7,000ft
Systemised Airspace
Free Route Airspace
24,500ft
Airport Airspace Change Proposals
Edinburgh
Glasgow
Leeds Bradford
East Midlands
Liverpool
Manchester
Bournemouth
Southampton
Farnborough
Gatwick
Biggin Hill
Heathrow
London City
Southend
Stansted
Luton
Continuing our drive
to modernise UK airspace
The UK’s airspace is some of the most complex in the world, with its design dating back to the 1950s for aircraft which have long since stopped flying. NATS is working with airports on a major nationwide Government policy to modernise airspace and make flying in the UK more efficient.
0ft
NATS is responsible for deploying Free Route Airspace (FRA) in the high level network, allowing aircraft to fly a fully optimised flight path based on factors like weather and windspeed, which improves efficiency and reduces flight time, fuel burn and emissions. We have already introduced FRA in Scotland in December 2021 and the West of England in 2023. These incredibly complex projects set the template that high-level airspace across the UK will follow.
NATS is responsible for deploying systemisation in the lower level network above 7,000ft. Systemisation introduces highly-defined flight paths, which makes the best use of available airspace and ensures aircraft stay on a defined route as they transition to or from an airport. This reduces complexity, leading to greater predictability and fewer delays. Systemised airspace was deployed in the south west of England and Wales in 2023. Totalling 54,000 sq. nautical miles, this was the first large scale deployment of systemisation in the UK.
Below 7,000ft, airports are responsible for their own arrival/departure designs in parallel with the network changes above. We work closely to ensure the new upper and lower airspace designs tie together seamlessly. All proposals are regulated through the CAA's Airspace Change Process.
Exeter
Bristol
Systemisation and Free Route Airspace deployed in 2023.
Airspace modernisation will deliver a range of benefits:
Quicker
Quieter
Smarter
Hover the to reveal
Make the most efficient use of the available airspace and reduce the impact of flying on the environment
Improved routes that enable better management of noise for communities
Simplified airspace, reducing the potential for delay and enabling more direct routes
Free Route Airspace deployed in 2021
Edinburgh
Glasgow
Exeter
Bristol
Systemisation and Free Route Airspace deployed in 2023.
Leeds Bradford
East Midlands
Liverpool
Manchester
Heathrow
Southampton
Bournemouth
Farnborough
Gatwick
Biggin Hill
London City
Southend
Luton
Stansted
Free Route Airspace deployed in 2021
Continuing our drive
to modernise UK airspace
The UK’s airspace is some of the most complex in the world, with its design dating back to the 1950s for aircraft which have long since stopped flying. NATS is working with airports on a major nationwide Government policy to modernise airspace and make flying in the UK more efficient.
7,000ft
24,500ft
0ft
Systemised Airspace
Free Route Airspace
Airport Airspace Change Proposals
NATS is responsible for deploying Free Route Airspace (FRA) in the high level network, allowing aircraft to fly a fully optimised flight path based on factors like weather and windspeed, which improves efficiency and reduces flight time, fuel burn and emissions. We have already introduced FRA in Scotland in December 2021 and the West of England in 2023. These incredibly complex projects set the template that high-level airspace across the UK will follow.
Free Route Airspace
NATS is responsible for deploying systemisation in the lower level network above 7,000ft. Systemisation introduces highly-defined flight paths, which makes the best use of available airspace and ensures aircraft stay on a defined route as they transition to or from an airport. This reduces complexity, leading to greater predictability and fewer delays. Systemised airspace was deployed in the south west of England and Wales in 2023. Totalling 54,000 sq. nautical miles, this was the first large scale deployment of systemisation in the UK.
Systemised Airspace
Below 7,000ft, airports are responsible for their own arrival/departure designs in parallel with the network changes above. We work closely to ensure the new upper and lower airspace designs tie together seamlessly. All proposals are regulated through the CAA's Airspace Change Process.
Airport Airspace Change Proposals
Quicker
Make the most efficient use of the available airspace and reduce the impact of flying on the environment
Improved routes that enable better management of noise for communities
Simplified airspace, reducing the potential for delay and enabling more direct routes
Quieter
Smarter
Airspace modernisation will deliver a range of benefits:
Click the to reveal
RAF Northolt