The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Southport Airshow) Regulations 2026

Published: Fri 12th Jun 26

The Regulations restricted flying below Flight Level 085 within a specific radius of Southport on August 29th and 30th, 2026, during display hours to ensure public safety.

These Regulations, made by the Secretary of State for Transport under the Air Navigation Order 2016, impose a temporary restriction on flying aircraft below Flight Level 085 within a 2.3 nautical mile radius centered at 533921N 0030117W on August 29th and 30th, 2026, between 0900 and 1630 hours Co-ordinated Universal Time, specifically to ensure public safety during the planned Southport Airshow flying displays, with exceptions granted only by the Airshow Flying Display Director.

Arguments For

Ensuring public safety below Flight Level 085 within a 2.3 nautical mile radius of the specified coordinates during the scheduled flying displays.
Providing necessary legal authority, under Article 239 of the Air Navigation Order 2016, to restrict airspace due to high-energy manoeuvres planned for the public event.
Centralizing control over excluded airspace via permissions issued by the Southport Airshow Flying Display Director, maintaining order during the airshow operations.

Arguments Against

Temporarily limiting the freedom of navigation for general aviation or other non-participating aircraft within the designated area and altitude band on the specified dates.
Imposing operational constraints on standard air traffic operations by requiring compliance with specific time frames (0900 to 1630 UTC) and location restrictions.
Potential confusion regarding time zones, as UTC is specified, requiring pilots to correctly convert to local time (BST) for compliance.

S T A T U T O R Y I N S T R U M E N T S

2026 No. 618

CIVIL AVIATION

The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Southport Airshow) Regulations 2026

Made

10th June 2026

Coming into force

29th August 2026

This section serves as the official heading for the Statutory Instrument, establishing it as UK legislation under reference 2026 No. 618, related to Civil Aviation.

The Instrument is formally titled the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Southport Airshow) Regulations 2026.

These regulations were officially made on June 10th, 2026, and are set to legally come into force on August 29th, 2026, the date the restrictions begin.

The Secretary of State has decided that it is necessary in the public interest to restrict flying in the area specified in regulation 3(1) by reason of the intended holding of flying displays that are scheduled to take place there.

The Secretary of State makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by article 239 of the Air Navigation Order 2016( a ).

The Secretary of State determined that restricting flights in a specified area is necessary for the public interest because flying displays are scheduled to occur there.

This power to restrict flight is being exercised using the authority granted by Article 239 of the Air Navigation Order 2016.

Citation and commencement

These Regulations may be cited as the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Southport Airshow) Regulations 2026 and they come into force on 29th August 2026.

This regulation provides the formal title for citing the document: "the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Southport Airshow) Regulations 2026." It confirms that the legal restrictions established by these regulations become active on August 29th, 2026.

Interpretation

In regulation 3(1) the times referred to are Co-ordinated Universal Time( b ).

This clause defines how time references used in Regulation 3(1) must be understood.

All times mentioned in the restriction part must be interpreted as Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC).

Restricted airspace

-(1) Subject to paragraph (2), beginning with 0900 hours and ending with 1630 hours on each of the two days of 29th and 30th August 2026 no aircraft is to fly below Flight level 085( c ) within the area bounded by a circle having a radius of 2.3 nautical miles which is centred at 533921N 0030117W.

(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to any aircraft operating in accordance with a permission issued by the Southport Airshow Flying Display Director.

Sub-paragraph (1) mandates that no aircraft may fly below Flight Level 085 (a measure of altitude) within a circular area with a 2.3 nautical mile radius, centered at the specified geographical coordinates (533921N 0030117W).

This restriction applies on August 29th and 30th, 2026, between 0900 and 1630 UTC.

Sub-paragraph (2) provides an exemption: the prohibition does not affect any aircraft that has permission granted specifically by the Southport Airshow Flying Display Director.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Transport

10th June 2026

Karen L Michaels Grade 7 Department for Transport

( a ) S.I. 2016/765, amended by S.I. 2024/990; there are other amending instruments but none is relevant.

( b ) Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC) is one hour behind British Summer Time (BST).

( c ) The term 'Flight level' is defined in Schedule 1 to the Air Navigation Order 2016.

This section formally concludes the making of the regulations, signed on June 10th, 2026, by an authorized official from the Department for Transport.

The footnotes clarify that the power to make these rules comes from the Air Navigation Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/765), and define UTC as being one hour behind British Summer Time (BST).

The term Flight Level is defined elsewhere in the parent Air Navigation Order.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations impose restrictions on flying in the vicinity of Southport, Merseyside during flying displays for the public that are scheduled to take place there on 29th and 30th August 2026.

Many aircraft will be involved in high energy manoeuvres during the displays and therefore the Civil Aviation Authority and the Department for Transport agree that flying should be restricted in the vicinity of the displays for reasons of public safety.

The times mentioned in regulation 3(1) are Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC) which is one hour behind British Summer Time (BST).

In relation to the permission mentioned in regulation 3(2) the Southport Airshow Flying Display Director may be contacted as notified.

Full details of this Statutory Instrument will be promulgated by Aeronautical Information Circular (AIC) and Notice to Aviation (NOTAM).

The point of contact in the Civil Aviation Authority is Mr David Ridley, Airspace Regulator, Safety and Airspace Regulation Group, on telephone number 03301 382471.

This note explains that the regulations restrict flying near Southport, Merseyside, for public flying displays on August 29th and 30th, 2026.

The restriction is in place because high-energy aircraft manoeuvres necessitate safety measures, a view supported by both the Civil Aviation Authority and the Department for Transport.

It reiterates that times are in UTC, which is one hour behind BST, and confirms that information regarding permissions under Regulation 3(2) will be available via the named Director.

Further official details will be communicated using standard aviation notices (AIC and NOTAM).

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