The UK Civil Aviation Authority has published CAP1616 version 6, revising the process used for proposals to alter notified UK airspace design.
The updated Airspace Change Process is scheduled to take effect on 1 October 2026. From that date, all new airspace-change proposals submitted to the CAA will be handled under the revised framework.
The revision follows the Government’s 2026 Air Navigation Directions and Air Navigation Guidance. The Department for Transport says the 2026 Directions replace the preceding Air Navigation Directions and take effect on 1 October.
CAP1616 sets out the process through which sponsors, including airports and air-navigation service providers, bring forward airspace-change proposals. The CAA remains the independent decision-maker on whether a sponsor’s proposal satisfies the required standards.
According to the regulator, version 6 is intended to make requirements more proportionate for lower-impact changes while retaining requirements covering safety, evidence and impact assessment. The update also introduces a simpler route for short-duration airspace activity.
The CAA says the revised process is intended to improve alignment between airspace-change decisions and the planning system. Consultation remains part of the framework, giving affected communities an opportunity to comment on proposals.
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The change is national in scope, although the CAA says it has immediate relevance to proposed airspace changes in the London area.
The Air Navigation Directions provide statutory instructions for how the CAA operates in relation to UK airspace design and management. The Airspace Modernisation Strategy relies on multiple individual airspace-change proposals rather than a single approval process.
Airspace changes can affect commercial operations, general aviation, drones and advanced air-mobility users. Some proposals can take several years to progress from initial discussions to a final regulatory decision.
The CAA’s published process says it may prioritise proposals needed for the Airspace Modernisation Strategy, urgent safety or national-security reasons, or other Government objectives.
CAP1616 version 6 and the 2026 Air Navigation Directions are due to come into force on 1 October 2026. Proposals submitted after that date will follow the updated process.
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