6 March 2015
Following a recent review of Norwich International Airport’s (NIA) controlled airspace (CAS), the UK CAA has announced a small reduction in the size of the Class D airspace. Although acknowledging that the Control Zone (CTR) and Control Area (CTA) around Norwich were working well following their implementation in 2012, the CAA has reduced the upper level of both from FL50 (approx 5,000ft) to 4,000ft. As a result, the transition altitude above the CTR and CTA will therefore be raised from 3,000ft to 5,000ft.
The change was announced in the CAA’s ‘post implementation review’ of the Norwich CAS. NIA and the CAA are working collaboratively to introduce the revised airspace on 17 September 2015, scheduling it with other initiatives being undertaken by the Airport. However, NIA will still be allowed to request the original upper level be reinstated if they experience an increasing need to hold inbound aircraft at higher levels.
The CAA said it was satisfied that the Norwich CAS had been beneficial in protecting aircraft in the instrument approach and initial departure phases of flight. However, a change to the vertical dimension of the CAS is operationally possible, although not to the lateral dimension. Although aircraft that are not radio equipped are excluded from controlled airspace (without prior permission), the CAA says that the impact on the General Aviation community of the Norwich CAS has been minimised, with NIA meeting the original approval requirements to facilitate transit of the airspace. The CAA believes the lack of any safety related events since the CAS came into force endorses this view.
The CAA tackled suggestions from some respondents to its review that a reduction in movements in 2014 questioned the need for controlled airspace at Norwich. In response to the specific issue of gliders being unable to enter the CAS, the CAA said it encouraged pilots of non-radio aircraft to approach Norwich ATC to arrange access.
www.caa.co.uk
