of Gatwick Airport Limited: consultation on new commitments ", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/economic-regulation/gatwick-airport-limited-new-commitments/consult_view", "overview": "
This consultation seeks stakeholders’ views on our proposed approach to updating the economic regulation of Gatwick Airport Ltd (GAL).
Since the most recent revision to CAP1324 in February 2019, the CAA has been in discussions with stakeholders on further potential enhancements to its ADR policy, both to make ADR work better for consumers and to encourage airlines that do not currently participate in ADR to consider again the merits of the schemes that are offered by the two CAA-approved ADR bodies (namely CEDR and AviationADR).
\r\n", "id": "policy-for-adr-applicants-and-entities"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2020/09/22", "enddate": "2020/11/17", "title": "Economic regulation of Heathrow: working paper on the efficiency of HAL\u2019s capital expenditure during Q6", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/economic-regulation/hal-q6-capital-expenditure/consult_view", "overview": "
This working paper discusses our approach to reviewing Heathrow’s Airport Limited (HAL’s) capital expenditure (capex) incurred during the Q6 price control. In particular, it includes:
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\r\n\t
a recap of our previous work in this area;
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our method for selecting a sample of projects for review and a summary of the findings of our consultants (Arcadis) on whether there is evidence of inefficiency in relation to these projects;
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our proposed approach to reviewing these findings including in the context of broader issues; and
We expect to publish the responses we receive on our website as soon as practicable after the period for representations expires. Any material that is regarded as confidential should be clearly marked as such and included in a separate annex. Please note that we have powers and duties with respect to information under section 59 of the Civil Aviation Act 2012 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
\r\n", "id": "hal-q6-capital-expenditure"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2020/10/09", "enddate": "2020/11/05", "title": "Economic regulation of Heathrow Airport Limited: Response to its request for a covid-19 related RAB adjustment", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/economic-regulation/response-to-covd-related-rab-adjustment/consult_view", "overview": "
This document has been published in response to the request made by Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) in July 2020 for the CAA to change its approach to the calculation of its regulatory asset base (RAB) to take account of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its revenues in 2020 and 2021. It provides our initial views on HAL’s request and proposes next steps for consultation.
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The document sets out:
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the background to HAL’s request and the initial views of airlines in response to it;
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our approach to assessing HAL’s request;
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our initial assessment of HAL’s request; and
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proposals for our next steps and timetable for dealing with the issues raised by the request.
We cannot commit to take into account representations received after the closing date.
\r\n\r\n\r\n
We expect to publish the responses we receive on our website as soon as practicable after the period for representations expires. Any material that is regarded as confidential should be clearly marked as such and included in a separate annex. Please note that we have powers and duties with respect to information under section 59 of the Civil Aviation Act 2012 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
\r\n", "id": "response-to-covd-related-rab-adjustment"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2020/09/24", "enddate": "2020/10/21", "title": "Economic regulation of NATS (En Route) plc: Consultation on licence modifications and guidance", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/economic-regulation/nats-en-route-licence-modifications/consult_view", "overview": "
This consultation relates to the price controls for NATS (En Route) plc’s (NERL’s) regulated activities under its air traffic services licence for the period 2020 to 2022. It follows on from our August 2019 RP3 price control decisions, the subsequent reference to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the CMA’s final report on NERL’s price control arrangements. The consultation is pursuant to the statutory requirements, under the Transport Act 2000(the Act), to consult on licence modifications before implementation.
We welcome representations on the licence modifications and guidance set out in this document to economicregulation@caa.co.uk by 21 October 2020.
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We expect to publish the representations on our website for other interested parties to read after the period for written representations expires. Any material that is regarded as confidential should be clearly marked as such and provided in a separate appendix. Please note that we have powers and duties with respect to information under Section 102 of the Act and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
\r\n", "id": "nats-en-route-licence-modifications"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2020/08/13", "enddate": "2020/10/09", "title": "Economic regulation of Heathrow Airport Limited: working paper on capital expenditure efficiency incentives", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/economic-regulation/economic-regulation-hal-capital-expenditure/consult_view", "overview": "
This consultation follows on from the June 2020 Consultation (CAP1940) and provides further details of our proposed approach to capital efficiency incentives for Heathrow Airport Limited.
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It covers the following main issues:
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a recap of our previous work in this area, including the initial views of stakeholders;
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our proposed criteria for developing new incentives; and
\r\n\t
further details on our broad approach to developing capital efficiency incentives.
We expect to publish the responses we receive on our website as soon as practicable after the period for representations expires. Any material that is regarded as confidential should be clearly marked as such and included in a separate annex. Please note that we have powers and duties with respect to information under section 59 of the Civil Aviation Act 2012 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
\r\n", "id": "economic-regulation-hal-capital-expenditure"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2020/06/25", "enddate": "2020/09/17", "title": "Draft procedure for reviewing the classification of airspace", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/policy-development/draft-procedure-to-review-airspace-classification/consult_view", "overview": "
The CAA is introducing a new procedure to review and where appropriate amend airspace classification.
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The classification determines the flight rules that apply in that airspace and the procedures that must be followed.
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Why we are consulting
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We are seeking your views on the procedure we propose to adopt for amending the classification of airspace, reflecting the CAA’s airspace functions, government policy and best practice decision-making.
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Background
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In October 2019 the Secretary of State gave the CAA new Air Navigation Directions creating a role for us to review airspace classifications and where appropriate amend them. This requires a new procedure to be in place by 1 December 2020. It is the design of this procedure that we are consulting you about.
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The new function given to the CAA responds to a General Aviation-led review of how airspace is managed. (General Aviation essentially means all civil flying other than commercial airline operations. It therefore encompasses a wide range of aviation activity from powered parachutes, gliding and ballooning to corporate business jets, and includes all sport and recreational flying.) It requires that in applying our classification policy, or amending a classification, we seek to ensure that the amount of controlled airspace is the minimum required to maintain a high standard of air safety and, subject to overriding national security or defence requirements, that the needs of all airspace users are reflected on an equitable basis. (The CAA understands ‘equitable’ to mean that needs are fairly accounted for, not that each user has the same and equal amount of airspace. The needs of different types of airspace user could vary considerably.)
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We aim to design a procedure that will allow different, sometimes competing, factors to be taken into account, including satisfying the requirements of airspace users. In the longer term, the new procedure will be a useful tool for the CAA to use for airspace modernisation, for example for integrating new types of airspace user.
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We began last December by asking stakeholders for their suggestions of volumes of airspace that we might consider for reclassification through our new procedure. We have now published the results of this consultation.
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Once we have a procedure in place, taking into account your feedback, we can take appropriate suggestions through to the Amend stage of the procedure, and future reviews will follow the new procedure.
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Our proposed classification procedure
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The wording of the Directions gives us three distinct stages for our new procedure:
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to Consider regularly whether we carry out a review of airspace classification
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to Review (including consulting airspace users) where we consider a change might be made
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to Amend the classification as we consider appropriate.
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Consider stage
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An internal CAA meeting makes a yes/no decision whether there are airspace safety, efficiency, environmental or access benefits that a review might help to define and deliver, taking into account workload and other obligations. We may limit the scope of the review if we choose. We notify aviation stakeholders of our decision and reasoning.
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Review stage
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We use appropriate intelligence including continuous monitoring of airspace safety, access or utilisation issues to draw up a plan that lists airspace volumes where we think a case could be made for amending the classification or other remedial action. We consult airspace users for feedback on the plan and for other suggestions they would want us to include in it. We apply filters to remove changes which would have significant operational or environmental impacts that make them unsuitable for this procedure. We would not pursue an amendment that was the subject of a current or recent airspace design change. We publish a refined plan after this consultation.
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Amend stage
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For each airspace volume identified, the CAA develops further a formal proposal for amending the classification that aligns with our statutory duties, with vital input from the designated airspace controlling authority.
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The proposal must satisfy the requirements of the Air Navigation Directions and the factors in section 70 of the Transport Act 2000. This includes the airspace controlling authority developing the operational and safety case with CAA assistance, but ultimately the controlling authority owning the safety component of the proposal. The CAA assesses any potential environmental impacts and adds this to the proposal.
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The CAA consults relevant stakeholders about the proposal and takes their feedback into account in finalising the formal proposal that amends the classification. This proposal is then submitted to the CAA Airspace Regulation decision-making process. We publish our decision.
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The airspace controlling authority implements any amended classification, monitors its ongoing effectiveness and reports after one year to the CAA.
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To find out more about the proposed procedure, please read our consultation document CAP 1934. We are also publishing a short summary of the consultation document as CAP 1934a.
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What we are not consulting on
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We are not seeking your views on the policy on airspace classification or the classifications of particular volumes of airspace, nor on government policy, including the Air Navigation Guidance and the functions given to us which come directly from the Secretary of State. This consultation is also not about the CAP 1616 airspace change process or specific airspace change proposals or decisions.
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We will disregard elements of responses to this consultation that focus on any of these areas.
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Your views are invited
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We are seeking your views on our proposed procedure for reviewing airspace classification. Once we have considered your views and incorporated any modifications needed to our proposed procedure, we will introduce it on 1 December 2020.
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How to respond to this consultation
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Please let us have your comments by following the "Give us your views" link below and answering the five questions.
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We understand that some stakeholders prefer not to be constrained by the questions alone and will want to send a self-contained response. While we will read these submissions, we will not be able to analyse the submissions in the same way that we analyse the online responses.
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We are asking for comments before 23.59 on 17 September 2020. We cannot commit to taking into account comments received after this date.
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If you would like to discuss anything about how to respond to the consultation, please email us at airspace.modernisation@caa.co.uk.
This consultation deals with the following main issues:
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the responses we received to the April 2020 Update and our approach to protecting the interests of consumers;
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requirements for HAL’s revised business plan (“RBP”), which it is due to publish in the autumn of 2020;
\r\n\t
improving the efficiency incentives and capital expenditure governance arrangements for the H7 price control period; and
\r\n\t
further thoughts on our approach to assessing HAL’s financeability and setting the cost of capital for the H7 price control period.
\r\n
\r\n\r\n
Heathrow Airport Limited has paused its work on capacity expansion at Heathrow airport. We also address the regulatory treatment of expenditure incurred to date on expansion.
We welcome views on all the issues raised in this document and, in particular, the issues set out in the executive summary and those highlighted in chapters 1 to 4.
We expect to publish the responses we receive on our website as soon as practicable after the period for representations expires. Any material that is regarded as confidential should be clearly marked as such and included in a separate annex. Please note that we have powers and duties with respect to information under section 59 of the Civil Aviation Act 2012 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
\r\n", "id": "economic-regulation-of-heathrow-airport"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2020/02/27", "enddate": "2020/06/26", "title": "Proposed Criteria for Assessing and Accepting the Airspace Change Masterplan", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/policy-development/airspace-change-masterplan-criteria/consult_view", "overview": "
The UK Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) 2018 Airspace Modernisation Strategy sets out a new shared objective between the CAA and the Government for modernising airspace which is to deliver quicker, quieter and cleaner journeys and more capacity for the benefit of those who use and are affected by UK airspace.
\r\n\r\n
Of the 15 initiatives that form the Strategy, two are known as Future Airspace Strategy Implementation – South, and Future Airspace Strategy Implementation – North (known as FASI-South and FASI-North respectively). These are complex airspace design programmes that require coordination between the different ‘sponsors’ of airspace changes, such as airports and NERL. The CAA and the Department for Transport (DfT), have commissioned NERL to establish an impartial team known as the Airspace Change Organising Group (ACOG) to lead the programme to create a coordinated implementation plan for airspace changes in Southern UK. This is being referred to as the Masterplan for short.
\r\n\r\n
The purpose of the Masterplan is to set out where airspace change could be taken forward to provide benefits, to consider potential conflicts, trade-offs and dependencies, and set out a preferred implementation plan. The Masterplan does not set the detail of individual airspace designs or solutions. It will however, identify where any airspace changes would be needed to deliver a range of benefits, including to reduce noise, deliver air quality or fuel efficiency benefits or where more direct routes are possible that could reduce controlled airspace.
\r\n\r\n
\r\n", "id": "airspace-change-masterplan-criteria"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2020/04/30", "enddate": "2020/06/12", "title": "Operation of Permit-to-Fly ex-military aircraft on the UK register", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/ga/permit-to-fly-ex-military-aircraft/consult_view", "overview": "
The CAA is consulting on Edition 8 of CAP632 Ex-Military Aircraft.
\r\n\r\n
While we absolutely appreciate that much of the UK’s aviation community is being severely affected by COVID-19, we do need to prepare for a safe return for aviation and develop future rules and regulations.
\r\n", "id": "permit-to-fly-ex-military-aircraft"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2020/01/13", "enddate": "2020/03/05", "title": "Economic regulation of Heathrow Airport Limited: further consultation on regulatory framework and financial issues", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/cmg/regulatory-framework-and-financial-issues/consult_view", "overview": "
This consultation document provides further information on our approach to developing the regulatory framework for Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) to support the efficient delivery of capacity expansion at Heathrow airport.
\r\n\r\n
It outlines and consults on our approach to incentives for efficiency, allowed returns and other financial issues.
\r\n\r\n
It follows on from our March 2019 consultation on the regulatory framework for HAL and our previous policy documents on these matters.
\r\n\r\n
Views invited
\r\n\r\n
We welcome views on all the issues raised in this document including the issues set out in the executive summary and highlighted in chapters 1 to 3.
We expect to publish the responses we receive on our website as soon as practicable after the period for representations expires. Any material that is regarded as confidential should be clearly marked as such and included in a separate annex. Please note that we have powers and duties with respect to information under section 59 of the Civil Aviation Act 2012 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
\r\n\r\n
If you would like to discuss any aspect of this document, please contact Dan.Rock@caa.co.uk
COVID-19: As a consequence of the severity of the current COVID-19 outbreak and its impact on the aviation industry, the CAA has decided to pause this consultation process for six months.
\r\n\r\n
In order to carry out certain of its regulatory duties, the CAA requires stakeholders (usually from airports) to provide us with outputs from noise modelling. Such outputs are typically in the form of sets of ‘noise contours’, along with the area they cover and/or the number of residents living within them. Currently, different stakeholders use different levels of sophistication in this modelling, which is as expected since they have different numbers of residents affected by aviation noise, and may respond to the CAA in regard to different of our duties. Up until now, it has been the responsibility of each stakeholder to decide on the level of sophistication of noise modelling appropriate for its circumstances.
\r\n\r\n
The CAA now believes that it is appropriate to specify the minimum acceptable level of sophistication of noise modelling required for us to carry out our duties, to provide clarity to sponsors and stakeholders about the methodology they should use and therefore reduce ambiguity, and to provide consistency across different groups of airports. In general, the CAA will expect the noise analysis to be sufficient for it to carry out its duties but also proportionate to the size and likely noise effects of the airport or the proposal under consideration. In most circumstances, some form of noise analysis will be presented to the CAA. However, we appreciate that installation of noise monitoring infrastructure and modelling of results informed by noise monitoring and track data can involve some expenditure, and in some cases, this level of expense would not be proportionate.
\r\n\r\n
The CAA has published a document where it defines Categories of noise modelling and puts forward its proposals for the minimum requirements which different stakeholder and sponsor groups should achieve in order for the CAA to carry out its duties. We invite comments on our proposals and will consider any response we receive before publishing our final requirements.
\r\n\r\n
How to respond to this consultation
\r\n\r\n
Please let us have your comments by following the "Give us your views" link below.
\r\n\r\n
If you are not able to use the online consultation and wish to send a self-contained response we ask that your comments are structured around our questions. Otherwise we will not be able to analyse the submissions in the same way that we analyse the online responses.
\r\n\r\n
This consultation closes on 4 March 2020.
\r\n\r\n
If you would like to discuss anything about how to respond to the consultation, please email noise@caa.co.uk.
The CAA would like you to help us identify volumes of controlled airspace in which the classification could be amended to better reflect the needs of all airspace users on an equitable basis.
\r\n\r\n
How do I respond?
\r\n\r\n
Please complete the survey below. You will probably find it helpful to review the visualisations of controlled airspace and their use. These images are ordered by geographical area of the UK (north, midlands and south) and then by height (presented as a flight level) and representative times of day, because airspace is used differently at different times. The air traffic presented is derived from NATS radar data and within +/- 500 feet of the presented flight level. We have focused on four flight levels, based on those that are of most interest to a range of users: FL20 (i.e. 2,000 ft), FL40, FL60 and FL100.
