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Just a heads up, the Gerry Corbett of the CAA passed out an email today asking us to pass on this message - so here is his email:
All,
In case you are not aware, a Restriction of Flying order has been made to cover the period of the NATO summit, which is taking place in Newport, Gwent, during the period 3-5 September 2014 – the full details are published within Aeronautical Information Circular M 081/2014 (Gerry added a link here but it is not working so not worth posting it but there is a map which I've included in this thread!)
Note the wording of the AIC, which creates a Restricted Area (Temporary) within a 20nm radius of the meeting venue plus an additional ‘blob’ to the south west of it, up to FL105 (10,500ft) within which NO AIRCRAFT is to be flown unless in accordance with the conditions listed. This is an extremely large area indeed!
I’ve checked with the appropriate staff, on the off chance that small UAS operations (recreational or otherwise) had been overlooked, or if a less restrictive ‘no fly’ distance could be provided, but I’m afraid not; the model aircraft aspects were actually discussed at length at the security meetings during the period leading up to the publication of the AIC - the intention is to prevent ALL Unmanned Aircraft from operating as well.
The NATO summit event is the biggest security event the UK has hosted in recent years with over 60 Heads of States, 60 foreign secs etc amounting to over 10,000 significant participants. Unmanned aircraft of all types and sizes, no matter whether they are being operated for recreational or other means, create a clear security threat in an environment where the Police and MoD are carrying out a significant air policing operation including fighter air patrols, additional radar devices and airborne surveillance to achieve and maintain a recognised air picture. No exemptions will be provided for model operations – this was at the joint agreement of the Security forces. The threat is not just around the venue; due to the location, delegates will be accommodated at other venues within the 20nm area. The intention is to carry out proportionate policing (eg. so that someone flying his simple ‘toy helicopter’ in his back garden should not become a criminal, although even that will probably depend on the circumstances at the time), but beyond this, everyone will need to take a break from flying in that area during that period.
Can I therefore ask you to publicise the details of the restriction to your other members, customers or colleagues as widely as possible? I have taken the Email addresses of many of you from the distribution list for the annual CAA/Model Aircraft Associations meeting, in order to try and cast the net as widely as possible.
Please note that the security and policing aspects of small UAS operations are quickly moving up the agenda in the security world (ie. not connected to the CAA’s flight safety remit) - only last week a UAS operator (believed to be connected to the media using ‘hobbyist equipment’ but this is still under investigation) almost impacted on a policing operation, which could potentially have turned a delicate policing op into something very major including loss of life. This was well after the ‘Emergency restriction of flying’ restrictions were planned and notified, but it all adds to the rationale and justification.
Gerry
Gerry Corbett
UAS Programme Lead
Intelligence, Strategy and Policy
Safety and Airspace Regulation Group
Civil Aviation Authority
Chart.JPG
All,
In case you are not aware, a Restriction of Flying order has been made to cover the period of the NATO summit, which is taking place in Newport, Gwent, during the period 3-5 September 2014 – the full details are published within Aeronautical Information Circular M 081/2014 (Gerry added a link here but it is not working so not worth posting it but there is a map which I've included in this thread!)
Note the wording of the AIC, which creates a Restricted Area (Temporary) within a 20nm radius of the meeting venue plus an additional ‘blob’ to the south west of it, up to FL105 (10,500ft) within which NO AIRCRAFT is to be flown unless in accordance with the conditions listed. This is an extremely large area indeed!
I’ve checked with the appropriate staff, on the off chance that small UAS operations (recreational or otherwise) had been overlooked, or if a less restrictive ‘no fly’ distance could be provided, but I’m afraid not; the model aircraft aspects were actually discussed at length at the security meetings during the period leading up to the publication of the AIC - the intention is to prevent ALL Unmanned Aircraft from operating as well.
The NATO summit event is the biggest security event the UK has hosted in recent years with over 60 Heads of States, 60 foreign secs etc amounting to over 10,000 significant participants. Unmanned aircraft of all types and sizes, no matter whether they are being operated for recreational or other means, create a clear security threat in an environment where the Police and MoD are carrying out a significant air policing operation including fighter air patrols, additional radar devices and airborne surveillance to achieve and maintain a recognised air picture. No exemptions will be provided for model operations – this was at the joint agreement of the Security forces. The threat is not just around the venue; due to the location, delegates will be accommodated at other venues within the 20nm area. The intention is to carry out proportionate policing (eg. so that someone flying his simple ‘toy helicopter’ in his back garden should not become a criminal, although even that will probably depend on the circumstances at the time), but beyond this, everyone will need to take a break from flying in that area during that period.
Can I therefore ask you to publicise the details of the restriction to your other members, customers or colleagues as widely as possible? I have taken the Email addresses of many of you from the distribution list for the annual CAA/Model Aircraft Associations meeting, in order to try and cast the net as widely as possible.
Please note that the security and policing aspects of small UAS operations are quickly moving up the agenda in the security world (ie. not connected to the CAA’s flight safety remit) - only last week a UAS operator (believed to be connected to the media using ‘hobbyist equipment’ but this is still under investigation) almost impacted on a policing operation, which could potentially have turned a delicate policing op into something very major including loss of life. This was well after the ‘Emergency restriction of flying’ restrictions were planned and notified, but it all adds to the rationale and justification.
Gerry
Gerry Corbett
UAS Programme Lead
Intelligence, Strategy and Policy
Safety and Airspace Regulation Group
Civil Aviation Authority
Chart.JPG
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