Olympics 2012 Airspace Restrictions

Gary Mortimer

Get ready for two months of careful flying if you are within quite and area of South East England for the 2012 Olympics. Very impressed that sUAS along with model aircraft form the first group mentioned in the recommendations for the restricted area. We have arrived as a known group! Flight in the prohibited area will be, well prohibited! sUAS cannot meet the requirements.

In the words of the London Airspace 2012 website http://olympics.airspacesafety.com

Airspace restrictions will be placed around all Games venues. The major restriction will be centred on London and the Olympic Stadium. These will run from 13 July 2012 to 12 September 2012 and will be implemented by the Government through its commitment to deliver a safe and secure Games. Airspace restrictions around other Games venues will only be in place for the duration of the event at each venue, in line with those used for major sporting events. Extra security restrictions may be placed on flights at any time.

Prohibited Zone: Aircraft will not be allowed within the Prohibited Zone unless they are IFR traffic and have undergone crew, passengers and baggage screening in accordance with the relevant aviation security programme, and inbound to or outbound from Heathrow, London City, RAF Northolt, Biggin Hill and under the control of those airports or NATS TC or Thames Radar. They must also meet all the requirements to enter the Restricted Zone.

Restricted Zone: Aircraft will be allowed to enter the Restricted Zone if they can comply with a set of requirements defined by aircraft type (see How to use the restricted zone).

Airfields within the Prohibited Zone, and airfields within 3nm of the outer boundary of the Restricted Zone, may apply for certain exemptions to the restrictions subject to specific conditions to be agreed with the appropriate authorities. The following airfields have been identified as potential examples of these. Prohibited Zone: London City; Northolt; White Waltham; Denham; Fairoaks and London Heliport (Battersea). Restricted Zone: Duxford; Shuttleworth (Old Warden); Halton; Dunstable Downs; Lashenden (Headcorn); Earls Colne; Booker and Weathersfield. Applications will be considered on a case by case basis.

Aircraft that will be exempted from the restrictions include Police and Medivac operations and aircraft operating for the Olympic Broadcast Service. Special procedures apply to these aircraft.

The Government, CAA & NATS will work with airspace users and others to ensure that the planned measures, and their potential impacts, are fully understood and discussed before the Statutory Orders, to legally implement them, are made towards the end of 2011.

Through ASI there will be a comprehensive communications and education programme to help keep airspace users up-to-date on aviation-related Olympic news.

The CAA and MoD will be arranging visits and briefings at airfields in and near the restricted airspace.

Outside of the Prohibited Area:- (Within the restricted area)

Aircraft type*	Regulations
Small/large Unmanned and Model Aircraft	Current Air Navigation Order regulation applies.
Hot Air Balloon	Obtain permission of the relevant control authority before launch.
Hang Glider Para Glider	Position** of launch sites to be notified to the relevant control authority a minimum of 2 hours before launch. Notify relevant control authority when cease flying. Remain within 3nm of launch site.
Unpowered glider	Launches from specified BGA/RAFGSA*** sites only, activation of which must be notified to the relevant control authority a minimum of 2 hours before launch. Remain within 3nm of launch site. Cross Country Gliding (unless launching and recovering from the sites above where exit from and entry to the Restricted Zone is solely contained within 3nm of the launch site) and Other Sites: Booker, Kenley. File a Flight Plan on AFPEx or AFTN between 24 hrs and 2 hrs before take-off and follow it – no airborne or faxed flight plans will be permitted. Receive an acceptance message and approval number to flight plan. Establish and maintain 2 way RT with appropriate control agency quoting approval number. Squawk and maintain discrete transponder code as allocated by the appropriate control authority. Receive an ATC service and comply with ATC instructions.
Microlight Self Launching Motor Glider Touring Motor Glider Airship Autogyro Paramotor All Helicopters All powered fixed-wing aircraft	File a Flight Plan on AFPEx or AFTN between 24 hrs and 2 hours before take-off and follow it – no airborne or faxed flight plans will be permitted. Receive an acceptance message and approval number to flight plan. Establish and maintain 2 way RT with appropriate control agency quoting approval number. Squawk and maintain discrete transponder code as allocated by the appropriate control authority. Receive an ATC service and comply with ATC instructions. Circuit flying is permitted at airfields within the Restricted Zone without the need for a flight plan provided ac squawk a discrete transponder code. Airfield managers must contact the appropriate control agency daily at commencement and cessation of flying for allocation and return of a daily changing code, and aircraft may not leave the visual circuit except on landing or in accordance with the rules at 1-5 above