Airspace changes "essential"

Management of Britain’s airspace must change if future needs are to be met, says Martin Rolfe, CEO of NATS.

Addressing last week’s meeting of the Aviation Club, he said the current structure would not manage demand in 10 or 15 years’ time.

Changes envisaged include bringing in phase one of the London Airspace Management Plan, or LAMP, next February with a new concept for arrivals into London City and Biggin Hill.

Flights would be brought in over the Thames Estuary rather than Essex, meaning fewer people would be affected, while some departures from Stansted and Luton would be able to climb more quickly, reducing noise.

“It’s the foundation for wider changes to the airspace in and around the South East,” Rolfe said.

Britain needed to modernise its airspace to deliver the improved flight profiles and reduced noise at lower levels NATS customers and communities on the ground wanted.

“I know the additional runway is the main debate in town and that’s absolutely fine by me,” Rolfe said.

“But I hope I’ve also helped to convince you that runways are only as good as the airspace that supports them.  Whether a new runway is built, we need to get on with modernising our airspace.”  www.nats.aero

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