Infringe controlled airspace and your pilot’s licence could be provisionally suspended while the incident is investigated, the CAA has announced today.

It’s the latest move to try and halt the “worryingly high” number of infringements occuring in UK airspace. In 2015 there were more than 1,000 infringements reported to the CAA.

And it’s already kicked in – one GA pilot has had their licence provisionally suspended following a recent serious incident when a Red Arrows display was severely disrupted because of an infringement.

Under the new process, a pilot who is identified as having infringed controlled airspace, a Danger Area or Restricted Area, could have their licence or licences provisionally suspended, while the details of the incident are investigated and follow-up action considered. The CAA said it is committed to delivering a speedy resolution to any investigation and will only impose a suspension for as long as necessary.

New infringements

Details of new infringement events received by the CAA are assessed on a weekly basis by a team of experts made up of in-house pilots, investigators and air traffic controllers. If an incident is deemed to reach a certain level of seriousness, then the licence of the pilot involved will be provisionally suspended until further notice. The criteria used to determine the level of seriousness of a particular infringement has also been published www.caa.co.uk/cap1404. Depending on the outcome of the subsequent follow-up action, a decision will be made about lifting the provisional suspension.

The CAA said it acknowledges that the majority of infringement events are unintentional but some do have a significant impact on the operations inside Controlled Airspace.

“All events, however, carry some risk,” continued the authority. “Some events clearly show inadequate pre-flight planning, poor airmanship, or insufficient pilot knowledge. In a few cases, a deliberate intention to fly into Controlled Airspace has been found and there have been instances of multiple infringements by the same pilot. It is likely that in these circumstances pilots will have their licences suspended.”

Despite today’s announcement the CAA will continue to focus on tackling infringements through education and training and opt for provisional suspension or legal enforcement in more serious cases. The CAA is fully engaged in the Airspace and Safety Initiative campaign with GA representatives, air traffic control providers and others to promote awareness of the risks of infringement.

Need to see numbers decline

The CAA’s Rob Gratton, Chairman of the joint Airspace Infringement Working Group, said: “The number of infringement incidents in the UK has not seen any serious decline in recent years, despite the strenuous efforts of the CAA, GA representatives and many others. Therefore, we really do feel that this measure has become necessary.

“We hope that this decision will bring home to those pilots who do infringe the gravity of the situation. Any infringement has the potential to be a very serious safety incident. We need to see the numbers decline urgently.

“We will be working with the GA community and in particular, the Future Airspace Strategy VFR Implementation Group over the coming months and developing our education work. We are hopeful that this continued engagement activity will lead to a reduction in these incidents and enhance aviation safety.”

CAA