By Martin Robinson, AOPA
12 May 2025
Britain’s regulators are protecting their reputations, not pilots’ lives — and the consequences are real. That’s the hard-hitting view from Martin Robinson, who heads up the UK branch of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.
“Britain’s general aviation sector is being strangled — not by technological limits, but by fear and political vanity,” says Martin.
“The UK’s loss of access to the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) after Brexit crippled the rollout of satellite-based instrument approaches, locking hundreds of aerodromes out of safer, more resilient flight options.
“Instead of fighting to restore access to this vital service, the government and its regulators have hidden behind emotional arguments about sovereignty, fearing media accusations of ‘betraying Brexit’ more than the real-world risks facing pilots and passengers.”
EGNOS uses a set of geostationary satellites (where a satellite appears to remain stationary relative to a point on Earth’s surface) and a network of ground stations to increase the accuracy of GPS.
The ground stations deployed around Europe acquire signals from GPS which are gathered and processed through a central computing system. Here, differential corrections and integrity messages are calculated. These messages are then broadcast back to users across Europe via a set of three geostationary satellites.
EGNOS is essential for applications where accuracy and integrity are critical, such as aviation. In fact, since its certification for use in civil aviation in 2011, EGNOS has become an important aid in the European aviation sector, increasing both the safety and accessibility of airports in general and, in particular, small and regional airports and airfields.
Thanks to the accurate and safe guidance offered by the system everywhere and anytime in Europe, pilots are better positioned to land in challenging weather conditions, including poor visibility and storms, and avoid aborted landings (go-arounds).
By December 2024, EGNOS has reached an impressive milestone with 1,000 approach procedures now utilising its Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS).
“Rejoining EGNOS is not optional if Britain is serious about revitalising its aviation sector,” continues Martin.
“It is the only logical course to avoid falling further behind Europe, the US, and every nation that values safer, smarter, more connected skies.
“Before Brexit, the UK had already introduced EGNOS-enabled procedures at a handful of airports — Guernsey, Alderney, Cambridge, and others — with ambitious plans to expand. The service was tested, proven, and ready to transform general aviation. Then, politics intervened.
“Brexit negotiations severed Britain’s access to EGNOS, not because of technical necessity but because EGNOS is managed under EU governance structures. Post-Brexit, Britain became a “third country” — and unless specific agreements were made (as Norway and Switzerland have), access ceased.”
“The technical and safety implications were clear. Yet the UK government chose not to prioritise securing continued access. Why?
“Not cost — maintaining EGNOS access would have required around £30 to £35 million a year, negligible compared to the economic damage of degraded aviation connectivity.
“Not technical barriers — the system already served the UK well.
“The true barrier was political fear: fear that rejoining a European technical system would spark accusations in the media of ‘betraying Brexit’ or ‘giving away sovereignty’.
“This fear is misplaced. EGNOS membership is a service agreement, not a political alignment. Rejoining EGNOS would not compromise Brexit or sovereignty — it would rebuild vital aviation capabilities and strengthen Britain’s reputation as a pragmatic international partner. In truth, restoring EGNOS would be a demonstration of leadership, not submission.
“Political pride may have lost EGNOS — but only courage can bring it back. Britain’s skies, and its future, depend on it.”
Martin concludes, “The longer Britain waits, the deeper the loss: in safety, in economic resilience, and in its standing as a serious aviation nation. In aviation, no signal means no future.”
Read Martin Robinson’s Lost in Space article in full here.
