The All-Party Parliamentary Group on General Aviation has published its report from the Lord Kirkhope Inquiry into UK Lower Airspace.
The full 23 page report is available here:
Report of The Lord Kirkhope Inquiry Into UK Lower Airspace
Here is the report’s conclusion:
9 – CONCLUSION
9.1 In conclusion, the Inquiry recognises that the CAA, in its role as a regulator, must ensure that its conduct is of a sensible authority acting with due appreciation of its responsibilities. Whilst it is not in the remit of the Inquiry to examine or conclude whether the CAA is fulfilling its duties as required by statute, it is clear to the Inquiry that the CAA is failing all users of airspace in its current approach to airspace design and management.
9.2 Whilst this is the case, the fault also lies at the Department for Transport who are responsible for the policy setting, legislating and ensuring good operation of airspace. The Department for Transport, the Inquiry has concluded, is clear that airspace is a major part of the UK’s infrastructure, but is not treated in the same way by the Department, the Government, or Parliament. The Inquiry concludes that airspace should be treated like any other piece of national infrastructure such as roads, broadband and railways.
9.3 The Inquiry can see that without adequate policy direction from Government and the legislator the CAA will always fail to reform.
9.4 The Inquiry is pleased to conclude, however, that the Government appears serious about urgently reforming airspace in the UK.
9.5 Whilst concluding that current policy is wrong, the Inquiry has also concluded that the methodology in which airspace design changes occur is antiquated and in need of radical reform on every level, involving simplification and more transparency.
9.6 The Inquiry concludes that the creation of brand-new policy objectives is essential. The Government should make its new policy as precise, open and clear as possible. The Inquiry fully endorses and recommends suggestions as laid out in this report.
9.7 Finally, the Inquiry concludes that the demands made by airspace users are constantly evolving. Consequently, airspace should never be treated as fixed and unbending, but instead, as an organic and flexible piece of strategic national infrastructure that is constantly evolving in response to increasingly rapid changes in technology and other external factors.