Once this consultation closes, there will be three more stages to complete the work:
\r\n\r\n\r\n\t
Shortlisting volumes of airspace for potential amendment \r\n\t \r\n\tFirst, the CAA will analyse the responses from this consultation and the evidence that we can collate in collaboration with those responsible for management of airspace. We will then draw up a shortlist of those volumes of airspace where we think the classification could be amended and consider the best options for such amendments. \r\n\t \r\n\tFor example, it might be that the volume of controlled airspace could be reduced, with a section of it removed, or it might be that it remains the same size, but its classification could change, and therefore probably the traffic service provision within it. An alternative option – particularly if it is used by commercial traffic at some hours but not others – might be to make the classification flexible, i.e. to switch its classification and services on and off at different times. In developing amendment options, the CAA will need to ensure alignment with ICAO guidance on airspace design and to consider the safety, operational and environmental implications. \r\n\t \r\n\tThere might be other ways of achieving the long-term outcome of better reflecting the needs of all users. If an airspace change is being developed in a volume of airspace, we may choose not to consider amending the classification of that volume at the present time, if we believe the best outcome would be to see how the airspace change develops or performs.
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\t
Developing a new regulatory process for amending the classification of a volume of airspace \r\n\t \r\n\tSecond, the CAA will develop a new regulatory process to implement the amendments. We will publicly consult about what that process should look like before we implement it. The process we envisage will follow a series of steps before we decide whether to amend a specific volume of airspace. One of those steps will be a formal consultation on the specific amendment proposed to a volume of airspace. The new regulatory process will need to be in place before those consultations can begin.
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\t
Developing solutions to enable airspace reclassification \r\n\t \r\n\tFinally, there will also be enabling work to develop some of the solutions that may be employed. For example, the flexible use of airspace (meaning to amend or switch off its classification and services at different times) will need new procedures and supporting technologies to be introduced. It will be important to have dissemination and assurance-of-receipt of the status of a particular block of airspace. For example, if a General Aviation aircraft is using airspace while the airspace classification is ‘off’ but needs to be contacted before it can be switched back ‘on’, thereby allowing commercial operations to be safely resumed, it must be possible to correctly identify and communicate with that General Aviation aircraft. \r\n\t \r\n\tIt may be the case that new requirements and technology are introduced to support such flexibility; this is something the CAA will have to develop. Our Innovation Hub, together with our Future Airspace Team, is exploring how to test technologies which could deliver electronic conspicuity. A ‘sandbox challenge’ would set out what we are seeking to establish through the test and the support that would be available to innovators in answering those questions. The Innovation Hub hopes to make an announcement on this early in 2020.
\r\n\r\n\r\n
How will the CAA decide which volumes of airspace are shortlisted?
\r\n\r\n
We will use the following evidence and analysis to decide which are the priority volumes of airspace in which the classification could be amended:
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Responses to this consultation:
\r\n\r\n
\r\n\t
We will be interested in volumes of airspace that are identified by more than one respondent, as this suggests that more than one person or entity would benefit from its amendment.
\r\n\t
We will also be interested in respondents who suggest a particular volume of airspace cannot be safely amended.
\r\n\t
While we will look for common themes and suggestions among respondents, this exercise is not simply a vote or a referendum – we will consider the full opportunities and risks for the volumes identified by respondents, rather than just their popularity.
\r\n
\r\n\r\n
Analysis of technical data about safety and other important factors. The data we will analyse may include:
\r\n\r\n
\r\n\t
Airspace infringement data based on submitted mandatory occurrence reports (MORs)[1] and relevant airport surveillance-derived data.
\r\n\t
Planned operations (a view of what was planned) including flight intention data; this would include visual flight rules (VFR) intended plan data.
\r\n\t
Actual operations (what was actually flown) including en-route radar data, airfield approach surveillance data, and electronic conspicuity source data.
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Safety data (formal reported issues and quantitative feedback of issues) including Local Airspace Infringement Team information, reported bottlenecks and areas of intense General Aviation operations near volumes of controlled airspace.
\r\n\t
Service data (supporting evidence of levels of air traffic service, airspace and aerodrome use) including commercial air services and General Aviation airspace access or crossing refusals.
\r\n
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\r\n
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Why is the CAA doing this?
\r\n\r\n
On 30 October 2019 the Secretary of State for Transport wrote to the CAA[2] to amend the 2017 Air Navigation Directions[3] to give us a new role regarding the way in which airspace is classified. Directions 3(a), (b) and (ba) come into force on 1 April 2020. They state that the CAA must:
\r\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n
(a) develop and publish a national policy for the classification of UK airspace;
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\r\n
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(b) classify UK airspace in accordance with such national policy, publish such classification, regularly consider whether such classification should be reviewed, carry out a review (which includes consultation with airspace users) where the CAA considers a change to classification might be made and, as the CAA considers appropriate, amend any classification in accordance with procedures developed and published by the CAA for making such amendments;
\r\n\r\n
(ba) in developing the national policy referred to in sub-paragraph (a), classifying UK airspace under sub-paragraph (b), or amending the classification of a volume of airspace under that sub-paragraph, seek to ensure that the amount of controlled airspace is the minimum required to maintain a high standard of air safety and, subject to overriding national security or defence requirements, that the needs of all airspace users is reflected on an equitable basis;
\r\n\r\n
This now means that we must:
\r\n\r\n
\r\n\t
regularly consider whether to review the classification of airspace;
\r\n\t
consult airspace users as part of that review;
\r\n\t
where we consider a change to classification might be made, amend it ourselves in accordance with a new procedure that we must develop and publish;
\r\n\t
in developing that procedure and our policy describing airspace classifications, seek to ensure that the amount of controlled airspace is the minimum required to maintain a high standard of air safety and, subject to overriding national security or defence requirements, that the needs of all airspace users are reflected on an equitable basis.
\r\n
\r\n\r\n
The CAA has decided to review the classification of UK airspace and conduct our first review now, and this consultation forms part of our first review.The CAA has considered its obligation to consult with airspace users in carrying out the review and developed this public consultation to do so. As explained above, we will, separately, develop a new regulatory procedure for considering solutions and if possible amending the classification of the volumes of airspace that are identified through the review.
\r\n\r\n
What does the airspace classification review seek to achieve?
\r\n\r\n
As the Directions state, we need to “ensure that the amount of controlled airspace is the minimum required to maintain a high standard of air safety and, subject to overriding national security or defence requirements, that the needs of all airspace users is reflected on an equitable basis.”
\r\n\r\n
This means we want to review airspace classifications in the UK to reflect the needs of a range of airspace users – including commercial aviation, General Aviation, and new technologies such as drones and spaceflights – on an equitable basis, and we must do so safely. However, while equitable means fair and reasonable, it does not mean that all airspace users must have equal access to a volume of airspace. For example, small drone operations are usually performed locally and below 400 feet, which is a very different airspace need to that of a private pilot licence holder flying cross country.
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Why are there so many consultations, why can’t you just amend the airspace quickly?
\r\n\r\n
Some of the reasons for there being different stages to this work are explained above, under ‘What happens next?’. For example, there may need to be new procedures, training and equipage for making use of airspace in a more flexible way.
\r\n\r\n
The Air Navigation Directions require us to consult airspace users when we review whether airspace classifications can be amended; that’s what we’re doing in this consultation. But we will also have to a) consult on the new regulatory process for considering amendments to airspace classifications in the future (this will be a one-off) and b) as part of that new regulatory process, consult on specific reclassification proposals before we make any amendments.
\r\n\r\n
This new regulatory process includes consultation so that when we propose to amend a specific volume of airspace we capture all evidence and opinion to ensure we do the right thing. We need to understand all the implications of the amendment, including considering whether the classification can be amended safely and hearing the views of those using or affected by the airspace classification.
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How does this relate to airspace modernisation?
\r\n\r\n
The UK’s airspace structure is an essential, but largely invisible, part of our national transport infrastructure. It is divided into controlled and uncontrolled airspace, and further divided into classifications. There are rules attached to classifications about how and where aircraft can fly, and the air navigation services and procedures that must be used. The UK’s skies are accommodating increasing numbers of commercial flights, military activities and an active General Aviation sector, as well as new technologies such as drones.
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The vast majority of commercial flights operate solely in controlled airspace; recreational flying and aerial sports operate largely in uncontrolled airspace below 6000 feet, alongside a few commercial and business flights. The military also has significant requirements to use both types of airspace and occasionally also operates within the confines of segregated training or danger areas. The creation of controlled airspace may impinge on the availability of airspace for other users, and an appropriate balance is needed to satisfy both the safety needs and economic requirements of the various types of, often conflicting, operational requirements. At lower altitudes there is more of a challenge in balancing the differing requirements of a more diverse range of affected parties.
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Many air routes and air traffic management practices are not fully utilising the modern technologies available, and aircraft continue to use prescribed flightpaths that are outdated. Those flightpaths often constrain aircraft climb performance such that more time is taken for them to reach their optimum cruising altitude. This creates inefficiencies and results in greater fuel burn, more emissions and larger blocks of controlled airspace to contain such procedures. Flightpaths may not presently be optimised to reduce noise impacts or designed to offer relief from noise. This inefficient use of airspace causes unnecessary delays for passengers and significant air traffic control workload to manage bad weather or other forms of disruption. It also has excessive impacts on the environment and those living near our airports. The outdated design is also, crucially, constraining the number of flights that the airspace can safely accommodate.
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With these challenges in mind, the CAA’s Airspace Modernisation Strategy (AMS) set out 15 initiatives to modernise airspace. The airspace classification review sits in a strategic context which includes the following existing AMS initiatives:
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\r\n\t
Reviewing the UK’s application of the ICAO airspace classifications, the related air traffic management requirements to ensure that the airspace is optimised for all airspace users in all phases of flight, and the conspicuity solutions to make airspace more flexible for different uses (AMS initiatives 9–11).
\r\n\t
This included an airspace classification review. The work explained above builds on this initiative. The work already being undertaken will inform a long-term plan that will be built into future iterations of the review.
\r\n\t
Implementing an airspace change masterplan that applies the new concepts and aims to reduce controlled airspace through changes to both existing and future planned airspace (noting that these changes must also consider other factors such as commercial growth) (AMS initiatives 4–8). The masterplan and the analysis and engagement that must feed into it have been commissioned from a new unit in NERL (ACOG – the Airspace Change Organising Group).
\r\n
\r\n\r\n
Work on these initiatives will continue and the co-sponsors of airspace modernisation, the CAA and Department for Transport, expect every organisation responsible for the delivery of initiatives to engage relevant stakeholders and coordination across the initiatives to ensure coherent delivery.
\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n
[1] Mandatory Occurrence Reporting requires the reporting, analysis and follow up of occurrences in civil aviation and delivers a European Just Culture Declaration. An occurrence means any safety-related event which endangers or which, if not corrected or addressed, could endanger an aircraft, its occupants or any other person. The purpose of occurrence reporting is to improve aviation safety by ensuring that relevant safety information relating to civil aviation is reported, collected, stored, protected, exchanged, disseminated and analysed. It is not to attribute blame or liability. https://www.caa.co.uk/Our-work/Make-a-report-or-complaint/MOR/Occurrence-reporting/
\r\n", "id": "airspace-classification-review-2019-2020"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2019/12/19", "enddate": "2020/02/28", "title": "Economic regulation of Heathrow Airport Limited: policy update and consultation on the early costs of capacity expansion", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/cmg/early-costs-of-capacity-expansion/consult_view", "overview": "
This consultation document provides further information on costs Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) expects to incur in advance of obtaining a Development Consent Order under the Planning Act 2008 for the expansion of Heathrow airport.
\r\n\r\n
It outlines the approach to spending on these early costs that we consider is in the best interest of consumers and the regulatory arrangements that should apply to this spending.
\r\n\r\n
It follows on from our July 2019 consultation on early costs and our previous policy documents on these matters.
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Views invited
\r\n\r\n
We welcome views on all the issues raised in this document including the issues set out in the executive summary and highlighted in chapters 1 to 3.
We expect to publish the responses we receive on our website as soon as practicable after the period for representations expires. Any material that is regarded as confidential should be clearly marked as such and included in a separate annex. Please note that we have powers and duties with respect to information under section 59 of the Civil Aviation Act 2012 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
\r\n\r\n
If you would like to discuss any aspect of this document, please contact \r\nRobert.Toal@caa.co.uk.
\r\n", "id": "early-costs-of-capacity-expansion"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2020/01/06", "enddate": "2020/02/17", "title": "Conducting paid-for initial pilot training in amateur-built UK National Permit to Fly Microlights", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/ga/training-uk-national-permit-microlights/consult_view", "overview": "
In this consultation document we propose extending paid-for initial pilot training to be conducted using amateur-built microlights which hold a UK national Permit to Fly (PtF).
\r\n\r\n
We are proposing that this training can now be undertaken by those pilots who are not owners of the aircraft. Currently, to undertake initial training in PtF aeroplanes, the student would need to be an owner or part-owner for this to be acceptable.
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\r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n", "id": "training-uk-national-permit-microlights"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2020/01/06", "enddate": "2020/02/17", "title": "Conducting paid-for initial pilot training in UK National Permit to Fly Aeroplanes", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/ga/training-uk-national-permit-aeroplanes/consult_view", "overview": "
In this consultation document we propose extending paid-for initial pilot training to be conducted using certain aeroplanes which hold a UK national Permit to Fly (PtF).
\r\n\r\n
We are proposing that this training can now be undertaken by those pilots who are not owners of the aircraft. Currently, to undertake initial training in PtF aeroplanes, the student would need to be an owner or part-owner for this to be acceptable.
This consultation document explains our proposals for revisions to the existing CAA Charges Schemes, due to take effect from 1 April 2020.
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We believe our proposals represent a balanced approach to charging and we look forward to receiving feedback on these proposals, in particular from those regulated by us.
\r\n\r\n
We welcome comments on all aspects of the proposals, including the charges structure and the level of the charges.
\r\n", "id": "caa-charges-2020-21"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2020/01/06", "enddate": "2020/02/03", "title": "Gatwick Route 4: Feedback opportunity on draft report of the Post Implementation Review", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/safety-and-airspace-regulation-group/gatwick-route-4-pir-feedback/consult_view", "overview": "
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has now published a draft report of its Post Implementation Review (PIR) of Gatwick Airport Limited’s Route 4 RNAV-1 SID Airspace Change Proposal (ACP). You are able to find the draft report at www.caa.co.uk/CAP1872.
\r\n\r\n
The ACP sought to replicate and eventually replace Gatwick Airport’s Route 4 departure route, using Performance-based Navigation (PBN) technology rather than the older radio navigation method. The airspace change was approved by the CAA on 14 August 2013 for implementation on 14 November 2013.
\r\n\r\n
The final part of the CAA's airspace change process is a PIR. The purpose of a PIR is to determine whether the anticipated impacts and benefits in the original proposal and published decision are as expected. It is not a review of the decision itself, and neither is it a re-run of the original decision process.
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Why We Are We Asking For Feedback
\r\n\r\n
The CAA is now inviting stakeholders to comment on the draft report’s findings. The objective of this is to ensure that the CAA has not missed, misunderstood or misinterpreted any relevant matters. It is not an opportunity for new representations nor to go back over material that the CAA has already considered.
\r\n\r\n
Please note that the CAA is asking for comments on the draft report of our PIR, not about the merits of the original decision itself.
All parachute operations carried out from civil registered aircraft over the UK is regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
\r\n\r\n
Parachuting (CAP 660)is a comprehensive source of information including rules, regulations and guidance on legal requirements for parachuting operations and displays.
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It was last published in 2008 and we are now consulting on a revised and updated edition. This new edition will be published in 2020 and includes some major changes to reflect new legislation and regulatory provisions.
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The consultation for the revised edition closes on Friday 17 January 2020.
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How to respond to this consultation
\r\n\r\n
Please send us your comments online using the link below (preferred method).
\r\n\r\n
Alternatively please email ga@caa.co.uk stating the paragraph reference and suggested change/comment.
Flying Display Standards Document (CAP1724) was first published earlier this year alongside Flying Displays and Special Events (CAP403) to ensure that the display pilot evaluation process is standardised as much as possible.
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CAP1724 provides a single point of access to guidance for Display Authorised pilots (DAs) and Display Authorisation Evaluators (DAEs) in areas such as preparation, standardisation and evaluation.
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It contains regulatory guidance material to enable those people to perform their tasks, discharge their responsibilities and maintain compliance with applicable aviation law.
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Following the 2019 display season, we are now consulting on amendment for a new edition.
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The consultation closes on 12 January 2020.
\r\n\r\n
How to respond to this consultation
\r\n\r\n
Please send us your comments online using the link below (preferred method).
\r\n\r\n
Alternatively please email ga@caa.co.uk stating the paragraph reference and suggested change/comment.
This is a call for evidence regarding the carriage of assistance dogs by air.
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We are looking for evidence to help us understand the issues faced by assistance dog users and the organisations that are required to help their carriage by air.
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We are keen to hear from:
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assistance dog users
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assistance dog training organisations
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dog training organisations and experts
\r\n\t
airlines
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airports
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government departments
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agencies and
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charities.
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There are a number of questions for each of these stakeholder groups set out in Appendix A of the call for evidence document.
The nature of you interest in this area (in particular if you are an assistance dog user or an assistance dog organisation or charity)
\r\n\t
Whether you would be prepared to be contacted directly by the CAA in relation to this issue (and, if so, the best method for the CAA to contact you)
\r\n\t
Whether you would be content for the contents of your submission to be made public by the CAA
\r\n\t
If you are an assistance dog organisation or charity, and you have a public facing presence such as a website or via a social media platform, please also provide the details in your submission.
