Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how the needs of general aviation pilots will be addressed under any future airspace strategy.

General aviation is a key stakeholder in the successful delivery of airspace modernisation and the creation of a future airspace which is efficient and meets the reasonable requirements of all airspace users. The specific needs of general aviation pilots will be considered by the independent airspace regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority, when determining proposals to amend the UK airspace design or with any other measure that may affect them.

Last year, the Secretary of State commissioned NATS to produce a feasibility assessment of the potential future demands for airspace of airports in the South of the UK. This work was the first step in the co-ordination of airspace modernisation, examining its feasibility and potential implementation. It was a design requirement of the NATS modelling that the total volume of controlled airspace does not increase and that where possible, controlled airspace would be released to other airspace users, including general aviation. The Government expects to publish the high level findings of this later in 2018.