Commonwealth Games airspace restrictions
Thursday 28 July – Tuesday 9 August
Download this information: Birmingham-Commonwealth-Games-Airspace-Restrictions
Airspace restrictions
In the interests of public safety and security the UK Government has announced that airspace restrictions will be put in place for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games from 28 July to 9 August 2022.
Commercial passenger flights to and from Birmingham International Airport will not be affected by these restrictions.
The only aircraft that are exempt from these restrictions include police, emergency, medical, royal helicopter flights, aircraft operating on behalf of the Commonwealth Games broadcast service and those operating with the permission of West Midlands Police.
The restrictions also apply to drones, and any parachute, including parascending and paramotor.
All restrictions have been developed by the Government to ensure the delivery of a safe and secure Games.
Flight planning
You should expect increased traffic density in areas adjacent to Birmingham due to traffic avoiding the restricted areas. As part of your planning and Threat and Error Management (TEM) you are advised to consider the potential knock-on effect when planning flights between 28 July to 9 August 2022.
More specifically there is the potential for increased traffic density of aircraft routeing south of CTA-2 around the Daventry VOR / DME area.
Whilst not replacing the fundamental importance of ‘see and avoid’ an electronic conspicuity device is a vital tool for safety and can give greater situational awareness to supplement your lookout.
You are encouraged to obtain a service from one of the LARS units in the area. In the event that those units do not have the capacity to provide a service, pilots are strongly encouraged to make use of the Birmingham FMC (0010 / 123.980 MHz) rather than operating autonomously (squawking 7000 or 2000) or obtaining a basic service from London Information.
Drones
You will not be able to fly a drone in the restricted areas. West Midlands Police will have drone enforcement teams actively patrolling the games footprint. These specialist teams are able to detect, track and identify drone activity. Those that breach regulations could have their equipment seized and face prosecution.
In advance of the Games there are also restrictions between 0600 hours on 22 July and 0559 hours on 28 July when no drones can be flown in Area A. All times are in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) which is one hour behind British Summer Time (BST).
The Civil Aviation Authority and West Midlands Police have produced a short video on the drone airspace restrictions in place.
Aircraft and drones will not be allowed within these areas without the permission of West Midlands Police.
AREA A
0600 hours on 28 July – 0600 hours on 9 August 2022
Surface to 4,500ft AMSL
No aircraft is to fly below 4,500ft AMSL within chart Area A
AREA B
2300 hours on 2 August – 2300 hours on 3 August 2022
Surface to 4,500ft AMSL
AREA C
2300 hours on 3 August – 2300 hours on 4 August 2022
Surface to 4,500ft AMSL
All times are in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) which is one hour behind British Summer Time (BST).
Details of restricted airspace will feature in the daily AIS information message 08085 354802 or +44(0) 1489 887515 (H24) and will be included on the Pre-flight Information Bulletins (PIB) through the AIS Web site at www.nats.aero/ais
Any related jamming activity will be notified by NOTAM.
AIS NOTAM Information
Tel: 08085 354802 or
+44(0) 1489 887515 (H24)
Pilots wishing to enter/leave the restricted areas (RA(T)) must obtain permission from West Midlands Police.
Pilots must email their request a minimum of 48 hours in advance to cw_aircell@westmidlands.police.uk
Requests to enter/leave the RA(T) must include:
- Flight Rules (VFR or IFR)
- Callsign
- Type
- Departure Aerodrome or Arrival Aerodrome
- Intended Destination (If Private Site, supply Lat and Long in WGS84 format)
- Intended routeing
- ETA or ETD in UTC
- Name of Pilot in Command (PIC)
- Date of Birth
- Address
- Telephone Number
- Email Address (if relevant)
- Names of Passengers
- Dates of Birth of Passengers
- Aircraft Owner
- Purpose of flight
Approvals are subject to West Midlands Police Security Vetting and Birmingham Airport Air Traffic Limited operational capacity.
If a permission is not granted you must remain outside of the RA(T).
If a permission is granted, you will be sent a unique permission code.
On the day of an approved flight, pilots must file a full flight plan which must include the unique permission code in Field 18 of the flight plan. Flight plans should include the additional addressee of EGBBZTZX.
A flight plan filed in an abbreviated, airborne, or book-out format is not acceptable for the duration of the event.
The issue of a unique permission code by West Midlands Police does not constitute approval to enter the portion of controlled airspace coincident with the RA(T).
A clearance to enter controlled airspace is to be requested from Birmingham Radar using standard RT phraseology.
Inbound
Contact Birmingham Radar in good time and have your unique permission code ready if asked for it.
Entry to Birmingham CTA/CTR via the Bedworth Visual Reference Point (VRP) will be restricted due to eastern extension of RA(T) Area A.
If you are inbound to Birmingham, there are no additional procedures for VFR/ SVFR entry.
Transits via the RA(T) may be declined or delayed due to traffic and/or controller workload irrespective of West Midlands Police approval.
Outbound
Operations to/from satellite airfield and airstrips within the CTR/CTA contained within the RA(T) will be handled in accordance with extant Letters of Agreement (LoA). Permission from West Midlands Police to operate within the RA(T) will be obtained as per the AIS briefing sheet.
These stakeholders will be contacted individually.
Transit
Unless there is a public or commercial requirement, or the flight is in association with the Commonwealth Games, it is expected that West Midlands Police will deny all RA(T) transits.
Coventry aerodrome is located within the south-eastern part of Area A. To enable Coventry to continue to operate, the aerodrome has been issued with certain criteria that pilots inbound to and outbound from Coventry aerodrome must follow:
- The aerodrome operator must notify West Midlands Police and mBirmingham Airport Air Traffic Limited (BAATL) when the aerodrome is open and when it is closed.
- Pilots must seek the permission of the aerodrome operator in advance.
- Pilots will need to seek permission from West Midlands Police: cw_aircell@westmidlands.police.uk
- When operating within the RA(T) for Runway 05 pilots are to remain within the Coventry ATZ to the west of the aerodrome. Pilots may, for the purposes of sequencing and establishing separation against other circuit traffic, extend upwind and exit the ATZ to the east. When operating within the RA(T) for Runway 23 pilots are to remain with the Coventry ATZ to the west of the aerodrome. Pilots may, for the purposes of sequencing and establishing separation against other circuit traffic, extend downwind and exit the ATZ to the east. Pilots should inform Coventry Information when executing such extensions.
- Pilots will remain outside Birmingham controlled airspace Class D unless cleared to enter.
- Pilots not in receipt of a UK FIS from Birmingham should contact Coventry AFIS on 123.830 MHz.
- Pilots inbound to or outbound from Coventry aerodrome and who have permission from West Midlands Police are to contact Coventry AFIS on 123.830 MHz and are to remain outside controlled airspace.
- Pilots of aircraft inbound to Coventry aerodrome can expect to enter the Coventry ATZ via Southam VRP to Runway 05 and via the Draycote Water VRP to Runway 23. Pilots shall endeavour to call Coventry AFIS in the vicinity of DTY (VOR/DME) or a similar distance of 15NM from Coventry aerodrome.
- Pilots of aircraft outbound from Coventry aerodrome can expect to depart the Coventry ATZ to Southam VRP from Runway 23 and to Draycote Water VRP from Runway 05.
- Solo student pilots are not permitted to operate within the Coventry ATZ for the duration of the RA(T).
