Airspace classification draft findings on Cotswold Region

The CAA undertook a detailed review of airspace usage and classification within the Cotswold Region under its new airspace classification review procedure (CAP 1991). Our Draft Findings Report summarised the activity undertaken to scrutinise airspace usage within the Cotswold Region. It set out the engagement feedback we received from our stakeholders, the findings from  the conversations we held with airspace control authorities, and demonstrated how we used our own detailed analysis combined with the insight from our engagement to inform our draft findings into the region. The report included our initial plan of volumes where a case could be made for a proposed amendment to airspace, as well as our other findings and recommendations where alternative solutions may be more appropriate.

We asked whether we had missed, misunderstood, or misrepresented anything in our report into the Cotswold Region. We also asked whether Areas of Intense Air Activity (AIAAs) should remain.

22 responses were received which we have published where we had permission to do so.

Half of the responses to the “Have we missed anything” question agreed that the report had not missed, misunderstood or misrepresented anything. The remaining respondees provided additional feedback either on the findings or on the process used to gather them.

The majority of the feedback made suggestions as to how charting could be improved to aid airspace use by all users, for example it was proposed that permanent and ‘activated by NOTAM’ ATZs could be marked differently. Respondents also expressed interest in being able to get earlier and clearer notifications when military airspace volume is activated. Some also questioned the current structure of Class A airspace and questioned whether it was feasible to raise the base level of less utilised Cotswold CTAs. Finally, we received some positive comments on the depth of analysis and the use of our Airspace Analyser tool to corroborate our findings, although some also questioned the potential limitations of the tool and our methodology.

In response to our question on the usefulness of AIAAs, the majority of the respondents agreed that they provided no use for pilots and increased chart clutter. Six respondents answered “Don’t know” and a few suggested they should only remain in some of the current areas. Only three responses stated AIAAs are useful for flight planning if they are current and not excessive.

We reviewed each response received and considered whether and how the views impacted our findings. Any updates to our report informed by the feedback received are set out within the report.

The CAA is already working with NERL on its VFR Charting Review. We will hand over the insight we have received in relation to AIAAs to inform this work. We will also pass on relevant insight to the MoD to inform their review of airspace needs and will follow up in both instances to understand how our insight has informed these reviews.

Our Final Report contains our final findings regarding airspace use in the Cotswold Region, including our final plan of volumes to take forward to the amend phase of the CAP 1991 process.