29 February 2012
News from the CAA – The first set of official supplements to the UK Air Pilot (AIP) on the changes to be introduced during the London 2012 Olympics have now been published.
The supplements are the legal notification of the temporary controlled airspace, airport slot controls and the implementation of the Atlas Control air traffic service to be provided in the Restricted Zone of the security airspace surrounding London and the main venues.
The temporary changes to controlled airspace in areas to the South West, South East and North East of the busy London Terminal Control Area will be in place from 16 July to 15 August 2012 and will help ensure the safety of the additional air traffic movements expected during the Olympic period.
Some of this controlled airspace will be put in place in low levels of what is currently Class G airspace. Pilots operating in this area during the Olympics period therefore need to be aware of these changes.
The slot restrictions for Instrument Flight Rules flights arriving and departing at many of the airports in the south east of England are designed to ensure the UK’s controlled airspace and airways system do not become overloaded during the Games from the potential large increase in business and corporate aircraft movements.
Atlas Control will be the Ministry of Defence operated air traffic control service for the Restricted Zone that forms part of the security restrictions being put in place by the Government during the Olympics. This extensive operation will aim to provide a service to as many aircraft as possible while maintaining the Government’s security requirements.
All the AIP supplements are available on the NATS Aeronautical Information Services website at AIS Website The Olympics supplements are numbers three, four, five and six.
As well as the AIP supplements further information on the airspace changes being put in place for the Olympics is available at www.airspacesafety.com/olympics. This information will be continually updated as the Games approach, including the addition of a full airspace guide to flying in the UK during the Olympics. Future plans also include a direct mailshot to all current PPL and NPPL licence holders of this year’s CAA Clued Up safety magazine featuring Olympics airspace information. <a href=”http://www.airspacesafety.com/olympics”>Click here for more</a>