\r\n
\r\n", "id": "assistance-dogs-call-for-evidence"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2019/11/04", "enddate": "2019/11/29", "title": "CAP 403 Flying Displays and Special Events: Safety and administrative requirements and guidance 2020", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/ga/cap403-flying-displays-and-special-events/consult_view", "overview": "
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 1 April 2020.
\r\n", "id": "cap403-flying-displays-and-special-events"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2019/10/18", "enddate": "2019/11/29", "title": "Bringing new light aircraft between 450-600kg under national regulation", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/ga/450-600kg-regulation/consult_view", "overview": "
The CAA has the option to directly regulate a category of light aircraft of a greater weight than previously allowed by EU regulation. The proposal is for the UK to consider an ‘opt out’ from current European regulation in favour of national regulation.
\r\n", "id": "450-600kg-regulation"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2019/08/15", "enddate": "2019/10/11", "title": "Economic regulation of Heathrow: working paper on financial resilience and ring fencing", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/cmg/economic-regulation-of-heathrow-working-paper-on-f/consult_view", "overview": "
This working paper focuses on options the CAA is considering to provide further assurance that Heathrow Airport Limited (“HAL”) operates in a financially resilient manner and that risks to consumers arising from financial distress are appropriately mitigated while not cutting across the financing arrangements HAL already has in place to support its regulated business. It considers options for possible changes to the financial resilience and ring fencing provisions in HAL’s licence that may be appropriate, in particular, given the scale and challenges of the development of new capacity at Heathrow airport. It develops further the thinking we set out in our consultations on the regulatory framework to support capacity expansion at Heathrow in June and December 2017.
\r\n", "id": "economic-regulation-of-heathrow-working-paper-on-f"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2019/08/01", "enddate": "2019/09/13", "title": "Economic regulation of Heathrow Airport Limited from January 2020: notice of proposed licence modifications", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/corporate-communications/economic-regulation-of-heathrow-airport-limited-fr/consult_view", "overview": "
The current regulatory controls on the charges and services that Heathrow Airport Ltd (HAL) offers to airlines are due to expire on 31 December 2019 and already include a one-year extension to the previous Q6 price control.
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This document gives formal notice under section 22(2) of the Civil Aviation Act 2012 (CAA12) of our proposal to modify Heathrow Airport Limited’s (HAL) economic licence to:
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\r\n• extend the current price control by a two year interim period, up to 31 December 2021, taking account of the commercial arrangement between HAL and certain airlines for this period; \r\n• include a new licence condition to promote economy and efficiency; and \r\n• make minor changes to update the price control arrangements, remove obsolete terms and make a change to HAL’s regulatory audit requirements to reflect current auditing guidelines.
\r\n\r\n
This statutory consultation follows on from our consultation on the regulatory framework to support capacity expansion at Heathrow in March 2019 (see CAP 1782) and our consultation on interim price control arrangements in February 2019 (see CAP1769). \r\n
\r\n", "id": "economic-regulation-of-heathrow-airport-limited-fr"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2019/07/11", "enddate": "2019/08/22", "title": "Economic regulation of capacity expansion at Heathrow: consultation on early costs and regulatory timetable, July 2019 ", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/corporate-communications/economic-regulation-of-capacity-expansion-at-heath/consult_view", "overview": "
This consultation document focuses on the costs of expansion incurred by Heathrow Airport Limited (“HAL”) in advance of receiving a development consent order (“DCO”) under the Planning Act 2008 for the expansion of Heathrow airport. It deals with the new information that has emerged on these costs and notes that there could be significant implications for the wider programme timetable, depending on the levels of this spending and how we propose to treat the expenditure in the regulatory framework.
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It also deals with issues relating to the regulatory timetable and updates the guidance we provided previously to HAL on the scope and content of its price control business plans.
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The response date for this consultation is 22 August 2019
This working paper sets out our updated assessment of the affordability and financeability of the development of new runway capacity at Heathrow. It follows on from the initial assessment of affordability and financeability included within our consultation in April 2018, updating that assessment to take account of developments in HAL’s masterplanning process for the expansion of Heathrow airport.
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We welcome views on all the issues raised in this working paper:
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Please e-mail responses to economicregulation@caa.co.uk by no later than 13 August 2019. We cannot commit to take into account representations received after this date.
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We expect to publish the responses we receive on our website as soon as practicable after the period for representations expires. Any material that is regarded as confidential should be clearly marked as such and included in a separate annex. Please note that we have powers and duties with respect to information under section 59 of the Civil Aviation Act 2012 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
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If you would like to discuss any aspect of this document, please contact Dan Rock (economicregulation@caa.co.uk).
\r\n\r\n
\r\n", "id": "capacity-expansion-at-heathrow-airport"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2019/06/24", "enddate": "2019/07/22", "title": "Modification of Condition 6 of NATS (En Route) plc air traffic service licence", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/corporate-communications/modification-of-nerl-condition-6/consult_view", "overview": "
This consultation concerns the need to modify the requirements on NATS (En Route) plc (NERL) regarding the provision of regulatory accounts.
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The modification is required as changes to accountancy guidance means that accountancy companies can no longer provide the audit opinion that is currently required.
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NERL, as the licence holder, has agreed in principle to the modifications proposed in this document.
\r\n", "id": "modification-of-nerl-condition-6"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2019/05/09", "enddate": "2019/07/07", "title": "Airspace change: a decision-making process for PPR (planned and permanent redistribution of air traffic) proposals", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/policy-development/ppr-decision-making-process/consult_view", "overview": "
Update 11 October 2019:
\r\n\r\n
The new process for making decisions on Planned and Permanent Redistribution (PPR) proposals was due to be implemented on 1 November 2019. However, due to the liquidation of Thomas Cook, and the unprecedented scale of the repatriation programme to return its passengers to the UK, the CAA agreed with the Government to postpone this by three months, until 1 February 2020. This decision was made to allow the CAA to redeploy our staff across the organisation so that we could undertake the repatriation programme. \r\n \r\n * * * * * * * *
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During a review of its policy on airspace and noise the Government recognised that while changes to airspace design are subject to the airspace change process and are consulted on with relevant stakeholders, changes to air traffic control operational procedures could be implemented without consultation. Even if noise impacts were similar to those of a change in airspace design.
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The Government has since given the CAA, as airspace regulator, a decision-making role for a wholly new category of airspace change. This category is known as a planned and permanent redistribution of air traffic through changes in air traffic control operational procedure. We refer to this as PPR for short.
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Essentially a PPR concerns changes in the way existing airspace is used, rather than changes in the airspace design itself. Air traffic controllers are continuously making decisions as to how to control individual aircraft. The air traffic control operational procedures form a framework within which each air traffic controller makes those individual aircraft-by-aircraft decisions. Consequently the track over the ground taken by a given aircraft is a combined result of the airspace design, the air traffic control operational procedures and the individual expert decision of the air traffic controller on the day.
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After consultation, the Government decided that where changes in air traffic control operational procedure lead to a planned, permanent redistribution of air traffic in certain ways, they ought to be subject to:
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a CAA decision which considers all the section 70 factors in the Transport Act 2000, and
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a similar process as a change in airspace design.
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Only certain PPR proposals (known as ‘relevant PPRs’) will need to go through the approval process. These are the PPRs most likely to have a potential noise impact on the ground.
\r\n", "id": "ppr-decision-making-process"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2019/04/26", "enddate": "2019/06/07", "title": "Charge proposal for the UK Drone Registration Scheme", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/finance/drone-registration/consult_view", "overview": "
This consultation covers our charge proposal for the Government mandated UK Drone Registration Scheme, which is due to be launched from 1 October 2019 and is a legal requirement under the Air Navigation Order (ANO) from 30 November 2019.
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The Government has provided a significant amount of taxpayer funding to cover the costs of developing the new drone registration scheme up until 1 October 2019.
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From that date onwards, the costs of running the scheme will be borne by those who use it under the user pays principle. This is because as a statutory body, the CAA has to recover its costs from those it regulates.
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This is the funding model used for its other aviation regulation functions, for example regulation of pilots, engineers, general aviation, airlines and airports.
\r\n", "id": "drone-registration"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2019/04/15", "enddate": "2019/05/31", "title": "Proposed changes to VMC minima in class D airspace", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/future-safety/proposed-changes-to-vmc-minima-in-class-d-airspace/consult_view", "overview": "
Since 2014 the UK has exempted any aircraft being flown within UK class D airspace at or below 3,000 feet above mean sea level from SERA.5001 (VMC visibility and distance from cloud minima).
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This exemption applies when the aircraft is flying in accordance with specific conditions currently set out in Official Record Series 4 (ORS4) No 1282. The exemption will remain effective (as ORS4 No 1302) until 12 September 2019.
CAP 1649, Air Traffic Safety Electronics Personnel - Training & Competence, has been produced for Air Traffic Safety Electronics Personnel (ATSEP), Training Organisations and Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) to assist in interpreting the relevant requirements laid down in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/373 Annex XIII pertaining to ATSEP training and competence assessments, including United Kingdom requirements for limited certificate holder ANSPs.
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Once published, CAP 1649 will replace CAP 670 APP02 (Personnel Technical Certificates).
Electronic conspicuity (EC) is one of the most important airspace modernisation initiatives because of its potential to unlock safety benefits and save lives by reducing the likelihood of infringements and mid-air collisions.
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By ensuring the full adoption of EC solutions in targeted blocks of airspace to enhance situational awareness, the aviation sector can transform its approach to integrating different types of operation and lay the foundations for new users like unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to operate far more extensively than they do today.
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Full adoption means 100% of users operating in a designated block of can be detected electronically to the required levels of accuracy and reliability.
This document is a call for evidence that describes our suggested approach to coordinating the full adoption of EC solutions in targeted blocks of airspace and aims to test whether:
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The suggested approach is correct;
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We are looking at the right issues and options; and
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The right stakeholders are engaged.
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The approach focuses on targeting blocks of airspace where EC solutions can solve a clearly identifiable problem and have the greatest potential to deliver benefits. We expect the transition to full adoption of EC solutions across all areas of UK airspace to be the eventual conclusion of this targeted approach, as the cumulative benefits of shared situational awareness are realised and the market for more advanced and cost-effective solutions matures.
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We expect that the full adoption of EC solutions will be delivered and funded by a range of organisations, and a wide mix of stakeholders will need to be engaged in the process. We are committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure the approach we follow is coherent, balanced and gives rise to the expected benefits. This call for evidence is your opportunity to help shape the approach and we look forward to working with you.
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How to respond
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We would like stakeholders to consider the suggested approach that is set out in this document (and summarised in short form here) then provide their responses to six core questions.
\r\n", "id": "e-conspicuity-solutions"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2019/03/29", "enddate": "2019/05/24", "title": "Economic regulation of capacity expansion at Heathrow: policy update and consultation", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/economic-regulation/economic-regulation-of-capacity-expansion-at-heath/consult_view", "overview": "
This document follows on from the consultations that we published on the regulatory framework to support capacity expansion at Heathrow airport in January, June and December 2017 and April and October 2018. It consults further on the development of the regulatory framework and includes:
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our proposed approach to taking into account the financeability of Heathrow Airport Limited's (HAL's) activities over the period of capacity expansion;
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our latest thinking on the development of capital efficiency incentives;
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the proposed next steps for introducing a new licence condition to further promote economy and efficiency on the part of HAL; and
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further thinking on the issues that may be raised by alternative arrangements for delivering new capacity.
\r\n
\r\n", "id": "economic-regulation-of-capacity-expansion-at-heath"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2019/02/28", "enddate": "2019/04/23", "title": "Economic regulation at Heathrow from January 2020: Interim H7 price control proposals", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/economic-regulation/interim-h7-price-control-proposals/consult_view", "overview": "
This document follows on from our consultations on the regulatory framework to support capacity expansion at Heathrow in June and December 2017 and April and October 2018.
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It consults specifically on our initial proposals for the interim arrangements to apply after the end of the Q6 price control (in December 2019) for 2020 and 2021. In particular it examines the commercial arrangements for this period which have been agreed by Heathrow Airport Limited (“HAL”) and certain airlines and assesses whether these provide appropriate protection for the interests of consumers.
\r\n", "id": "interim-h7-price-control-proposals"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2019/02/14", "enddate": "2019/04/12", "title": " Reference Period 3 draft performance plan proposals for consultation", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/economic-regulation/reference-period-3-draft-performance-plan-proposal-1/consult_view", "overview": "
The CAA is consulting on its draft proposals for the UK’s performance plan for the period from January 2020 to December 2024 – Reference Period 3 (RP3).
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NATS (En Route) plc (NERL) provides en route and certain approach air traffic services in the UK. As a monopoly, it is subject to economic regulation under the European Union's Single European Sky Performance Scheme for Air Navigation Services and the Transport Act 2000. This legislation provides for the setting of performance targets and incentives for NERL.
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Our proposals set out cost and service quality targets for NERL performance for RP3, in addition to cost targets for airspace related activities of the Met Office, Department for Transport (Eurocontrol) and the CAA. We also make proposals for NERL’s Oceanic activities for the same period.
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We have also published a number of consultancy reports which we used in preparing our RP3 proposals. These are also available on the NERL licence page of the CAA website, in the ‘‘Economic Regulation for Reference Period 3 under the Single European Sky (2020-2024)’ section.
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We will be holding a stakeholder consultation meeting on our proposals on 11 March, in central London. Stakeholders wishing to attend, should register their interest by sending an email to economicregulation@caa.co.ukby 1 March 2019.
If you would like to discuss the issues raised in the consultation document, we invite contact outside this consultation to be directed to Matt Claydon (economicregulation@caa.co.uk).
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Please see below for the document and related appendices.
\r\n", "id": "reference-period-3-draft-performance-plan-proposal-1"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2019/02/01", "enddate": "2019/03/15", "title": "Consultation on review of CAP1228", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/cmg/consultation-on-review-of-cap1228/consult_view", "overview": "
Regulation EC 1107/2006 obliges all airports with more than 150,000 passengers per year to set ‘quality standards’ for the assistance provided to disabled passengers and those with reduced mobility and measure and monitor performance against these standards. The Regulation further obliges National Enforcement Bodies to "where appropriate...take the measures necessary to ensure that the rights of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility are respected, including compliance with the quality standards". In 2014 the CAA published guidance for airports on how to meet their obligations in this respect. This led to the CAA introducing a UK wide airport accessibility performance framework. We are now consulting on a revised version of the guidance.
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A link to the current version of CAP1228 and the downloadable copy of the revised document are available below.
This independent review carried out by PwC is intended to increase transparency and allow interested parties to comment on the process so far. The review also looks at the level of efficiency associated with the planning costs.
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Consultation document
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This short consultation document sets out our initial views on the planning costs incurred by HAL during the period of the review.
We would welcome comments from stakeholders on any of the matters included in this consultation document or raised in the PwC reports by Friday 8 February.
This consultation contains the proposed amendments to the CAA Schemes of Charges within the documents shown below, which are planned to be effective as from 1 April 2019.
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As a body that is directly funded by charges paid by those we regulate, we fully understand the difficulties the industry continues to face. This is one of our primary considerations when we set our charges.
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Over the past eight years, the increase in our charges was only 7.9% while in the same period UK CPI inflation was 20.2%. This is because we have worked hard to reduce our operating costs over the same period.
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However, we continue to face significant financial pressures, with increases in our cost base as well as the need to make crucial investment in modernising our systems. The Project Delivery (Transformation Programme) has and will continue to deliver efficiencies and better customer service. As such, we are committed to controlling the costs of making these improvements.
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Given these current cost pressures, we propose that there should be an increase of 2.4% across all Charges Schemes in 2019/20, which is in line with the October 2018 CPI rate of inflation.
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In addition, we are proposing specific charges to cover our costs in the three areas where we are undertaking new activities – Brexit contingency planning, cyber security, and airspace change process & airspace modernisation strategy programme. There are a number of further proposed structural changes detailed in chapter 4 of the main consultation document.
CAP 670 sets out the UK implementation of the Chicago Convention on International Aviation, European Regulations and specific national requirements in support of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) discretionary powers contained in the Air Navigation Order 2016.
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CAP 670 provides an overview of requirements and the regulatory framework, generic requirements and guidance, specific requirements for inter alia Communication, Navigation, Surveillance, Meteorological and Information and Alerting Systems, as well Air Traffic Control (ATC) unit staffing and duty hours.
This consultation concerns the proposed new publication entitledCAP1724: Display Standards Document which we are planning to publish around mid-February 2019.
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This new CAP will be available alongside CAP403 Flying Displays and Special Events, the aim being to ensure that the process of display pilot evaluation is standardised as far as is practicable. This proposed CAP1724 provides a single point of access to guidance for Display Authorised pilots (DAs) and Display Authorisation Evaluators (DAEs) in areas such as preparation, standardisation and evaluations; and contains regulatory guidance material to enable DAs/DAEs to perform their tasks, discharge their responsibilities and maintain compliance with applicable aviation law.
