Call for Evidence: Airspace Classification Review of the Barnsley Region

Overview

This is a Call for Evidence to inform our second regional review of UK airspace under the airspace classification review procedure, detailed in CAP 1991. This review is based around the Barnsley Altimeter Setting Region (ASR), although the boundary of our area of focus differs slightly to the actual boundary of the Barnsley ASR. Please note, we are not looking to alter the actual ASR boundary, we have simply made minor adjustments to the published boundary to assist us in our analysis of the airspace.

The airspace captured within this review is sizeable, complex and busy. We are seeking input from all stakeholders familiar with the airspace within this region, to help us to identify volumes of airspace worthy of further scrutiny. We will analyse and review airspace with safety and equitable access in mind, looking at information such as who is utilising the airspace and why, the classification, dimensions, and the hours of operation. This will help us to determine whether a change is required and if so, how that might be progressed.

As this stage, we are especially keen to hear from:

• the General Aviation community
• the business jet community
• airports and aerodromes of all sizes
• air traffic controllers

We will, of course, be engaging more broadly once we have identified volumes of airspace that may be reviewed in more detail under the CAP 1991 procedure.

We are also asking for suggestions for measures, other than classification changes, that could enhance the safe and equitable use of airspace within this region.

The responses to this Call for Evidence will inform what, if any, volumes of airspace in the Barnsley region will be taken through to the Amend stage of the classification review procedure or how we can use alternative solutions to remedy identified issues.

How to respond

We would like stakeholders to consider their experiences of operating within airspace in the Barnsley Region and provide their views using this online survey, by 23:59 on Sunday 8th January 2023.

Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA)

At the time of launching this Call for Evidence, the situation regarding DSA airspace is still evolving. The Airspace Change Proposal to manage the removal of DSA airspace is live and can be accessed via the CAA ACP Portal here. We have opted to keep Doncaster airspace as an option for Call for Evidence but would like to stress that any comments specifically relating to the closure of the airspace will be made via the ACP.     

Manchester Low Level Route

In line with our commitment in ORS4 No. 1545 and following previous stakeholder feedback, we are currently undertaking a detailed review of the Manchester Low Level Route (MLLR), to better understand the concerns surrounding this airspace and identify any opportunities as to how we may address them. We are engaging with Manchester Airport, Liverpool Airport and NATS, amongst others and collating insight from our Infringement Team.

We are keen to hear from you if you have any input regarding operations in and around the MLLR. To give us your insight, please use the MLLR section in this survey.

We are aiming to collate our findings and publish our report shortly after the closure of this Call for Evidence.

What happens next

This Call for Evidence, along with our initial scoping work, forms the start of the this review. 

We will collate views from this survey, discuss them with relevant Airspace Control Authorities and corroborate them, where feasible, with insight from our Airspace Analyser tool. We will then use this information to create our initial plan of airspace volumes where a case could be made for a proposed amendment to the airspace classification. We will then consult on this plan later next year.

In the proposed plan we will set out the messages we have heard throughout our engagement, including this Call for Evidence, and how we have used this insight to inform our view of potential airspace volumes to take through to amend.