The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (London Stansted Airport) (No. 2) Regulations 2009

Statutory Instruments

2009 No. 2020

Civil Aviation

The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (London Stansted Airport) (No. 2) Regulations 2009

Made

20th July 2009

Coming into force

24th September 2009

The Secretary of State deems it necessary in the public interest to restrict flying in the vicinity of London Stansted Airport from 24th September 2009 to 6th April 2012.

The Secretary of State makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by article 96 of the Air Navigation Order 2005(1).

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (London Stansted Airport) (No. 2) Regulations 2009 and come into force on 24th September 2009.

2.  In regulation 3 all times referred to are Co-ordinated Universal Time.

3.  Subject to regulation 4, from 0001 hours on 24th September 2009 to 2359 hours on 6th April 2012, no aircraft is to fly below 1,500 feet above mean sea level within—

(a) the area bounded successively by—

(i) the anticlockwise arc of a circle having a radius of 8 nautical miles centred on point 515306N 0001406E, from 515416N 0002653E to 520104N 0001503E;

(ii) a straight line joining the points 520104N 0001503E and 520517N 0002124E;

(iii) the clockwise arc of a circle having a radius of 13 nautical miles centred on the point 515306N 0001406E, from 520517N 0002124E to 515828N 0003314E; and

(iv) a straight line joining the points 515828N 0003314E and 515416N 0002653E; or

(b) the area bounded successively by—

(i) the clockwise arc of a circle having a radius of 8 nautical miles centred on the point 515306N 0001406E, from 514508N 0001309E to 515155N 0000120E;

(ii) a straight line joining the points 515155N 0000120E and 515146N 0000006W;

(iii) a straight line joining the points 515146N 0000006W and 514550N 0000316W;

(iv) the anticlockwise arc of a circle having a radius of 13 nautical miles centred on the point 515306N 0001406E, from 514550N 0000316W to 514055N 0000652E; and

(v) a straight line joining the points 514055N 0000652E and 514508N 0001309E.

4.  Regulation 3 does not apply to any aircraft—

(a) equipped with serviceable secondary surveillance radar equipment which includes a pressure altitude reporting transponder operating in Mode A and Mode C; or

(b) of which the commander has obtained permission to enter any of the airspace restricted by regulation 3 from, as may be appropriate, the air traffic control unit at—

(i) London Stansted Airport,

(ii) Essex Radar, or

(iii) Farnborough Radar.

5.  In these Regulations, the expressions “Mode A”, “Mode C” and “secondary surveillance radar equipment” referred to in relation to Scale E1, Scale E2 and Scale E3 respectively in paragraph 4 of Schedule 5 to the Air Navigation Order 2005, each have the same meaning as in paragraph 5 of that Schedule.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Transport

Paul Clark

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State

Department for Transport

20th July 2009

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations restrict flying in airspace in the vicinity of London Stansted Airport, as specified in regulation 3.

They require any aircraft flying in the specified airspace to operate secondary surveillance radar equipment which includes a pressure altitude reporting transponder, or to be issued a clearance to fly in the specified airspace by an appropriate controlling authority if not fitted with such equipment. The transponder must be operating in Mode A and Mode C and have the capability and functionality prescribed for Mode S Elementary Surveillance.

These Regulations are effective in relation to the specified airspace until 6th April 2012, by which time the requirement for aircraft to be fitted with secondary surveillance radar equipment having Mode S capability and functionality is expected to be contained in separate legislation.

A general exemption valid until 31st March 2012 for Visual Flight Rule flights by aircraft equipped with Mode A/C is contained in the Civil Aviation Authority’s Official Record Series 4 (ref. ORS4 No. 670), published on 31st January 2008, which can be viewed at: www.caa.co.uk/publications.

Infringements of Controlled Airspace, mainly by general aviation aircraft, including gliders, have continued to rise, particularly in the vicinity of the London Stansted Control Zone. NATS, the air traffic service provider at London Stansted has formally requested that the Directorate of Airspace Policy (DAP) designate two portions of Class G airspace (currently below Class D Controlled Airspace and aligned with the final approach at either end of the runway) as Transponder Mandatory Zones. The procedures outlined in these Regulations are considered by DAP significantly to enhance aircraft and passenger safety by improving the known air traffic environment in areas that currently do not require aircraft to operate secondary surveillance radar equipment. The Department for Transport has endorsed the request for this restriction.

Full details of the contents of this Statutory Instrument will be promulgated by Aeronautical Information Circular and NOTAM.

Further enquiries of the Civil Aviation Authority may be made of Mr M M Lee, DAP Airspace Specialist 7, Telephone [phone].

(1)

S.I. 2005/1970, to which there are amendments not relevant to these Regulations.