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Readers familiar with CAP403 will notice that much of this material was in that publication’s previous edition, and was removed from the edition currently under consultation [see Related documents below]. This is because we took the view that the DA/DAE material is sufficiently distinct from the legal, safety and administrative requirements of those organising flying displays themselves. Therefore, we decided to create two documents that are separate, parallel and more targeted to their respective audiences.
\r\n", "id": "flying-display-authorisation-standards"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2018/12/03", "enddate": "2019/01/11", "title": "Flying Displays and Special Events 2019: Safety and administrative requirements and guidance", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/ga/copy-of-flying-displays-and-special-events/consult_view", "overview": "
This consultation contains the proposed amendments to the CAP 403, Flying Displays and Special Events: Safety and Administrative Requirements and Guidance, which are planned to be effective from 1 April 2019.
\r\n", "id": "copy-of-flying-displays-and-special-events"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2018/10/31", "enddate": "2019/01/01", "title": "Non EASA fleet aircraft: Industry consultation on seat harness / belt lives", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/ga/seat-harness-integrity/consult_view", "overview": "
AAIB Safety Recommendation 2017-021 required CAA to review the maintenance requirements for seat belts and harnesses, and, if necessary, revise these to ensure that seat belts and harnesses remain in a condition with an acceptable residual strength. In response, CAA published Safety Notice 2018/005, providing clarification of items to consider during routine aircraft inspection.
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Complementing this, the Light Aircraft Association published Airworthiness Alert LAA/AWA/18/07 drawing attention to the CAA SN and highlighting the importance of maintaining safety harnesses in a good condition.
\r\n", "id": "seat-harness-integrity"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2018/09/17", "enddate": "2018/12/07", "title": "Review of CAA Policy on the Training, Qualification and Licensing of Flight Information Service Officers", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/future-safety/fiso-training-qualification-licensing-review/consult_view", "overview": "
Summary
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The CAA is seeking the views of our stakeholders on a series of concept proposals for future CAA policy on the training, qualification and licensing of UK flight information service officers (FISOs).
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This consultation closes at 23:59 on 7 December 2018
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Description
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CAA policy relating to the training, qualification and licensing of FISOs has remained largely unchanged for almost forty years and differs markedly from international ‘good practice’. By contrast, the arrangements for air traffic controllers (ATCOs) have been subject to continued evolution; seeing them adopt new technologies and ways of working in parallel with advances in the wider aviation industry they serve. Adoption of new technology is equally evident in general aviation (GA) and particularly recreational aviation – the primary user of air traffic services (ATS) provided by FISOs – where major advances have been made in aircraft design, systems and products for the use of GA pilots.
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In 2016, the CAA initiated a review of all aspects of the training, qualification and licensing of FISOs and their regulatory oversight by the CAA. The review also considered the limitations placed on the privileges associated with a FISO licence in the UK; specifically, that FISOs are limited to the provision of FIS in Class G airspace alone and that the use of an ATS surveillance system to supplement the FIS is not permitted.
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Having conducted the review, the CAA developed policy concepts which we believe could form the basis of the UK’s FISO licensing arrangements in the future. The next stage is to gain the views of our stakeholders on these policy concepts through this consultation.
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The consultation document, CAP 1669, argues the need for change, describes the review of FISO licensing arrangements undertaken by the CAA and proposes the future policy concepts for stakeholder review. \r\n
The current regulatory controls on the charges and services that Gatwick Airport Limited (GAL) offers to airlines, and ultimately to consumers, are due to expire on 31 March 2021.
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We have therefore launched an initial consultation seeking stakeholders' views on the process and timetable for reviewing the economic regulation of GAL, and on possible issues to be addressed during this process.
The CAA has received in excess of 260 submissions to its public invitation for responses to the draft Airspace Modernisation Strategy that was published on 19 July 2018. We are no longer accepting responses, but we welcome and value the contributions that have been submitted by stakeholders.
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Responses, where we have consent to publish, can be viewed by following:
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the link at the top of this page 'Published Responses' for online responses received through this website.
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the links at the foot of this page under 'Related Documents' for offline responses that supplement an online response received through this website.
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The Government’s Air Navigation Directions 2017 require us to present a delivery report and strategy to the Secretary of State in December.
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What are we asking?
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The purpose of this stakeholder engagement exercise is for the CAA to understand your views on our new draft Airspace Modernisation Strategy which will replace our 2011 Future Airspace Strategy (FAS).
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This comprises a draft Airspace Modernisation Strategy document and six questions (See 'Related' documents below). A transcript of this summary and the questions is also provided for reference.
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Why is airspace modernisation needed?
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Airspace is a crucial part of the UK’s infrastructure. It must be maintained and enhanced to provide more choice and value for consumers, through the capacity for airlines to add new flights, reduced flight delays and enhanced global connections that can help boost the UK economy, while continuing to improve safety standards.
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In addition to accommodating increasing commercial flights, Military requirements and an active GA sector, the UK’s skies are hosting different types of airborne vehicles such as drones. UK airspace will also need to accommodate commercial spaceflight in the future, and other new technologies are constantly emerging.
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What is the objective for modernising airspace?
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Working together, the Government and the CAA have developed a shared objective for modernising airspace. This objective states that modernising airspace means changing and developing its structural design, and the operational concepts and technology that are used to fly and manage air traffic.
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It states that we want to ensure that airspace capacity is not a constraint on the growth of commercial aviation, with the constraint to growth instead becoming the number of runways or restrictions imposed on the use of those runways by government or planning authorities as a condition of that growth.
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Our approach in undertaking this programme is to be transparent, inclusive, and to take into account the needs and views of all airspace users and affected parties, including airports, airlines, communities and General Aviation representatives.
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Why have we written a new Airspace Modernisation Strategy?
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The Government has tasked the CAA with preparing and maintaining a co-ordinated strategy and plan for the use of UK airspace for air navigation up to 2040, including for the modernisation of the use of such airspace.
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The Airspace Modernisation Strategy responds to that requirement. It supersedes and replaces the Future Airspace Strategy (FAS), although many key elements of FAS remain relevant and are included in this new strategy. The new Airspace Modernisation Strategy also needs to take into account:
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a new runway at Heathrow: outlined in the current National Policy Statement
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the need to coordinate multiple different airspace changes
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potential changes arising from government policy reviews, such as more explicit policy on how noise must be considered
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drones
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spaceplanes.
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The CAA must consult the Secretary of State about the preparation and maintenance of this Airspace Modernisation Strategy and the detail to be included in the delivery plan, and must give a delivery report to the Secretary of State annually.
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Our draft Airspace Modernisation Strategy
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This draft Airspace Modernisation Strategy forms part of the Government’s new arrangements to take forward the delivery of the airspace modernisation programme. The strategy sets out the ends, ways and means of modernising airspace.
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Chapter 1 introduces the need for airspace modernisation and describes its objective, and the approach taken in this strategy.
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Chapter 2 sets out the role of the Department for Transport, the CAA, NATS and other relevant stakeholders.
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Chapter 3 sets out the ends, or outcomes, that modernised airspace must deliver, all of which are derived from UK and international policies and laws.
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In Chapter 4, 14 initiatives are identified as the primary ways of modernising airspace, including new airspace designs, operational procedures and enabling technologies.
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Chapter 5 identifies that there are a number of current foreseeable ‘unknowns’ that could change and reshape the context for this strategy.
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The means of delivering airspace modernisation – such as the resources needed to bring in changes – must rest with the industry organisations that will use airspace. The need for these plans is addressed in Chapter 6.
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In Chapter 7 we set out our assessment of progress towards completion of each major initiative and the supporting designs, operational procedures and technology enablers.
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Your views are invited
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The CAA is publishing this draft for public engagement so that any interested stakeholders can offer feedback on the document – including its approach and the initiatives it sets out as the primary ways to deliver modernisation – before it is finalised and delivered to the Secretary of State in December 2018. In future years the strategy may be revised, but the CAA will not always publish a full draft document for engagement.
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We are asking you to respond to six questions and provide comments before 10 September 2018. We cannot commit to taking into account comments received after this date.
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The questions include some multiple-choice answers and the opportunity to submit your comments by completing text boxes. Please note that if you prefer not to give a multiple-choice answer, the questionnaire will still allow you to complete the text box. We understand that some stakeholders may prefer not to be constrained by the questions alone. We have therefore also included a text box for general observations not covered by the questions.
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If you would like to discuss anything about how to respond, please email: airspacemodernisation@caa.co.uk or telephone: 0207 453 6278.
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We will assume that all responses can be published on our website. When you complete the online form there will be an option for you:
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• to hide your identity including personal details (which will anonymise your response completely), or
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• to refuse publication altogether; in the interests of transparency, we hope people will not refuse publication.
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What happens next?
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Your comments will help us to set out a comprehensible and engaging strategy for developing and delivering our shared airspace modernisation objective, and enable the CAA to report on it to the Secretary of State.
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This stakeholder engagement exercise will be open until 10 September 2018. We will then review the responses received, and will take on board feedback where it is considered appropriate.
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The finalised Airspace Modernisation Strategy will be published at the end of the year alongside an annual delivery report for the Secretary of State. At this time we will also update this site with a summary of what we asked, what you said and what we did in response, and will also publish responses where we have consent to do so.
\r\n", "id": "draft-airspace-modernisation-strategy"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2018/02/26", "enddate": "2018/03/26", "title": "Proposal to modify Condition 2 of NATS (En Route) plc licence in respect of resilience planning, policy statement on enforcement and consultation on draft guidance", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/cmg/proposal-to-modify-condition-2-of-nats-en-route-pl/consult_view", "overview": "
This document is a formal notice to modify NERL’s air transport licence to require it to submit to the CAA a resilience plan. The plan will set out the principles, policies and processes NERL will follow to ensure that it will develop and maintain its assets, personnel and systems to provide a resilient service. The plan will be subject to review by an Independent Reviewer appointed by the CAA.
Our consultation should be read alongside the Department for Transport's (DfT) consultation, which was also launched today and can be accessed via this link. The DfT are consulting on measures to modernise ATOL and align the ATOL and APC Regulations with the PTD. Our consultation contains proposals on how we should implement these proposals, principally through changes to the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Official Record Series 3.
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\r\n", "id": "modernising-atol"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2018/02/16", "enddate": "2018/03/12", "title": "Draft advice on market conditions for Terminal Air Navigation Services in the UK", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/cmg/draft-advice-on-market-conditions-for-terminal-air/consult_view", "overview": "
The CAA is consulting stakeholders on the draft advice to the Secretary of State (CAP 1634) that the provision of terminal air navigation service (TANS) in the UK is subject to market conditions, as set out under Annex I of the European Regulation No 391/2013.
\r\n
\r\n", "id": "draft-advice-on-market-conditions-for-terminal-air"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2017/12/14", "enddate": "2018/03/02", "title": "Economic regulation of capacity expansion at Heathrow - Policy update and consultation", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/economic-regulation/capacity-expansion-at-heathrow/consult_view", "overview": "
This document follows on from the June 2017 Consultation on the core elements of the regulatory framework to support capacity expansion at Heathrow.
\r\n
It confirms our approach in respect of key elements of the regulatory framework for Heathrow Airport Limited and discusses issues around the relationship between the regulatory framework and alternative delivery mechanisms, the cost of capital, financeability, financial resilience, the regulatory treatment of early construction costs and the further extension of existing Q6 price control.
The CAA is interested in your experiences of seating arrangements when you have booked airline tickets as a group. By this we mean flying anywhere (i.e. inside or outside the UK) with more than one person (e.g. with a partner, friends, family, colleagues etc).
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Please complete the survey below, to tell us about the flight you took and what happened with your seating arrangements. At the end of the multiple choice questions about your flight, we have invited you to describe what happened in up to 1,000 words.
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This survey is a chance for the CAA to gather information about the way airlines allocate seats. Your response will not be treated as a complaint, but we many choose to contact airlines to discuss any issues that occur when we review your response. We will not be responding to you individually.
\r\n", "id": "airline-seating-allocations"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2017/11/14", "enddate": "2018/02/14", "title": "Call recording requirements at Flight Information Service (FIS) aerodromes", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/corporate-communications/call-recording-requirements-at-flight-information/consult_view", "overview": "
\r\n\tWhile Air Traffic Control (ATC) units are already required by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to record and retain two-way radiotelephony, the same requirement is not currently clear for UK Flight Information Service (FIS) units: it is non-mandatory under the requirements of CAP 670, but mandatory under CAP 797.
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\r\n\tWe propose that, in order to clarify requirements for UK FIS units:
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\r\n\t
\r\n
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\tthe requirements in CAP 670 are changed to match those in CAP 797
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\r\n\t\tradio telephony recording is made mandatory for all FIS units
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\r\n\t\tall FIS units be equipped with at least a FIS-type recorder (a ‘cutdown’ ATC recorder).
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\r\n\tWe believe the majority of UK FIS units are already doing this: a survey conducted by the CAA in 2012 indicated that roughly half of FIS aerodromes are equipped with some form of automatic recording equipment.
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\r\n\tThe recording equipment provided at some FIS aerodromes is similar to that provided at an ATC unit, but the equipment installed can vary between a custom PC-based solution and an MP3 recorder.
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\r\n\tThe replay quality obtained from these systems is therefore of concern to the CAA Transcription Unit, and users are encouraged to discuss their implementation with the CAA.
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\r\n\tCustom PC-based solutions (such as specialist software run on a standard desktop PC) are a reasonable compromise for FIS aerodromes as an interim measure, provided that the hardware and software are appropriately configured and maintained.
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\r\n\tThe CAA has conducted research with a number of FIS units already operating this type of system, and established a set of parameters to ensure its suitability. We are proposing that such a solution could be used for a period not exceeding five years.
\r\n\t\tThis consultation contains the proposed amendments to the CAA Schemes of Charges within the documents shown below, which are planned to be effective as from 1 April 2018.
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\r\n\t\t
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\r\n\t\tAs a body that is directly funded by charges paid by those we regulate, we fully understand the difficulties the industry continues to face. This is one of our primary considerations when we set our charges.
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\r\n\t\tOver the past eight years, the increase in our charges was only 5.3% while in the same period UK CPI inflation was 18.4%. This is because we have worked hard to reduce our operating costs over the same period.
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\r\n\t\t
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\r\n\t\tHowever, we continue to face significant financial pressures, with increases in our cost base as well as the need to make crucial investment in modernising our systems. Our two main work streams, Performance Based Regulation and the Transformation Programme, have and will continue to deliver efficiencies and better customer service. As such, we are committed to controlling the costs of making these improvements.
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\r\n\t\t
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\r\n\t\tGiven these current cost pressures, we propose that there should be an increase of 2.6% across all Charges Schemes in 2018/19, which is lower than the current CPI rate of inflation (October 2018 CPI: 3.0%).
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\r\n\t\t
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\r\n\t\tIn addition, we are proposing specific charges to cover our costs in the three areas where we are undertaking new activities - cyber security, unmanned aircraft systems and markets and competition work. There are a number of further proposed structural changes detailed in chapter 4 of the main consultation document.
\r\n\t\tPlease send us your comments online using the link below (preferred method). Alternatively please email charges@caa.co.uk.
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\r\n", "id": "caa-charges-2018-19"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2017/11/21", "enddate": "2018/02/02", "title": "Guidance for airlines on assisting people with hidden disabilities", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/cmg/guidance-for-airlines-on-assisting-people-with-hid/consult_view", "overview": "
The CAA is consulting on its proposed guidance for airlines on the minimum compliance standards under Regulation EC1107/2006 (the Regulation) in relation to providing assistance to people with hidden disabilities.
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Hidden disabilities include, but are not limited to, dementia, autism, learning disabilities, anxiety issues, mental health impairments and hearing loss. A significant proportion of the UK population is affected by such disabilities and conditions.
\r\n
According to the relevant charities, 700,000 people live with autism, 1 million have learning disabilities, 850,000 have dementia and 11 million people have some sort of hearing loss. In addition, many more friends and families of people with hidden disabilities are also affected (for autism, this is an estimated 2.8 million people).
\r\n", "id": "guidance-for-airlines-on-assisting-people-with-hid"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2018/01/05", "enddate": "2018/02/02", "title": "Flying Displays and Special Events: Safety and administrative requirements and guidance", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/ga/flying-displays-and-special-events/consult_view", "overview": "
This consultation contains the proposed amendments to the CAP 403, Flying Displays and Special Events: Safety and Administrative Requirements and Guidance, which are planned to be effective from 1 April 2018.
\r\n", "id": "flying-displays-and-special-events"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2017/12/13", "enddate": "2018/01/26", "title": "Consultation on the draft policy for the approval of aerodrome remote towers", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/policy-development/consultation-on-the-draft-policy-for-the-approval/consult_view", "overview": "
Advances in technology have enabled replication of the ‘out of the window’ (OOW) view from traditional aerodrome air traffic service (ATS) facilities on visual presentation systems at a site remote from the original facility.
