DfT and CAA Joint Consultation: Creating a UK Airspace Design Service (UKADS)
Consultation description:
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Department for Transport (DfT) are seeking your views on the creation of a UK Airspace Design Service (UKADS).
They are consulting on a proposal to create a UK Airspace Design Service (UKADS) as a single guiding mind to coordinate and sponsor future airspace changes. This consultation asks about the plans for the UKADS, including the role, scope and funding model, as well as other policy and regulatory considerations.
This is a crucial part of delivering airspace modernisation and securing the benefits that this can bring.
Following significant stakeholder engagement, the Department for Transport and the UK Civil Aviation Authority have developed proposals to:
create an ‘initial operating model’ for UKADS – UKADS1
consider detailed policy and legislative options for a longer term ‘end state operating model’ for UKADS – UKADS2
Who is this consultation for?
This consultation is principally for anyone who uses, manages and designs airspace. It may also be of interest to anyone otherwise affected by airspace or the aircraft that use it. They have tried to keep technical terminology to the minimum as there are a wide range of stakeholders who will have an interest in these proposals for a UKADS.
Should you have any questions about the consultation, please direct them to airspace.modernisation@caa.co.uk
They want your views on these proposals, including:
the overall concept of a UKADS
the scope of the UKADS’s responsibilities (whether geographically or in terms of the types or process stages of ACPs)
funding the UKADS and other UK airspace design change
suitable governance to ensure the UKADS delivers what is needed and on time
a proposed two-phase approach of UKADS1 and UKADS2
how to transition ACPs to UKADS1 from the current approach for making changes to airspace design
what modifications to the CAA's CAP 1616 airspace change process may be needed to accommodate the activities of a UKADS
the concept of the end-state UKADS2, which could eventually become solely responsible for progressing changes in UK airspace design.
Webinar 20 November 2024
The DfT and CAA will hold a webinar on 20 November 2024, from 1.30pm to 3pm to give an overview of the consultation and answer any questions. Please register your interest online: UK Airspace Design Service Consultation - Webinar
Full details on this consultation can be found on the CAA website
How to respond to this consultation
You can submit your comments by following the link and answering the 21 consultation questions, which require a mix of multiple-choice and free-text answers.
Published: 22 Oct 2024
Closed: 17 December 2024