The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has today published its decision to accept the latest iteration of the airspace change masterplan, developed by the Airspace Change Organising Group (ACOG), into its Airspace Modernisation Strategy (AMS). This is a significant milestone towards modernising the UKs airspace to deliver quicker, quieter, and cleaner journeys.

The purpose of the airspace change masterplan is to identify which UK airspace design changes need to be developed to achieve the benefits of airspace modernisation and then set out a single coordinated implementation plan to deliver those benefits. ACOG is taking an iterative approach to developing the masterplan and will be undertaking public engagement exercises this year. You can find out more about ACOG and its plans on its website at www.acog.aero.
 
This iteration of the masterplan identifies which airspace change proposals (ACPs) that are part of the masterplan will need to move forward together in a co-ordinated manner. It also describes the nature of potential interactions between those different ACPs. The masterplan does not contain the details of specific proposals or proposed flightpaths.
 
The airspace changes identified within the masterplan will have to be considered through the CAA’s separate evidence based and engagement led airspace change process, known as CAP 1616. The acceptance of the second iteration means that relevant airspace change sponsors can now progress towards a CAP1616 Stage 2 gateway assessment, where the CAA must be satisfied that sponsors have followed the process correctly before they can move to the next stage in the process.

Following the announcement by the Secretary of State for Transport that ICCAN was to be abolished, a cross-party group of 13 MPs and Peers have written to Grant Shapps setting out the continued need for a strong independent voice to reflect community concerns about aviation noise.

You can read the letter in full here below.