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It is therefore necessary for the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to develop policy and supporting guidance to address the implementation and operation of such remote aerodrome ATS facilities in all of their forms.
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This is the first phase of policy and guidance development, which will be progressively developed as the technology, procedures and regulatory requirements associated with such facilities evolve.
The CAA is looking at how we can influence the aviation industry’s noise performance, and we would like to hear from people impacted by aviation noise to get a better understanding of what you would like us to do about noise.
\r\n
Answering these questions will help us to understand which areas people who are affected by aviation noise would like us to focus on, and therefore help to define our work programme. However, we will not always be able to act, and at the moment we are looking at how we use our existing powers to improve noise.
\r\n
This review relates to our broad role on noise management. Separately, we are working to ensure our airspace change decision-making process includes appropriate evidence about noise and appropriate engagement with people impacted by aviation noise. As that work is already under way, it isn’t covered by this review, which is looking at further work we may undertake, once we have identified what is important to people.
\r\n
\r\n", "id": "aviation-noise-impacts"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2017/11/13", "enddate": "2017/12/08", "title": "Terminal Air Navigation Services (TANS) contestability in the UK: Call for evidence", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/economic-regulation/tans-contestabilibility-in-the-uk/consult_view", "overview": "
The CAA is calling for evidence regarding the provision of terminal air navigation service (TANS) in the UK.
\r\n", "id": "tans-contestabilibility-in-the-uk"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2017/09/29", "enddate": "2017/11/10", "title": "Guidance for NERL in preparing its business plan for Reference Period 3: Consultation document", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/corporate-communications/guidance-for-nerl-in-preparing-its-business-plan-f/consult_view", "overview": "
The CAA is seeking views from all interested parties on the CAA’s approach to business plan guidance to NATS (En Route) Plc (NERL) for the period from 2020 to 2024 - Reference Period 3 (RP3).
\r\n
Following consideration of feedback on this document and engagement with stakeholders, we intend to publish final business plan guidance for NERL in January 2018. These business plans will inform the CAA review for UK performance plan and targets, including the NERL price control, for for RP3.
\r\n
NERL provides en route and certain approach air traffic services in the UK. As a monopoly, it is subject to economic regulation under the European Union's Single European Sky Performance Scheme for Air Navigation Services and the Transport Act 2000. This legislation provides for the setting of performance targets and incentives for NERL.
\r\n
Such targets and incentives have been set for the current regulatory period, Reference Period 2 (RP2), which runs from 2015-2019. The European Commission's preparations for RP3 of the performance scheme are under way.
\r\n", "id": "guidance-for-nerl-in-preparing-its-business-plan-f"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2017/06/30", "enddate": "2017/09/22", "title": "Core elements of the regulatory framework to support capacity expansion at Heathrow", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/economic-regulation/core-elements-of-the-regulatory-framework-to-suppo/consult_view", "overview": "
This follows on from our January 2017 consultation on the priorities and timetable for our programme of work on the economic regulation of new capacity at Heathrow. It confirms our priorities and seeks views on our latest thinking on the development of core elements of the regulatory framework for Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL). These core elements also build on our discussion document on Strategic Themes for the review of HAL's charges ("H7"). This consultation also updates our thinking on the timetable issues discussed in our Guidance for HAL in preparing its business plans for the H7 price control review.
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We welcome views on all the issues raised in the consultation document and, in particular, the issues set out in the Executive Summary and discussed in more detail in Chapters 2-7.
The consultation documentation comprises the consultation document and some questions, the draft guidance document itself, a draft environmental technical annex to the guidance, and a separate document about a new category of airspace change (known as 'Tier 2') which the Government is proposing to introduce.
The purpose of this consultation is for the CAA to learn your views on new guidance that we have drafted to support our new airspace change decision-making process.
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In March 2016 the CAA consulted on the principles of a new process that we were proposing. In October 2016 we published our report on that consultation and set out the new process we are now introducing (CAP 1465, available online).
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The guidance that we have drafted defines what will happen in the new process, including each stage a sponsor of an airspace change must complete; the stakeholders they must engage at each stage and our expectations of that engagement; and how the CAA assesses the proposed change.
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We are inviting your views as to whether the guidance is appropriate – including your views on whether our description of the stages of the process are comprehensible, transparent and proportionate.
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Airspace and its design
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Airspace is the volume of space above ground level and extends as far as aircraft can fly. Airspace has to be managed so that it is used safely and efficiently. In the UK, airspace is either considered to be ‘controlled’ or ‘uncontrolled’. In controlled airspace, there is a system of structured routes and aircraft are managed by air traffic control services.
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The design of controlled airspace is set out in the UK’s Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP). The CAA makes decisions about whether that published design can change, and we make those decisions in accordance with the legal and policy framework set by Government. We have designed a process that anyone proposing (or ‘sponsoring’) a change must go through, to ensure that we get all the evidence we need to make our decision. The process includes public engagement as part of the design process, as well as options appraisals to produce comparable evidence about the design options.
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In addition to the CAA’s decision-making role on the published design of airspace (in the AIP), the Government is currently consulting on policy proposals that would give the CAA a role on other types of changes to airspace.
The Government’s policy consultation proposes a three-tiered structure for categorising changes to the design of airspace or the way airspace is used. This is summarised in the table below, which sets out those Tiers and the types of changes they refer to, which will be covered in the CAA’s guidance.
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Types of airspace change covered by the CAA’s draft guidance
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\r\n\t
\r\n\t
\r\n\t
The following table sets out the decision makers for each Tier and is taken from the Government’s airspace and noise policy consultation:
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\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t
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Structure of the draft guidance
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The draft guidance on which we are consulting is divided into categories of airspace change – Tiers 1, 2 and 3, with three elements to Tier 1 (1a, 1b and 1c).
\r\n\t
The main part of the draft guidance concerns Tier 1a, the seven-stage airspace change process used for permanent changes to the published airspace design. The document guides you through each stage and describes what will happen at each stage of it, and why.
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There are other ways that the airspace design or the way it is used can change, and the impacts of such changes can also vary greatly. Therefore this guidance also has shorter sections on the processes that apply to the other tier categories. These are Tiers 1b and 1c covering temporary changes and trials respectively, and Tier 3 covering changes other than to the formal airspace design.
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The guidance will, eventually, cover Tier 2 changes also. At present, we are not in a position to set a new process for Tier 2 changes. Instead, we are asking for early views on how we should consider meeting the Government’s proposal.
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The appendices to the draft guidance go into more detail about how those involved undertake or engage in various tasks associated with these processes. The appendices cover activities such as how to consult and engage with stakeholders, how to develop design principles, and how the CAA will undertake a post-implementation review. This list is not exhaustive; please see the draft guidance for the full list.
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How to respond to this consultation
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Please answer the consultation questions by following the link below. We are asking for comments before 30 June 2017. We cannot commit to taking into account comments received after this date.
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The questions include some multiple-choice answers and the opportunity to submit your comments by completing text boxes. Please note that if you prefer not to give a multiple-choice answer, the questionnaire will still allow you to complete the text box. We understand that some stakeholders may prefer not to be constrained by the questions alone. We have therefore also included a text box for general observations not covered by the questions. While we will not refuse a self-contained, separate response sent by email, we will not be able to analyse such responses in the same way that we analyse the online responses. Our strong preference is therefore that you complete the online version.
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If you would like to discuss anything about how to respond, please email airspace.policy@caa.co.uk or telephone Trevor Metson on 020 7453 6230.
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We will assume that all responses can be published on our website. When you complete the online form there will be an option for you:
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t• to hide your identity including personal details (which will anonymise your response completely), or
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t• to refuse publication altogether; in the interests of transparency, we hope people will not refuse publication.
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Please note that any submissions not submitted through the online consultation website will be published in their entirety unless you also submit a redacted version with any material that you do not want us to publish, whether this be your identity and/or personal details, or actual content.
\r\n\t
Before we publish responses we will moderate them to remove unacceptable material such as defamatory or offensive remarks. We have based our moderation policy on Government guidelines. It can be found under Related Documents below. Please think carefully before making statements about a specific organisation or person. We will be obliged to redact any statements from the published version if they do not meet these guidelines on unacceptable material, and this would deny others the chance to see your views.
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This consultation is not a referendum: we will need to take account of all views and balance different and often competing interests. This means that we will not automatically implement every idea or solution that gets the highest proportion of support, particularly if that support comes from only one of the many stakeholder groups we need to take into account.
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Next steps
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\r\n", "id": "draft-airspace-design-guidance"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2017/04/03", "enddate": "2017/05/31", "title": "Strategic outcomes for the economic regulation of NERL 2020-2024", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/corporate-communications/economic-regulation-of-nerl-2020-2040/consult_view", "overview": "
The CAA is seeking your views on the process, strategic outcomes and the relevant issues that should shape our approach the future economic regulation of NERL in the period from 2020 to 2024. Our discussion document sets out our proposed strategic outcomes for the economic regulation of NERL for this period, on which we welcome views on all issues raised.
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NATS (En Route) Plc (NERL) provides en route and certain approach air traffic services in the UK. As a monopoly, it is subject to economic regulation under the EU's Single European Sky (SES) Performance Scheme for Air Navigation Services and the Transport Act 2000. This legislation provides for the setting of performance targets and incentives for NERL.
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Such targets and incentives have been set for the current regulatory period, Reference Period 2 (RP2), which runs from 2015-2019. The European Commission's preparations for RP3 (2020-2024) of the Performance Scheme are already under way.
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We are also keen to engage with anyone interested in the future regulation of NERL. If you would like to discuss the issues raised in the discussion document, we invite contact outside this consultation to be directed to Matt Claydon (matt.claydon@caa.co.uk) or Bronwyn Fraser (bronwyn.fraser@caa.co.uk).
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\r\n", "id": "economic-regulation-of-nerl-2020-2040"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2017/02/24", "enddate": "2017/04/21", "title": "Proposals to take forward the NATS Independent Enquiry recommendations with regards to resilience", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/cmg/nats-independent-enquiry-recommendations/consult_view", "overview": "
The main consultation document sets out the outcome of work carried out jointly by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and NATS with regards to NATS’ resilience and seeks views on a proposed enforcement tool and a new licence condition.
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We are proposing to adopt specified definitions of resilience, contingency and business continuity and to set the requirements for the enforcement of these under the NERL licence so that the CAA can have greater assurance that NATS is taking all reasonable steps to minimise and manage disruption.
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It also includes our proposals for a new licence condition that will require NATS to consult on and submit a resilience plan setting out how it will comply with its licence obligations.
\r\n", "id": "nats-independent-enquiry-recommendations"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2017/01/31", "enddate": "2017/03/14", "title": "CAA priorities and timetable for economic regulation of the new runway at Heathrow Airport", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/economic-regulation/hal-runway-priorities-and-timetable/consult_view", "overview": "
This sets out for consultation our priority issues and timetable for the development of the regulatory framework for the new runway (and the associated new terminal capacity) at Heathrow airport.
We will publish a further consultation on these matters in June 2017. We will also report on a quarterly basis to the Secretary of State on Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL’s) engagement with airlines on the development of the preferred option for the new capacity, with a final report due in November 2017.
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The focus of this document is the regulatory treatment of the costs and financing of the construction programme – what we have called ‘Category C’ costs. We have previously consulted on the costs that HAL will incur in obtaining planning permission (‘Category B’ costs).
\r\n\tThis consultation contains the proposed amendments to the CAA Schemes of Charges within the documents shown below, which are planned to be effective as from 1 April 2017.
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\r\n\tAs a body that is directly funded by charges paid by those we regulate we fully understand the difficulties the industry continues to face. This is one of our primary considerations when we set our charges.
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\r\n\tOver the past seven years the increase in our charges was only 3.7% while in the same period UK inflation was 19.1%. This is because we have worked hard to reduce our operating costs. As part of the CAA’s five year strategic plan, we set ourselves stretching financial targets which included substantially containing the growth in employment costs, including ongoing pension costs which grew by in excess of £20 million. We set a financial target to save at least £16 million in employment costs over the 5 year plan period. By 31 March 2016, we had exceeded that target and we had reduced those costs by 2.2% in real terms; FTEs in the Regulatory Sector reduced by 19%.
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\r\n\t
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\r\n\tHowever, we now face significant financial pressures with increases in our cost base as well as the need to make crucial investment in modernising our systems. Our two main workstreams, Performance Based Regulation (PBR) and the Transformation programme, will deliver long-term efficiencies and better customer service, and we are committed to controlling the costs of making these improvements.
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\r\n\tGiven these current cost pressures, we propose that there should be an increase of 1.5% across all Charges Schemes in 2017/18, which is lower than the forecast CPI rate of inflation of 1.8%.
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\r\n\tIn addition, we are proposing specific charges to cover our costs in the four areas where we are undertaking new activities- Airspace Change Process (ACP), Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), Aviation Security and Security Management Systems, and increased oversight by the Medical Department. There are a number of further proposed structural changes detailed in section 4 of the main consultation document.
Please send us your comments online using the link below (preferred method). Alternatively please email charges@caa.co.uk.
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\r\n", "id": "caa-charges-2017-18"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2016/12/08", "enddate": "2017/02/06", "title": "Future of service quality regulation for Heathrow Airport Limited: Consultation on the design principles for a more outcome-based regime", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/cmg/outcome-based-regulation-hal/consult_view", "overview": "
The current regulatory arrangements that apply to Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) (referred to as Q6), which include a price cap and minimum standards for service quality, are due to expire on 31 December 2019. Earlier this year we consulted on the strategic themes that should help to shape the H7 review.
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In that consultation we set out our initial view that it would be timely to review the Service Quality Rebates and Bonus (SQRB) scheme to consider whether revisions were required to improve value for consumers. We suggested that it may be necessary to consider changes to the SQRB arrangements to ensure that consumers’ interests are at the heart of our approach to the economic regulation of airports. This reflects our primary duty to promote the interests of consumers.
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This consultation sets out our latest thinking on how regulation of the quality of airport operation services provided by HAL can be improved by strengthening the link with consumer preferences and priorities.
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We would like the regulatory regime to be responsive to the outcomes that consumers’ value. Developing the current output-based approach to service quality regulation such that it appropriately reflects outcome-based regulation (OBR) will contribute to delivering this objective.
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The document outlines the existing service quality regime, the reasons for a review of the regime, and what we mean by OBR. It sets out the views on these of HAL and the airline community as we currently understand them, and provides an update to our thinking on some of the main concerns raised by respondents. Finally, the document sets out our initial views on the five principles that might underpin our approach to OBR and discusses how we think these principles could be implemented in practice. These are as follows:
\r\n
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\tPrinciple 1: OBR should be informed by robust consumer research
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\tPrinciple 2: The structure of OBR should include outcomes, measures, targets and incentives
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\tPrinciple 3: The airlines and Consumer Challenge Board play a key role in the development of OBR
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\tPrinciple 4: OBR should build upon the SQRB
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\tPrinciple 5: Performance reporting should be comprehensive and targeted at consumers
\r\n", "id": "outcome-based-regulation-hal"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2016/11/08", "enddate": "2017/01/06", "title": "The recovery of costs associated with obtaining planning permission for a new northwest third runway at Heathrow Airport: final proposals", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/cmg/new-runway-planning-permission-cost-recovery/consult_view", "overview": "
On 25 October 2016, the government announced that it was in favour of a new runway and associated infrastructure at Heathrow. In light of this announcement, we propose to consult on our final proposals on the regulatory treatment of the costs associated with Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) seeking to obtain planning permission for the development of a new northwest third runway at Heathrow Airport. These are termed Category B costs (or planning costs). This consultation invites representations on these proposals.
This document for consultation is the latest revision of the CAA’s Standards Document for the licensing of Gyroplane pilots.
\r\n
As well as having been thoroughly reviewed to modernise and update existing content, it now reflects the training requirements for the new CPL (Gyroplanes), night rating and associated requirements for instructors. Updates to reflect the new Air Navigation Order 2016 (which replaced the ANO 2009) have also been made.
\r\n
We believe this standards document represents a comprehensive yet proportionate set of requirements and provides a sound basis for the continued application of high standards of training and testing for gyroplane pilots.
\r\n
We seek the views of gyroplane pilots, instructors and other interested parties prior to formally publishing this document for use.
\r\n", "id": "gyroplane-licensing"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2016/11/08", "enddate": "2016/12/06", "title": "Notice of proposed modification to Heathrow Airport Limited\u2019s Economic Licence to allow for an annual recovery of \u00a310 million of Category B costs for a new northwest runway", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/cmg/hal-licence-runway-cost-recovery/consult_view", "overview": "
On 25 October 2016, the government announced that it was in favour of a new runway and associated infrastructure at Heathrow. In light of this announcement, we propose to modify the economic licence of Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL), so as to allow HAL to recover up to £10 million per annum of costs associated with obtaining planning permission for runway expansion (i.e. Category B costs). This document invites representations on this proposal.
