The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Helicopter Flight) (No. 9) Regulations 2026

Transport

Published: Mon 26th Oct 26

Established temporary restricted airspace and altitude limits for a helicopter flight transiting through five English counties on 26 October 2026.

These Regulations establish eight temporary restricted areas across Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, and Buckinghamshire to facilitate a specific helicopter flight on 26 October 2026.

The order prohibits aircraft from flying below specified altitudes (ranging from 2,500 to 4,000 feet) within defined time windows between 10:50 and 12:20 UTC. The restrictions apply to all aircraft except those operated by emergency services, The King's Helicopter Flight, or those flying with explicit permission from designated Air Traffic Control units.

Arguments For

The Secretary of State asserts that the restrictions are necessary in the public interest to ensure the safety and avoid disruption of an intended helicopter flight.
The Civil Aviation Authority and Department for Transport state that these measures are required to prevent interference with the flight path during its scheduled operation.
The document cites article 239 of the Air Navigation Order 2016 as the legal basis for exercising these powers.

Arguments Against

General aviation operators may experience temporary loss of access to specific airspace corridors between Norfolk and Buckinghamshire during the midday period.
Pilots must coordinate with multiple Air Traffic Control units (such as Cambridge, Luton, or Swanwick) to obtain permissions, which may increase operational complexity for non-exempt flights.
The geographical boundaries are defined by precise coordinates and arcs, requiring technical navigation to ensure compliance and avoid accidental infringement.

Citation and commencement

These Regulations may be cited as the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Helicopter Flight) (No. 9) Regulations 2026 and they come into force on 26th October 2026.

This section provides the official name of the regulations and sets the date they become legally active. The regulations take effect on 26 October 2026.

Interpretation

In regulation 3 the times referred to are Co-ordinated Universal Time(b).

(b) Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC) is the same as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

This section defines the time standard used for the flight restrictions.

All scheduled windows are expressed in Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC), which is equivalent to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Restricted airspace

3.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (9) and (12), during the period beginning with 1050 hours and ending with 1155 hours on 26th October 2026 no aircraft is to fly below 4,000 feet above mean sea level within the area bounded by—

(a) the clockwise arc of a circle having a radius of 2.5 nautical miles centred at 524904.0N 0002758.0E between 525002.0N 0002410.0E and 524736.0N 0003118.0E, and
(b) straight lines joining successively the following points—
(i) 524736.0N 0003118.0E,
(ii) 522105.0N 0000543.0E,
(iii) 522420.0N 0000020.0W, and
(iv) 525002.0N 0002410.0E.

(2) Subject to paragraphs (9) and (12), during the period beginning with 1110 hours and ending with 1205 hours on 26th October 2026 no aircraft is to fly below 4,000 feet above mean sea level within the area bounded by straight lines joining successively the following points—

(a) 522420.0N 0000020.0W,
(b) 522105.0N 0000543.0E,
(c) 520606.0N 0001712.0W,
(d) 520038.0N 0002832.0W,
(e) 520235.0N 0003305.0W, and
(f) 522420.0N 0000020.0W.

(3) Subject to paragraphs (9) and (12), during the period beginning with 1110 hours and ending with 1205 hours on 26th October 2026 no aircraft is to fly below 3,500 feet above mean sea level within the area bounded by straight lines joining successively the following points—

(a) 520038.0N 0002832.0W,
(b) 520606.0N 0001712.0W,
(c) 515941.0N 0002619.0W, and
(d) 520038.0N 0002832.0W.

(4) Subject to paragraphs (10) and (12), during the period beginning with 1120 hours and ending with 1210 hours on 26th October 2026 no aircraft is to fly below 4,000 feet above mean sea level within the area bounded by straight lines joining successively the following points—

(a) 520235.0N 0003305.0W,
(b) 520038.0N 0002832.0W,
(c) 515258.0N 0003709.0W,
(d) 515244.0N 0003828.0W,
(e) 515445.0N 0004311.0W,
(f) 515535.0N 0004305.0W, and
(g) 520235.0N 0003305.0W.

