Take-off
Aviation news from around the world – for the latest visit www.flyer.co.uk
Brize/Oxford’s infringement trap Above The combined controlled airspace proposed by Brize and Oxford with no fewer than 16 separate pieces of airspace
Video Steve Noujaim, who led the response by the General Aviation Alliance to the Brize/ Oxford airspace proposals, says the current position is ‘set up for infringement’. Click the button above to watch our video interview with Steve
6 | FLYER | October 2020
This is the latest design for the combined airspace proposal put forward by RAF Brize Norton and London Oxford Airport, affecting a 40-mile swathe of middle England. The two airfields say the new airspace is necessary to keep safe aircraft flying IFR approaches. The proposal document from RAF Brize Norton, which has by far the bigger chunk of airspace, says they looked at the simpler airspace design put forward by the General Aviation Alliance, a group of GA organisations working together, but considered it unworkable. The proposal introduction from Brize says: “The final design that is being
submitted to the CAA for consideration incorporates a mixture of Class D airspace for the CTR and the airspace directly abutting Class A airspace in the en route structure. “In addition, some of the CTAs are now Class E CAS, with the addition of an element of conspicuity, provided by either a radio call or by displaying a transponder code. This makes it Class E + Radio Mandatory Zone (RMZ) and/or Transponder Mandatory Zone (TMZ).” London Oxford Airport’s proposal for a TMZ (SFC-3,500ft) to the north of the airport is approximately 6nm wide and 10nm long, and concentrates on the RNAV (GNSS) approaches and missed approach procedures.
It says it responded to the consultation period. “The objections and alternative suggestions emphasised the importance of reducing the perceived impact of establishing Class D airspace on the General Aviation (GA) community, and of giving more consideration to alternative solutions discounted during the initial airspace design. “The final Transponder Mandatory Zone (TMZ) airspace design reflects the compromise that LOA has made to minimise the impact on GA operations in the Oxfordshire area, while still ensuring an enhanced level of flight safety for traffic operating into and out of LOA.” RAF Brize Norton London Oxford Airport