\r\n", "id": "hal-licence-runway-cost-recovery"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2016/10/05", "enddate": "2016/11/18", "title": "Review of the Framework for the competence of rescue and fire fighting service (RFFS) personnel", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/aerodrome-standards-department/review-of-cap699/consult_view", "overview": "
Following a comprehensive review of CAP699 - Framework for the competence of rescue and fire fighting service personnel - we are carrying out a short consultation, seeking views from industry by sharing CAP699 as a draft.
\r\n
We previously consulted with Industry following changes to RFFS training brought about by the introduction of EU Aerodrome Regulation (Commission Regulation (EU) No. 139/2014) communicated in IN-2014/133. This showed a strong desire by Industry to retain CAP699 as guidance material for Aerodrome RFFS personnel, but to bring it up to date.
\r\n", "id": "review-of-cap699"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2016/10/13", "enddate": "2016/10/28", "title": "Notice of proposed modification to Heathrow Airport Limited\u2019s economic licence to extend the current price control by one year", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/corporate-communications/hal-price-control-2/consult_view", "overview": "
In March 2016, we launched a review (known as the H7 review) of the price control and associated arrangements that would apply to Heathrow Airport when the current control (Q6) expires at the end of 2018. We published a discussion document and undertook a series of industry workshops and seminars at which we sought views of interested parties on the process, strategic themes and relevant issues for the H7 review.
\r\n
In written responses to the document and subsequent discussions, industry stakeholders suggested that we should consider extending Q6 by at least one year.
\r\n
Stakeholders thought that the level of uncertainty over the Government response to the work of the Airports Commission on new runway capacity in the South East of England, would affect the quality of the work on the H7 review they could undertake. In particular, Heathrow thought that the additional time created by an extension, would enable it to enhance the quality and consumer focus of the H7 business plan. Airlines noted the significant staff resource required to engage in expansion plans across the industry and thought that better alignment between H7 and new capacity would reduce the risk of nugatory work and the complexity of H7.
Our preference was to extend Q6 by one year with the current Retail Price Index (RPI) -1.5% price control rolled over for the additional year.
\r\n
All respondents to our consultation agreed with our preferred option of extending Q6 by one year. IAG/British Airways, the Lufthansa Group, Heathrow Airport and the representative bodies for Heathrow airlines (AOC and LACC) agreed with a roll over of the current price control. Virgin favoured a price control in the additional year that would take account of revised traffic forecasts to account for Heathrow outperforming the Q6 forecasts.
\r\n
We held a workshop in August 2016 attended by Heathrow, the AOC, LACC and a number of airlines. All present supported extending the price control by one additional year and rolling over the current price control into the additional year.
\r\n
This consultation is a formal notice under section 22(2) of the Civil Aviation Act 2012 to modify the Heathrow Airport’s economic licence. The proposed modifications are to extend Q6, that currently runs from 1 April 2014 to 31 December 2018, by one year so that it will end on 31 December 2019. The proposal is to roll over the current price control of RPI -1.5% for the additional year.
\r\n
If you have any questions on this consultation please contact Rob Toal on 020 7453 6211 (or by e-mail to robert.toal@caa.co.uk).
The UK already has some of the busiest and most productive airports in the world, facing challenges for maintaining day to day operating resilience (in this context, by resilience we mean the ability to anticipate, withstand and recover quickly from difficult day to day conditions[1]).
\r\n
The Airports Commission delivered its final report and recommendations on the location of new UK runway capacity to the Government in July 2015. The Government has announced that it will make its decision on these recommendations in summer 2016.
\r\n
The CAA has been clear in its advice to policy-makers in our responses to the Airports Commission[2]: consumers (passengers and cargo shippers) are already suffering from shortage of airport capacity in the South East of England - fewer routes and flights than there is demand for, more delay, higher prices and more fragile operations.
\r\n
However, it will be at least 2025 before any new runway capacity in the South East of England will be opened, so whatever decisions are made by Government, the aviation industry must continue to work towards making existing infrastructure more resilient.
\r\n
Aviation also relies on the limited resource that is airspace to ensure that passengers, businesses, the military and leisure flyers enjoy the many benefits aviation brings. The basic structure of the UK’s airspace was developed over forty years ago. Since then there have been huge changes, including a hundred-fold increase in demand for aviation.
\r\n
Throughout Europe there is a move to simplify and harmonise the way airspace and air traffic control is used through the Single European Sky project. In the UK and Ireland we’re meeting those and other issues through the Future Airspace Strategy (FAS) which sets out a plan to modernise airspace. FAS is a collaborative initiative between a range of stakeholders which sets the direction for modernisation, but does not include details or recommendations about specific structures or flightpaths. For more information see www.caa.co.uk/fas.
\r\n
In the CAA’s Strategic Plan for 2016-2021, we committed to thinking creatively about how existing capacity can be planned and operated to meet stakeholders' expectations, and what the CAA can do to ensure this issue is addressed.
\r\n
We wish to explore two key areas from a UK perspective, recognising that the issues are likely to be more severe in the South East of England.
\r\n
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\tHow can the performance of the aviation network be improved or optimised? \r\n\t\t
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\tHow effective is the current regime, and how are consumer interests represented?
\r\n
\r\n
For each of these areas, we will engage with relevant government departments, and organisations, including airports, airlines, ACL[3] and air traffic control (ATC) providers as we develop our recommendations. We are also keen to gather evidence and suggestions from passenger groups and other industries to support and shape this work.
\r\n
Hence this request for information, which sets out the key questions for each of the two areas above. You may wish to answer all or just some of the questions relevant to you. We would strongly encourage those making submissions to provide details of the evidence and data which support their arguments, to enable the CAA to understand more fully the basis on which conclusions have been reached.
\r\n
Questions 1-4 are aimed at industry parties who plan how to use the UK's aviation infrastructure and in particular how they understand and balance aviation capacity and resilience trade-offs on behalf of passengers.
\r\n
Questions 5-13 deal with the aviation industry decision making processes and assumptions that lead to the capacity available and the resulting airline schedules.
\r\n
Questions 14-18 cover the day to day operational challenges facing the aviation industry in the future, and what can be done to improve operational resilience.
\r\n
Finally, Questions 19-23 are concerned with sharing information, either between different industry parties, which could help to improve planning and performance, or that may be important for individual passengers when booking or during their journey.
\r\n
We look forward to receiving submissions, and thank you in advance for your engagement.
\r\n
\r\n\t \r\n\t\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t
[1] Resilience is sometimes taken to mean the ability to recover efficiently from a significant disruptive incident, such as a runway closure. However, this topic has been considered elsewhere and is not the subject of this request for information.
[3] Airport Coordination Limited, the independent UK airport slot coordinator.
\r\n\t
\r\n
\r\n", "id": "operating-resilience-of-uk-aviation-infrastructure"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2016/07/27", "enddate": "2016/09/12", "title": "The recovery of costs associated with obtaining planning permission for new runway capacity: initial proposals", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/corporate-communications/runway-planning-costs/consult_view", "overview": "
This document sets out for consultation the CAA’s initial proposals on the regulatory treatment of the costs associated with Gatwick Airport Limited or Heathrow Airport Limited obtaining planning permission for the development of new runway capacity. The charges that both airport operators can levy on airlines are subject to economic regulation under the terms of a licence granted by the CAA under the Civil Aviation Act 2012.
\r\n
These initial proposals have been developed in a way that enables them to be applied to any of the three short-listed options currently being considered by the Government for the location for new runway capacity in the south-east of England: namely the Heathrow northwest third runway, Heathrow extended north runway (Heathrow Hub) and the Gatwick second runway.
\r\n
We welcome views on the initial proposals set out in this document. Any comments on our proposed approach should be sent to economicregulation@caa.co.uk by no later than noon on Monday 12 September 2016.
\r\n
Representations will be made available on our website. Any material considered confidential should be clearly marked as such. Please note that we have powers and duties with respect to disclosure of information under section 59 of the Act and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
\r\n", "id": "runway-planning-costs"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2016/07/27", "enddate": "2016/09/02", "title": "Proposal to extend by one year the current price control on Heathrow Airport Limited", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/corporate-communications/hal-price-control/consult_view", "overview": "
This consultation sets out our proposal to extend the current price control (Q6) on Heathrow Airport Limited by one year, so that it expires at the end of 2019 rather than the end of 2018. Our current view is that an extension by one year (Q6+1) would be in the interests of users on the basis that it will reduce the risk that the H7 process is sub-optimal due to runway uncertainty and lower levels of industry engagement.
\r\n
We propose the extension should be implemented by a rollover of the existing cap, i.e. a price path of RPI-1.5%. A straightforward rollover would be consistent with our approach to the extension of Q5 and our discussions with industry stakeholders indicate that this is also their preferred option.
\r\n
The deadline for consultation responses is Friday 2nd September 2016.
\r\n\tThe current regulatory controls on the charges and services that Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) offers to airlines, and, ultimately, to consumers are due to expire on 31 December 2018. The CAA has therefore launched a review (called ‘H7’) of the appropriate regulatory arrangements that should be put in place after that date.
\r\n
\r\n\t
\r\n
\r\n\tTo initiate this review, we published a discussion document in March 2016 seeking views from all interested parties on the process, strategic themes, and the relevant issues that should shape the CAA’s methodology for the H7 review. One of the key themes in the discussion document was around ‘empowering consumers and furthering their interests'.
\r\n
\r\n\t
\r\n
\r\n\tThis document invites comments on our proposed approach to establishing a Consumer Challenge Forum (CCF), particularly the draft Terms of Reference (ToR), to help ensure that the H7 process is driven by a robust understanding of what consumers value.
\r\n
\r\n\t
\r\n
\r\n\tWe welcome comments on all aspects of the draft ToR and the principles set out in this consultation document. However, we are particularly keen to understand stakeholders’ views on the following key consultation questions:
\r\n
\r\n\t
\r\n\r\n\t
\r\n\t\tDo you agree with our proposed Role for the CCF? \r\n\t\t
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\tDo you agree with our proposed membership requirements including the steps to secure the independence of the CCF? \r\n\t\t
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\tDo you agree with our proposed Scope, Focus and Responsibilities for the CCF? \r\n\t\t
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\tDo you agree with our proposals on the operating principles for the CCF, particularly on remuneration and transparency? \r\n\t\t
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\tDo you agree with our proposals on the working practices of the CCF?
\r\n\r\n
\r\n\t
\r\n
\r\n\tIf you wish to respond to this consultation, please email your response to economicregulation@caa.co.uk by no later than Friday 5 August 2016.
\r\n
\r\n\t
\r\n
\r\n\tRepresentations will be made available on the CAA website. Any material considered confidential should be clearly marked as such. Please note that we have powers and duties with respect to disclosure of information under Section 59 of the Civil Aviation Act 2012 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
\r\n", "id": "h7-consumer-challenge-forum"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2016/05/20", "enddate": "2016/07/15", "title": "CAA guidance for airports on providing assistance to people with hidden disabilities", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/policy-development/caa-guidance-for-airports-on-providing-assistance/consult_view", "overview": "
\r\n
The CAA is consulting on its proposed guidance (CAP1411) for airports on the minimum compliance standards under Regulation EC1107/2006 (the PRM Regulation) in relation to providing assistance to people with hidden disabilities. Hidden disabilities include, but are not limited to, dementia, autism, learning disabilities, anxiety issues, mental health impairments and hearing loss. A significant proportion of the UK population are affected by such disabilities and conditions. According to the relevant charities, 700,000 people live with autism, 1 million have learning disabilities, 850,000 have dementia and 11 million people have some sort of hearing loss. In addition, many more friends and families of people with hidden disabilities are also affected (for autism, this is an estimated 2.8 million people). Further, recent CAA passenger research[1], suggests that many PRMs with hidden disabilities lack the confidence to travel (around 30% of PRMs have a non-physical disability which makes air travel difficult); and the CAA has been contacted by charities and individuals in regard to problems that had occurred when people with such disabilities had travelled by air.
\r\n
UK airports have already provided the CAA with information on what they already do for this group of passengers. We are pleased to note that a number of airports have introduced services and enhanced existing services to better meet the needs of people with hidden disabilities. However, we consider that the extent and type of assistance offered by airports continues to vary significantly at this time, with many airports needing to improve their performance to comply with the requirements of the PRM Regulation in this regard. The CAA’s view is therefore that guidance is still needed; and from many conversations we have had with colleagues at airports, we believe that airports, in general, would welcome clarification on their obligations in this respect.
\r\n
The proposed guidance will outline the CAA’s view of what UK airports need to do to comply with their obligations under the PRM Regulation. It has already been shaped to large extent by feedback from disability organisations on the varied needs of people with hidden disabilities in terms of accessing air travel. The CAA has met with a number of leading organisations representing the interests of people with hidden disabilities, including the National Autistic Society, the Alzheimer’s Society, Anxiety UK and Action for Hearing Loss, as well as attending meetings of Prime Minister’s Dementia Challenge Air Transport Task and Finish Dementia Group. In addition, we have spoken to users themselves by attending meetings of the Scottish Dementia Working Group and the Mental Health Action Group.
\r\n
In addition, we have consulted our colleagues in the CAA’s Aviation Security division and the Department for Transport on the aspects of the guidance that impact on security searches. We are therefore confident that we have correctly balanced the needs of PRMs with the need to ensure security regulations are met. The CAA’s Access to air travel advisory group has also provided us with expert input.
\r\n
The issue of hidden disabilities and transport is a priority one for government. In relation to aviation, we have spoken about this issue directly with Robert Goodwill, Minister of State for Transport, who I note made the issue the focus of his recent speech to the Airport Operators Association annual dinner[2].
\r\n
As a result of the significant amount of consultation with both internal and external stakeholders, we have been able to ensure that the requirements within the guidance are focussed on providing practical benefit to passengers. You will note that the guidance is not unduly prescriptive. This is intentional on our part since we feel that there is significant scope for flexibility in the way airports design and implement the assistance service for this group of PRMs. However, our view is that implementation of the measures set out in the guidance should enable airports to demonstrate compliance with the applicable requirements of the PRM Regulation and will enable all UK airports to provide a consistently high standard of assistance to people with hidden disabilities.
\r\n
Your views are invited
\r\n
We welcome views from airports, airlines, disability organisations, passengers or any other interested parties on the issues and questions raised in this document.
\r\n
In the interests of transparency, we intend to publish as much information as possible on our website. If any of the information you provide or views you express are considered confidential please provide both confidential and non-confidential versions. The non-confidential responses will be published on our website with our report on the results of this Request for Information. In general, we will not publish information if we consider that the disclosure of such information would, or might in our opinion, significantly harm the legitimate business interests of an undertaking to which it relates, or an individual’s interests.
\r\n
This consultation runs until 15 July 2016 during which time we would welcome submissions.
\r\n
\r\n\t \r\n\t\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t
[1]CAP1303 Consumer research for the aviation sector – final report
\r\n", "id": "caa-guidance-for-airports-on-providing-assistance"}, {"status": "closed", "startdate": "2016/05/17", "enddate": "2016/06/28", "title": "Access to the groundhandling market at UK airports: a review of the CAA's approach", "url": "https://consultations.caa.co.uk/policy-development/access-to-the-groundhandling-market-at-uk-airports/consult_view", "overview": "
The purpose of this document is to seek views and relevant factual information from those with an interest in the provision of ground handling services at UK airports, in particular airports, airport users ground handling suppliers, and those representing passengers and shippers of cargo. This document is not a draft policy statement for consultation but an evidence gathering exercise. In due course we plan to publish for consultation draft guidance on our role under the Airports (Groundhandling) Regulations 1997 which will draw on the views and information provided in this request for information. We are looking for facts, examples and information and stakeholders' views on the factors we should take into account, and how we should assess them in different circumstances, when carrying out our functions described in this document.
\r\n\r\n
We are not inviting specific complaints or representations about the supply of ground handling services at individual airports. Most complaints, in particular those alleging a failure to comply with the requirements of the Regulations on market access, would need to be addressed to airports and thereafter can only be pursued through the courts rather than with us.
\r\n\r\n
The document also explores the purpose behind the EU ground handling Directive (implemented by the UK Regulations), namely to increase competition and choice in the supply of ground handling services with the aim of "reducing the operating costs of the airlines and improving the quality of service provided to airport users"[1]. An area we are seeking views is around the extent which our functions under these Regulations should be used to limit competition in the interests of safety, security or for any other reasons. We are responsible for enforcing the UK's and EU's safety and security regulations at UK airports. We are also responsible for monitoring airports’ and airlines’ implementation of aviation security regulation in the UK; and these entities may, in turn, employ ground handling providers. All ground handling providers (whether self handlers or third-party handlers), and no matter how many operate at an airport, must comply with security regulations through their contractual arrangements with airlines.
\r\n\r\n
In addition to these pages, we have also made a full, detailed consultation document available. The questions and text remain the same, but on this online version of the consultation we have reduced some of the text available in the full document.