(5) Subject to paragraphs (10) and (12), during the period beginning with 1120 hours and ending with 1210 hours on 26th October 2026 no aircraft is to fly below 3,500 feet above mean sea level within the area bounded by straight lines joining successively the following points—

(a) 520038.0N 0002832.0W,
(b) 515941.0N 0002619.0W,
(c) 515312.0N 0003549.0W,
(d) 515258.0N 0003709.0W, and
(e) 520038.0N 0002832.0W.

(6) Subject to paragraphs (11) and (12), during the period beginning with 1125 hours and ending with 1220 hours on 26th October 2026 no aircraft is to fly below 3,500 feet above mean sea level within the area bounded by straight lines joining successively the following points—

(a) 515445.0N 0004311.0W,
(b) 515244.0N 0003828.0W,
(c) 515150.0N 0004336.0W, and
(d) 515445.0N 0004311.0W.

(7) Subject to paragraphs (11) and (12), during the period beginning with 1125 hours and ending with 1220 hours on 26th October 2026 no aircraft is to fly below 3,500 feet above mean sea level within the area bounded by straight lines joining successively the following points—

(a) 515150.0N 0004336.0W,
(b) 514409.0N 0004005.0W,
(c) 514226.0N 0004110.0W,
(d) 513803.0N 0004450.0W,
(e) 514749.0N 0004354.0W, and
(f) 515150.0N 0004336.0W.

(8) Subject to paragraphs (11) and (12), during the period beginning with 1125 hours and ending with 1220 hours on 26th October 2026 no aircraft is to fly below 2,500 feet above mean sea level within the area bounded by—

(a) straight lines joining successively the following points—
(i) 515150.0N 0004336.0W,
(ii) 515244.0N 0003828.0W,
(iii) 514723.0N 0003601.0W,
(iv) 513611.0N 0003622.0W, and
(v) 513611.0N 0004133.0W,
(b) the anti-clockwise arc of a circle having a radius of 12 nautical miles centred at 512812.0N 0002713.0W between 513611.0N 0004133.0W and 513201.0N 0004525.1W, and
(c) straight lines joining successively the following points—
(i) 513201.0N 0004525.1W,
(ii) 513201.0N 0004536.0W
(iii) 513803.0N 0004450.0W,
(iv) 514226.0N 0004110.0W,
(v) 514409.0N 0004005.0W, and
(vi) 515150.0N 0004336.0W.

(9) Paragraphs (1) to (3) do not apply to any aircraft—

(a) insofar as flying is already prohibited by the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Sandringham House) (Restricted Zone EG R219) Regulations 2025(a), or
(b) flying in accordance with a permission issued by—
(i) the Air Traffic Control unit at Cambridge Airport,
(ii) the Air Traffic Control unit at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, or
(iii) the Royal Air Force Marham Terminal Air Traffic Control Centre (TATCC) East.

(10) Paragraphs (4) and (5) do not apply to any aircraft flying in accordance with a permission issued by—

(a) the Air Traffic Control unit at Farnborough Airport,
(b) the Air Traffic Control unit at London Luton Airport, or
(c) the London Terminal Control Centre, Swanwick.

(11) Paragraphs (6) to (8) do not apply to any aircraft flying in accordance with a permission issued by—

(a) the Air Traffic Control unit at Farnborough Airport,
(b) the Air Traffic Control unit at Royal Air Force Northolt,
(c) the Air Traffic Control unit at London Luton Airport, or
(d) the London Terminal Control Centre, Swanwick.

(12) Paragraphs (1) to (8) do not apply to any aircraft—

(a) operated by or on behalf of—
(i) The King's Helicopter Flight,
(ii) a Police Air Support Unit,
(iii) an Emergency Medical Service, or
(iv) the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, or
(b) flying in accordance with a permission issued by Royal Air Force 78 Squadron, Swanwick.

This section details the specific geographical coordinates and altitudes where flying is restricted.

It creates a sequence of restricted zones with varying altitude floors (2,500ft to 4,000ft) and active time periods that follow the helicopter's route.

Subsections 9 through 12 list the exemptions, allowing specific emergency services, royal flights, and aircraft with air traffic control permission to enter the restricted zones.

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