Policy for the establishment and operation of Special Use Airspace

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. 

Our draft Policy for the establishment and operation of Special Use Airspace document can be found at the bottom of this page. 

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.

Purpose of this engagement

This engagement seeks your views on the content of the Special Use Airspace policy statement. The CAA would like your views on the draft Special Use Airspace policy that will replace the Policy for Permanently Established Danger Areas and Temporarily Established Danger Areas.

Engagement period

The engagement period will end on 6^th December 2023 (an engagement period of 6 weeks). We cannot commit to taking into account comments received after this date.

How to respond

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.

If you require any of this information in an alternative format, please contact: airspace.policy@caa.co.uk.

Why your views matter

It is important to the CAA that everyone gets the opportunity to voice their opinion on matters that could affect them. Feedback from stakeholders regarding the positive and negative effects of this policy will be vital to enable us to fully understanding any unintended impacts, implications, or consequences.

In the majority of cases this policy will be applied by those directly involved in the management and operation of Special Use Airspace and the policy uses technical language appropriate to this audience, who are main target of the engagement period. However, all airspace users may interact with Special Use Airspace in some way and we equally value feedback from anyone who may be impacted from the policy.

What happens next

At the end of the response period when engagement has closed, we will review your comments and submissions and publish the results. We will decide how to take forward the feedback with any concessions during the final update of the policy statement then will aim to publish by end of Jan 24 subject to all feedback being reviewed.