\r\n\r\n
Chapters 1, 2 and 3 of the full consultation document introduce and summarise this consultation, summarise what ground handling activities are, set out the origins of the EU directive, and provide details of our functions under the Regulations. Chapter 4 considers compliance with the Regulations. Chapter 5 sets out the scope of the Regulations. Chapters 6 to 12 explain in more detail our functions under the Regulations and ask what evidence, criteria and factors we should consider when exercising these functions. In particular they cover: applications to limit the number of third party or self handlers at an airport, appeals to us about the selection of handlers, allocation of space, access charges and consultation by airports, applications to prohibit a ground handler from operating at an airport, applications to reserve the management of centralised infrastructure, and accounting separation by ground handling suppliers.
\r\n\r\n
Appendix A lists ground handling services covered by the Regulations. Appendix B lists the airports which currently meet the thresholds in the Regulations.
\r\n\r\n
The rest of this section includes key pieces of information drawn from Chapters 3 and 4 of the full consultation document, which will help you respond to this consultation.
\r\n\r\n
An overview of our functions
\r\n\r\n
There are 11 broad categories of ground handling services. These can be divided into two sets that are treated in different ways under the Regulations.
\r\n\r\n
The first set of handling services includes the following categories:
\r\n\r\n
\r\n\t
Ground administration and supervision;
\r\n\t
Passenger handling;
\r\n\t
Aircraft services;
\r\n\t
Aircraft maintenance;
\r\n\t
Flight operations and crew administration;
\r\n\t
Surface transport, \r\n\tand
\r\n\t
Catering services.
\r\n
\r\n\r\n
The second set of handling services includes the following categories, which comprise many (but not all) of the services provided in airside areas of the airport:
\r\n\r\n
\r\n\t
Baggage handling;
\r\n\t
Freight and mail handling;
\r\n\t
Ramp handling; \r\n\tand
\r\n\t
Fuel and oil handling.
\r\n
\r\n\r\n
Table 1 below summarises the position under the Regulations in terms of handling freedoms and the ability of airports to limit those freedoms for the supply of third party handling.
\r\n\r\n
Table 1: Third Party Handling freedoms and limitations
\r\n\r\n
\r\n\t\r\n\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
Qualifying airports
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
Airports up to 2 million passengers or 50,000 tonnes of freight per annum
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
Airports above 2 million passengers or 50,000 tonnes of freight per annum
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t
\r\n\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
Handling services in Set 1
\r\n\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
No general freedom of access. Airport decides policy on handling.
\r\n\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
General freedom of access but airport may limit to no fewer than two suppliers if approved by the CAA and with a time limited exemption from the European Commission.
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t
\r\n\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
Handling services in Set 2
\r\n\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
No general freedom of access. Airport decides policy on handling.
\r\n\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
General freedom of access but airport may:
\r\n\r\n\t\t\t
(a) limit to no fewer than two suppliers if approved by the CAA; or
\r\n\r\n\t\t\t
(b) limit to one supplier if approved by the CAA and with a time limited exemption from the European Commission.
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t
\r\n\t\r\n
\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n
Should we approve a limit for the number of third party handlers at an airport with more than 2 million passengers the airport must then conduct a tender process to select the handlers. The airport will normally make the selection. However, any person who is "aggrieved" by the airport's selection of handlers may appeal to the CAA. Where an airport provides ground handling services itself, it is allowed to be one of the handlers (without having to go through the selection procedure), and we select the other handlers up to the limit. Our selection of handlers is subject to appeal to the Secretary of State by an "aggrieved" person, In all cases, a supplier of ground handling services is to be selected for a period not exceeding seven years.
\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n
Self provision of handling services
\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n
Table 2 below shows for self-handling the equivalent information as in Table 1
\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n
Table 2: Self-handling freedoms and limitations
\r\n\r\n
\r\n\t\r\n\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
Qualifying airports
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
Airports up to 1 million passengers or 25,000 tonnes of freight per annum
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
Airports above 1 million passengers or 25,000 tonnes of freight per annum
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t
\r\n\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
Handling services in Set 1.
\r\n\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
General freedom to self handle but airport may reserve to a limited number of users if approved by the CAA and with a time limited exemption from the European Commission.
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
General freedom to self handle but airport may reserve to a limited number of users if approved by the CAA and with a time limited exemption from the European Commission.
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t
\r\n\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
Handling services in Set 2
\r\n\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t
No general freedom of access. Airport decides policy on self-handling airport users.
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General freedom to self-handle but airport may:
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(a) limit to no fewer than two named self-handling users if approved by the CAA; or
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(b) limit to one self handling user or ban self handling if approved by the CAA and with a time limited exemption from the European Commission.
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The self-handling freedoms described in Table 2 are available to "airport users" who are defined in the Regulations as:
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"any person responsible for the carriage of passengers, mail or freight by air from or to the airport in question".
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Should we decide to approve an application to limit the number of self-handling airport users we must then in all cases select those able to self-handle on the basis of "relevant, objective, transparent and non-discriminatory" criteria.
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There are a number of types of application that airports can make to the CAA under the Regulations. Where these involve requests to restrict access to the ground handling market at the airport, our role is to determine whether the number of third party handlers or self-handling airport users should be limited. It is also possible for a qualifying airport to apply to the CAA for self-handling for any or all services in Set 2 to be banned altogether.
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For any application where the final decision lies with the European Commission (i.e. where airports are seeking particularly restrictive handling arrangements) we have to consider the existence or otherwise of "specific constraints of available space or capacity (at the airport) arising in particular from congestion and area utilisation rate"[2] that "make it impossible to open up the market for the supply of groundhandling services (or for self-handling) to the degree provided for in the Directive".
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For other, less restrictive, types of application, for example, those that would limit the number of third party handlers or self-handling airport users to no fewer than two for services in Set 2, the Regulations give us discretion to decide the factors to be taken into account.
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Since the Regulations came into force in 1997 we have considered three applications from airports to limit the number of airside third party handlers, two from Gatwick Airport and one from Heathrow Airport. In these cases we focussed on evidence supplied by the airport relating to safety, security, capacity and available space constraints as mentioned in the fifth bullet above. We considered first, whether the case had been made for any limitation in the number of handlers and second, if so, the appropriate maximum number of handlers. Gatwick's first application proposed an increase in the number of permitted airside handlers but sought from CAA an upper limit to that increase. Heathrow's application was for a limit lower than the number of handlers then operating at the airport. Gatwick's second application was to reduce the limit from four to two in the number of suppliers of airside bussing services. On the basis of the evidence and argument presented by the respective airports in their applications we approved the limitations applied for at Gatwick, but not those at Heathrow. Subsequently, in 2007, at Gatwick's request we removed the limits at that airport as the capacity constraints that had justified the earlier decision had been overcome in the meantime. Since 2007 we have received no further applications to limit third party handling at any UK airport and there have been no applications to limit self-handling. Consequently, there is no airport in the UK where access to the ground handling market (or the ability to self-handle) has been limited through regulatory action requested of the CAA.
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Chapter 6 discusses in more detail our role in relation to market access by third party suppliers and seeks your views while Chapter 7 discusses our role in respect of access by self-handling airport users.
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Subject to being able to apply to the CAA for restrictions as described above, the Regulations require the management of an airport to take the necessary measures to ensure that:
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suppliers of ground handling services and airport users wishing to self-handle have access to airport installations to the extent necessary for them to carry out their activities; \r\n\t
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any conditions the airport places upon such access (for example, the terms of any authorisation or licence to access those facilities) are relevant, objective, transparent and non-discriminatory; \r\n\t
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the space available for ground handling at the airport is divided among the various suppliers of ground handling services and self-handling airport users, including new entrants, to the extent necessary for the exercise of their rights and to allow effective and fair competition on the basis of relevant, objective, transparent and non-discriminatory rules and criteria; \r\n\t \r\n\tand \r\n\t
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any fee charged for such access is determined according to relevant, objective, transparent and non-discriminatory criteria.
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Any person who considers that a decision or an individual measure taken by an airport does not comply with these criteria may appeal to the CAA. The right to appeal exists at airports with more than 2 million annual passengers in relation to third party handling and at airports with more than 1 million annual passengers for self-handling airport users for handling services in Set 2. Chapter 8 invites views on the factors we should take into account when considering appeals.
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We can, on application from qualifying airports, decide to prohibit, for such period as we think fit, a third party handler or a self-handling airport user, from providing one or more categories of handling. To prohibit a handler, we have to be satisfied that it has failed to comply with a rule imposed upon it to ensure the proper functioning of the airport. To date, we have received no applications from airports to prohibit handlers. Chapter 9 invites views on how we should treat any future applications to prohibit a handler.
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We can consider an application from any airport to reserve to itself the management of centralised infrastructures used for the supply of ground handling services "whose complexity, cost or environmental impact does not allow for division or duplication such as baggage sorting, de-icing, water purification and fuel-distribution systems." Where centralised infrastructures have been reserved in this way ground handlers and self handling airport users may not use alternative infrastructures. During 1998 we approved applications to reserve centralised infrastructures from Birmingham, Leeds Bradford, London City, Luton, Manchester and Stansted Airports. Details can be found on the CAA website. We published details of each application and received no objections to them. Chapter10 discusses our proposed approach to future applications from airports to reserve the management of centralised infrastructures.
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Airports with more than 2 million passengers or 50,000 tonnes of freight that supply ground handling services and suppliers of ground handling services at the same sized airports (both airlines and independent third party handlers) must "rigorously separate" the accounts of their ground handling activities from any other commercial activities in which they are engaged. Airports may not cross-subsidise their ground handling activities from their other activities. The role of the CAA is to appoint an Independent Examiner (funded by the entity concerned) to check that the required separation has been carried out. Where the handler is an airport, the Independent Examiner also checks that it is not cross-subsidising ground handling from other revenue sources. The CAA can also require accounting information from those who have to separate their accounts. Chapter 11 explains how we propose to exercise our functions in relation to the separation of accounts.
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The Regulations require all airports open to commercial traffic to form an Airport Users Committee (AUC) comprising representatives of airport users or organisations representing airport users. At least once a year the airport must consult with the AUC and with persons providing ground handling services at the airport on the application of the Regulations. The consultation must include, at least, the organisation of the provision of, and the prices charged for, any monopoly supply of ground handling services. A failure by an airport to establish and maintain an effective consultation process for ground handling risks an appeal to the CAA under the Regulations.
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Compliance with the Regulations
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We are aware that some airports, that have not applied to the CAA to limit the number of ground handlers, manage their activity locally through authorisations (or "licences") issued by the airport to ground handling suppliers. In some cases local byelaws provide a legal underpinning for such an arrangement.
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Such authorisations/licences can include conditions, such as minimum performance standards that the ground handler is expected to meet in areas such as baggage delivery times, check-in queue times, airside driver discipline and on-time aircraft departure performance They also have to comply with airport policies on, for example, health, safety and environmental matters. There can be escalating sanctions for poor performance by the ground handler leading ultimately to the withdrawal of its authorisation/licence. We are not aware of this final sanction ever being invoked.
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Some airports publish regular data on ground handling performance. This can include, for example, baggage delivery times and on-time aircraft departure performance either on an airline by airline or a handler by handler basis.
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We would welcome information and views on airports’ compliance with the Regulations.
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Your views are invited
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We are particularly keen to receive information and views from airports, airlines, other aircraft operators, ground handling companies and other interested parties on the issues and questions raised in this document.
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In the interests of transparency, we intend to publish as much information as possible on our website. If any of the information you provide or views you express are considered confidential please provide both confidential and non-confidential versions. The non-confidential responses will be published on our website with our report on the results of this Request for Information. In general, we will not publish information if we consider that the disclosure of such information would, or might in our opinion, significantly harm the legitimate business interests of an undertaking to which it relates, or an individual’s interests.
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This Request for Information runs until 28 June 2016 during which time we would welcome submissions. These may be either in written form or we are happy to host meetings to discuss issues in detail with industry representatives. Please provide any written submissions to economicregulation@caa.co.uk by 28 June 2016
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Once we have considered the responses we will publish a summary of them and the CAA's initial response. We then plan to produce a draft guidance document on which we will invite comments.
We will assume that all responses can be published on our website.
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If your submission includes any material that you do not want us to publish, please also send us a redacted version that we can publish.
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You should be aware that information sent to and therefore held by the CAA is subject to legislation that may require us to disclose it, even if you have asked us not to (such as the Freedom of Information Act and Environmental Information Regulations). Therefore, if you do decide to send information to the CAA but ask that this be withheld from publication via redacted material, please explain why, as this will help us to consider our obligations to disclose or withhold this information should the need arise.
This consultation closed in June 2016. Responses, where we have consent to publish, can be viewed by following the link at the foot of this page. See ‘Feedback’ below for the changes we have decided to make to the process, which will come into effect in 2017.
The purpose of this consultation was for the CAA to learn your views on some changes we are considering making to our airspace change decision-making process. Our objective is to optimise our process to ensure that all stakeholders are adequately consulted as part of a transparent, proportionate process. The process should be impartial and evidence-based, and should take proper account of the needs and interests of all affected stakeholders.
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This consultation sets out why we believe a review is necessary, and the main findings of Helios, the consultants who carried out an independent review of the process on our behalf. We explain the main principles behind our proposed changes, and, in Chapter 4, details of the specific changes we are considering to each stage of the process. We discuss the impacts we anticipate our proposed changes will have, and invite you to share evidence so we can define these further. In Chapter 6 we also set out the statutory duties the Government has set the CAA, and how we use these in making decisions about airspace. However, this consultation is not about government policy, which is not a matter for the CAA. Neither is it about specific airspace changes that have already happened, or are currently moving through the stages of the existing process.
In addition to these pages, we have also made a full, detailed consultation document available. The questions and text remain the same, but on this online version of the consultation we have reduced some of the text available in the full document.
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Chapters 1, 2 and 3 of the full consultation document introduce this consultation, explain the current airspace change process, and explain why we think the current process needs changing. Key points are included on this page, but we have not included them as full chapters in the contents on this online consultation because they do not include any consultation questions.
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Appendix A of the consultation discusses the options appraisal that will form part of Stage 2 of the proposed process.
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Appendix C of the consultation contains information to supplement Chapter 6, by setting out how we interpret our duty to secure the most efficient use of airspace. There are no questions in these Appendices so they are not included in our contents on these pages, but they are available in the full consultation document. Appendix C is also available as a PDF under Chapter 6 below.
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A glossary of technical phrases and terms is available on pages 11-15 of the full consultation document.
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The rest of this section includes key pieces of information drawn from Chapters 1,2 and 3 of the full consultation document, which will help you respond to this consultation.
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\r\n\tWhat are airspace and the airspace change process?
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In its simplest terms, airspace is the portion of the atmosphere controlled by a State above its territory and areas over the sea within which a State is contracted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to provide air traffic services. It is an invisible national asset. For air traffic control purposes, airspace can be divided into two main categories, controlled and uncontrolled. Controlled airspace is where air traffic control needs to have positive control over aircraft flying in that airspace to maintain safe separation between them. Uncontrolled airspace is airspace where aircraft are able to fly freely through the airspace without being constrained by instructions in routeing or by air traffic control, unless they request a service.
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Controlled airspace contains a network of corridors, or airways. They link the busy areas of airspace above major airports. At a lower level, control zones are established around each airport. These portions are therefore nearer the ground and closer to population centres. Because controlled airspace carries with it requirements that affect the aircraft and pilots that fly in it, an airspace change can impact the users of airspace in different ways.
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The CAA is responsible for approving the overall layout of the published airspace structure and any proposed changes to it.[1] We do so in the context of legal requirements which include safety, the environment and the needs of the consumers of aviation services as well as other duties all set out in section 70 of the Transport Act 2000. For example, changes might be needed to enable UK airspace to accommodate more flights, to incorporate new technology, to allow aircraft to fly more direct routes or to keep them away from particular areas. When we are asked to consider a change to the structure of UK airspace we will consider whether there is any reason why the change ought not to be made. Before agreeing to approve any change we then have to consider safety, environmental impacts (including aircraft noise and emissions) and operational factors.
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We therefore require the proposer or ‘sponsor’ of any permanent change to the published airspace structure to follow our airspace change process.
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Figure 2.1: Overview of the airspace change process as published in CAP 725
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These stages begin with outline conversations between the sponsor and the CAA around design options and who should be consulted. The sponsor then consults with interested parties, including, where appropriate, local communities. In the light of responses the sponsor may modify the proposals before making a formal submission of the proposal to the CAA for a decision. Assuming that the proposal is approved, the CAA carries out a review of the change after it has been implemented, typically after one year of operation.
