One of the UK’s biggest airspace modernisation changes has been implemented over Wales and southwest England, following more than four years of development.
The airspace modernisation program, called the West Airspace Deployment (West) by NATS took four years to develop is one of the largest ever done in the UK. It upgrades around a third of the country’s airspace infrastructure and should reduce CO2 emissions by 12,000 tonnes a year.
The West area covers 54,000 square nautical miles and includes some of the busiest routes for international flights to and from major UK airports.
The upgrade deploys Systemisation and Free Route Airspace (FRA) simultaneously over Wales and southwest England, the first time this has been implemented in the UK.
Systemisation has been implemented above 7,000ft to 24,500ft and is the first large-scale introduction of a systemised network in the UK. No changes have been made to the airspace below 7,000ft.
By using the latest aircraft technology and approach to airspace design thinking, a systemised network has highly defined flight paths which use the available airspace as efficiently as possible.
To design systemised routes, NATS has introduced Performance Based Navigation (PBN) which uses satellite technology on modern aircraft, enabling them to fly on precise flight paths from take off until they reach the higher-level network. PBN enables airlines and airports to have more predictable operations and to reduce delays.
West simultaneously deployed the second tranche of FRA in the UK following the first deployment over Scotland in 2021. Covering the high-level network above 24,500ft, FRA removes airspace structures, allowing aircraft to fly their preferred route between a defined entry and exit point. Airlines then have the freedom to plan and fly their optimal route to help reduce fuel burn, flight time and CO2 emissions.
Juliet Kennedy, operations director at NATS said, “We are delighted to have safely implemented West and deliver a simpler, more sustainable future for all airspace users. This section of airspace supports over 1000 flights a day, so these changes will help the wider aviation industry deliver on their environmental commitments.
“After more than four years of planning, we are incredibly proud to have accomplished this milestone and look forward to continuing the modernisation of the UK’s airspace.”
NATS predicts that the West airspace changes will reduce CO2 emissions by 12,000 tonnes a year within UK airspace, the equivalent to the annual emissions of 3,500 family homes. It will reduce by two hours the flying time per day for aircraft using West airspace.
The UK’s Aviation Minister, Baroness Vere of Norbiton said, “Revolutionising how we use our airspace is vital to decarbonising aviation. NATS' West Airspace Deployment is helping us to save emissions and take us a step further towards Jet Zero. For this reason it is vital we continue our ambitious airspace modernisation plans across the UK.”