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\r\n\t\tReasons for changing the current process
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The CAA is proposing changes to the current airspace change process because:
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\r\n\t\t\tThe airspace structure is a key part of the UK’s national infrastructure but is in need of modernisation. If modernisation is held up, there will be significant impacts not just on air passengers and shippers but also the wider economy. The CAA believes that modernisation of airspace can offer a range of benefits, and in some cases modernisation is required by international obligation. However, it is for the aviation industry to develop specific proposals for change. The CAA needs a rigorous process for ensuring that we can make robust and lawful decisions about those proposals. We will not make a change simply because it enables modernisation; we will only do so once we have also given consideration to the range of factors and stakeholders we have a duty to consider. Airspace modernisation requires the CAA to consider airspace change proposals on a scale unprecedented in recent years. These proposals may change flight paths[2] and therefore noise impacts, and may also impact airspace users and service providers.
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\r\n\t\t\tThose affected should have the ability and opportunity to respond to consultation before a change is made. The CAA’s decisions on airspace change must balance and take proper account of the needs and interests of all affected stakeholders.
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\r\n\t\t\tAirspace is a finite resource and there are competing demands for it from airspace users with differing needs (commercial air transport, General Aviation, military, unmanned aircraft and so on). Again, these must be balanced against each other.
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\r\n\t\t\tCommunities close to airports increasingly demonstrate their interest in the management of aviation noise and the impact it has on those communities. Some recent airspace change proposals have highlighted a lack of trust between some local communities, the aviation industry and the CAA as regulator. This can sometimes create an impasse on airspace changes – changes which, in totality, might achieve an improved outcome in respect of all the factors we have to consider (although, as a consequence, an individual stakeholder may be in a worse position than if no change were made).
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\r\n\t\t\tIt is therefore essential that the CAA’s airspace change process meets modern standards for regulatory decision-making, and above all else is seen as fair, transparent, consistent and proportionate.
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\r\n\t\t\tWe need to ‘future-proof’ the process in the light of changing international requirements that are binding on the UK as a European Union Member State.
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\r\n\t\t\tThe independent Helios report reviewing the current process found that it could be improved and recommended a number of changes, on which, with some modifications, the CAA has decided to consult.
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\r\n\t\tObjectives
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Our objective is to optimise our airspace change process to ensure that all stakeholders are adequately consulted as part of a transparent, proportionate process. The revised process should be impartial and evidence-based, and should take proper account of the needs and interests of all affected stakeholders. These stakeholders, in no particular order, include:
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\r\n\t\t\tthe users of air transport services, i.e. passengers and shippers;
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\r\n\t\t\tthose on the ground affected by aviation noise or other environmental impacts;
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\r\n\t\t\tthe users of airspace, including commercial operators, General Aviation and the military;
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\r\n\t\t\tother service providers such as air traffic control and airports;
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\r\n\t\t\tothers with a legitimate interest, such as environmental bodies and councils.
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In doing so we must consider what those needs are today and what they might be in the future. While not everyone will agree with every potential decision on how we develop the infrastructure of our airspace, the methods used to reach those decisions need to be well understood and accepted. One of our aims is to restore confidence in the process where it is currently lacking.
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It is also very important that in improving and optimising the airspace change process the CAA does not raise expectations that the new process will give everybody everything that they want. The airspace change process is not designed to be a referendum on views, but it is designed to reach an outcome fairly having regard for the views of all the various stakeholder groups and having considered those views in accordance with section 70 of the Transport Act 2000. To achieve this compromise outcome, there will have to be trade-offs where there are conflicting requirements, which could mean winners and losers. Every airspace change proposal is different and is considered on a case-by-case basis, but often these trade-offs are a matter for the over-arching government policy.
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\r\n\t\tThe Helios review of the airspace change process
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In 2015, the CAA commissioned management and technology consultants Helios to undertake an independent study of our existing airspace change process. As part of this work, we asked Helios to consult with a range of stakeholders that either use the process or are affected by the decisions resulting from it, and then provide recommendations on how the process could be improved. As part of its review, Helios tested various hypotheses in stakeholder workshops and through an online stakeholder survey. Helios consulted and spoke to representatives of airspace change sponsors, airspace users (including private flyers), and communities. We published Helios’s report on our website[3] on 8 December 2015.
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Helios proposed a revised airspace change process based on the current process but with greater transparency and more stages, with approval at certain key points and the CAA being more hands-on than at present, particularly for the consultation phase. Helios recommended that an independent airspace change Oversight Committee be involved for the most significant changes, and that an appeal mechanism be introduced. Helios also proposed that an online portal be established holding all relevant information on airspace change proposals and collecting consultation responses. Helios recommended that the CAA seek greater clarity and guidance from the Government on policy and strategic priorities associated with airspace change.
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The CAA‘s preliminary view is that most of Helios’s recommendations appear to address the issues identified with the current process. Our proposals for a revised process on which we are consulting are therefore largely based on what is recommended by the Helios report, with some important modifications which are explained in Chapter 4.
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\r\n\t\t\t\tYour views are invited
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\r\n\t\t\tWe are asking for your views on our proposals to revise the airspace change process. We explain why we consider the process needs revising, and the characteristics of the revised process we are currently considering implementing, and we highlight the proposed changes in the form of key principles and actions. Only after we have received views will we be in a position to decide which changes to take forward and incorporate into a republished version of CAP 725, CAA Guidance on the Application of the Airspace Change Process. However, simultaneously with this consultation, we are republishing CAP 725 simply to update references and terminology. We are calling this update the ‘administrative update of CAP 725’.
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\r\n\t\t\tYour comments will help us to design a fair, transparent and engaging process for handling airspace change proposals, striking the right balance between the interests of passengers and the aviation industry (including private flyers), and people affected by aircraft noise and emissions that impact on air quality (and, more widely, climate change). Your views on these proposals are therefore important to us. We hope that you can find the time to tell us what you think.
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\r\n\t\t\tThis consultation is not a referendum: we will need to take account of all views and balance different and often competing interests. This means that we will not automatically implement every idea or solution that gets the highest proportion of support, particularly if that support comes from only one of the many stakeholder groups we need to take into account.
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\r\n\t\t\t\tHow to respond to this consultation
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\r\n\t\t\tWe will assume that all responses can be published on our website. When you complete the online consultation there will be an option for you to hide your personal details or refuse publication. In the interests of transparency, we hope people will not refuse publication. If you do send us a separate submission and it includes any material that you do not want us to publish, please also send us a redacted version that we can publish. You should be aware that information sent to and therefore held by the CAA is subject to legislation that may require us to disclose it, even if you have asked us not to (such as the Freedom of Information Act and Environmental Information Regulations). Therefore, if you do decide to send information to the CAA but ask that this be withheld from publication via redacted material, please explain why, as this will help us to consider our obligations to disclose or withhold this information should the need arise.
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\r\n\t\t\tBefore we publish responses we will moderate them to remove unacceptable material such as defamatory or offensive remarks. We have based our moderation policy on Government guidelines. It can be found under Related Documents below. Please think carefully before making statements about a specific organisation or person. We will be obliged to redact any statements from the published version if they do not meet these guidelines on unacceptable material, and this would deny others the chance to see your views.
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\r\n\t\t\t\tCAA stakeholder engagement concerning this consultation
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\r\n\t\t\tWe are willing to meet with any stakeholder organisations to discuss our proposals, subject to the necessary staff being available. Because of limited resources, where possible we will seek to incorporate this as part of existing meetings. For further information please email airspace.policy@caa.co.uk or telephone Trevor Metson on 020 7453 6230.
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[1] The airspace structure must be distinguished from the processes and procedures devised by air traffic control providers that provide air traffic control within the broad parameters set out by the airspace structure approved by the CAA.
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[2] When we use the term flight paths we are referring to the tracks of aircraft, not necessarily to any approved routes or procedures.
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[3] As CAP 1356 Helios report: Independent review of the Civil Aviation Authority's Airspace Change Processwww.caa.co.uk/cap1356.
The purpose of this consultation is for the CAA to learn your views on some changes we are proposing to make to the requirements for NATS’ en route business (NERL) to prepare service and investment plans in its economic licence. Our objective is to modify the licence so that NERL must produce detailed and technology and airspace programmes for the remainder of the current Single European Sky Reference Period (RP2 (2015-19)), and outline programmes for the next Reference Period RP3 (2020-24). This will replace the current specific requirements in the licence which have been overtaken by events.
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\r\n\tThis consultation sets out why we believe the changes are required and would provide users with greater transparency and understanding of NERL’s capital programmes given the significant changes from its October 2013 Business Plan for RP2. review is necessary.
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\r\n\tIn addition to these pages, we have also made a full consultation document available. On this online version of the consultation we have reduced some of the text available in the full document.
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\r\n\t\tChapter 1 of the full consultation document introduces this consultation, giving details of the legal background to modifying NERL’s licence, information on how to respond to the consultation, and our next steps. \r\n\t\t
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\r\n\t\tChapter 2 gives the background to our proposals. \r\n\t\t
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\r\n\t\tChapter 3 sets out the proposed modifications and explains why we have proposed them. \r\n\t\t
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\r\n\t\tAppendix A of the consultation contains the detailed modifications to the licence.
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\r\n\tThe information below shows key extracts from the full consultation document, which will help you respond to this consultation.
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\r\n\tBackground
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\r\n\tIn January 2015, in support of the UK-Ireland FAB Performance Plan for RP2, we introduced a new Condition 10a in NERL’s licence on the implementation of and reporting on programmes that fall under the Future Airspace Strategy (FAS) Deployment Plan. The Condition requires NERL to use reasonable endeavours to implement the major air traffic management modernisation programmes set out in the UK FAS Deployment Plan of December 2012. These include raising the Transition Altitude (TA) to 18,000 feet, the London Airspace Management Programme (LAMP) and the implementation of the SESAR Pilot Common Project (PCP). To help us oversee the implementation of the modernisation programmes, the Condition required NERL to submit plans to the CAA in respect of TA and LAMP.
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\r\n\tThe plans were to be subject to consultation with users through NERL’s annual consultation on its Service and Investment Plan (SIP) as required under Condition 10 of the Licence. During 2015 NERL identified the need to significantly change part of its investment plans for RP2, in particular in relation to the delivery of TA and LAMP Phase 2 and further identified an opportunity to bring forward intended SESAR-related investment from RP3 to RP2, whilst remaining within the RP2 cost envelope. To allow NERL sufficient time to consult users fully on these proposed changes, through the SIP process, we amended the deadline for these reports to 30 June 2016 (CAP1362 – Decision on modifications to NATS (En Route) plc licence in respect of reporting of certain plans under Condition 10a).
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\r\n\tWhen we introduced Condition 10a we considered that the new plans for TA and LAMP would provide more specific information to users, ourselves and other stakeholders which would supplement the SIP. With the decision to delay TA and subsequent phases of LAMP-related airspace, it is our view that the provision of such specific information in the stated timeframe would be of limited or no utility. Added to NERL’s decision to bring forward other technology plans from RP3 to RP2 in support of SESAR, we feel it is appropriate to review, and as appropriate amend, Condition 10a and its objectives.We therefore require the proposer or ‘sponsor’ of any permanent change to the published airspace structure to follow our airspace change process.
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Our proposals
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Acknowledging the challenges associated with delivering the parts of the airspace programme set out in the NERL RP2 Revised Business Plan, in respect of the changes outlinedabove and taking account of concerns previously raised by airspace users in respect of the need to enhance the current SIP process, has highlighted a need to review and modify the NERL Licence against the objectives below:
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\r\n\t\t\tGreater transparency and understanding of the NERL capital programmes for the remainder of RP2, given the significant changes from the October 2013 Revised Business Plan. Recognising airspace users views regarding the level of detail and transparency in the SIP, the requirement to develop, consult and adopt detailed programmes for airspace and technology for the remainder of RP2 will provide clarity around what NERL is expected to deliver and when, along with the expected benefits. This will give users a greater opportunity to engage more actively in the direction of those programmes and provide justification should those programmes need to be amended in response to changing circumstances, dependencies and the latest available information; \r\n\t\t\t
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\r\n\t\t\tAlignment with good regulatory practice in terms of ongoing independent monitoring of delivery against significant milestones in the agreed programmes. Such an approach also aligns with the recommendations of the Independent Enquiry into the NATS System Failure in December 2014 and will provide a useful evidence base and experience against which to consider the capital programme oversight arrangements for RP3; \r\n\t\t\t
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\r\n\t\t\tStrengthening and clarifying the SIP process, by building guidance into the Licence around the information that should be considered, formalising the interim SIP arrangements and bringing all the reporting requirements into a single condition – compared to the current Condition 10a, which contains some SIP-like reporting requirements but does not form part of Condition 10; \r\n\t\t\t \r\n\t\t\tand \r\n\t\t\t
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\r\n\t\t\tRemoving RP2 implementation and reporting requirements in respect of TA and LAMP, which NERL could not reasonably be expected to deliver in that timeframe, whilst maintaining momentum to deliver ATM modernisation in the context of FAS and the SESAR PCP.
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In pursuit of these objectives, we believe there would be benefit from greater transparency of NERL’s airspace and technology programmes and monitoring of progress against their delivery, for both airspace users and the CAA; and that this might most usefully be provided in the context of the existing SIP process, with the CAA providing additional guidance in respect of what it expects to be reported, rather than through separate requirements. The remainder of this Chapter sets out our proposals to address the above objectives.
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We propose to modify Condition 10 of NERL’s licence to include requirements to produce:
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\r\n\t\t\tdetailed technology and airspace programmes for the remainder of RP2 by 31 March 2017; \r\n\t\t\t \r\n\t\t\tand \r\n\t\t\t
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\r\n\t\t\tan outline technology programme and airspace proposals for RP3 by 30 June 2018. We propose that the outline airspace plan should include options for implementing lower level airspace changes in the London terminal and related airspace area.
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By way of guidance to NERL and to ensure the programmes provide meaningful information to both airspace users and the CAA, we also set out minimum criteria we expect the programmes to address in the proposed Condition 10(9). These include the expected benefits in terms of safety, environment, capacity and cost-efficiency; significant delivery milestones, risks and dependencies; and information relating to potential service quality impacts during the deployment phase of any airspace and technology programme changes.
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The dates by which we propose that NERL should produce the required programmes reflect discussions we have had with NERL about the time it needs to consult users and the need to ensure that they are sufficiently mature and approved by NERL’s Board before publication. However, we expect NERL to share its developing thinking through draft airspace and technology programmes in the context of the SIP process in advance of the March 2017 deadline.
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In bringing the requirements to develop detailed airspace (and new technology) programmes explicitly into Condition 10, we also propose to delete Condition 10a in its entirety in the interests of simplifying and consolidating the relevant drafting.
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We remain committed to supporting the necessary airspace redesign in the FAS and, therefore, will retain the requirement within the revised Condition 10, currently in Condition 10a(1), for NERL to use reasonable endeavours to further implement the major air traffic management modernisation programmes that support the delivery of the FAS deployment plan. The requirement will specify that these programmes shall at least include London terminal and related airspace redesign and implementation of the ATM functionalities of the SESAR PCP. The requirement will be contained in Condition 10(4).
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We have maintained the principle contained in Condition 10a of requiring NERL to report progress against significant programme milestones, by amending the SIP provisions to introduce specific requirements in Condition 10(11) to report against the delivery of the milestones contained in the detailed programmes.
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Condition 10a(6) requires NERL to co-operate with any person we appoint to advise us on its progress and delivery against TA, LAMP and the SESAR PCP. We propose to maintain this scrutiny of NERL’s delivery, by introducing a new Condition 10(12) which sets out that we may appoint an Independent Reviewer (IR) to review the accuracy of NERL’s reporting on its technology and airspace programmes. Furthermore we will publish the IR’s conclusions. The role of the IR will be to monitor and provide advice to airspace users and the CAA on the accuracy of NERL reporting, with the output then available to inform views during the interim and full SIP consultation processes. In addition to providing scrutiny and assurance to airspace users, this will also provide an independent view to strengthen our ability to assure ourselves on the delivery of the NERL capital programme, in line with the recommendations of the Independent Enquiry into the NATS System Failure of December 2014.
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We also propose, in Condition 10(12) that NERL shall pay for the IR, unless we direct otherwise. Given that this is a new role, it would be appropriate to appoint the IR on a one year contract initially. It is our view that as the IR will provide an assurance role on the activities to deploy FAS related projects, it would be appropriate for NATS to make an application to the NERL component of the FAS Facilitation Fund (FFF), which is focussed on disbursements in respect of additional operating expenditure in support of delivery of FAS projects covered by the FAS Deployment Plan. This would, however, be subject to approval of the FAS Deployment Steering Group (DSG) on the basis of alignment with CAP 1249, which sets out the eligibility criteria for applying for funds under the FFF.
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Implementing this condition at this stage in RP2, including the reporting and IR process, will provide experience and evidence for when we consider the arrangements for development of capital plans and their oversight in the RP3 context.
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The proposed refinements to the SIP process provide the opportunity to formalise within the Licence the enhanced SIP process already in use for RP2, specifically, the additional Interim SIP requirement in June of each year in addition to the Final SIP to be delivered in December of each year.
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Your views are invited
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We are asking for your views on our proposals to modify NERL’s licence. Only after we have received views will we be in a position to decide which modifications to take forward and incorporate into the licence.
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