These Regulations prohibit all aircraft from flying below 2,300 feet above mean sea level within a specified circular area centered on Wychnor, Staffordshire. The restriction applies immediately to all civil and private aviation, with the exception of aircraft operating under the instructions of Staffordshire Police. The Secretary of State for Transport issued this order under the Air Navigation Order 2016 to address an unspecified emergency in the interest of public safety.
Arguments For
The Secretary of State asserts that these restrictions are necessary for reasons affecting the public interest due to an emergency situated in the Wychnor area.
The document states that the measures are intended to be temporary and will be revoked once the emergency has concluded.
Proponents of such measures argue that restricting non-essential flights facilitates emergency response operations and prevents interference with ground-based activities.
Arguments Against
Legal commentators have noted that emergency air restrictions can be issued with immediate effect, providing limited opportunity for affected private or commercial pilots to plan alternatives.
Civil aviation interests may raise concerns regarding the impact on local flight paths if the duration of the 'temporary' emergency is not defined by a specific expiry date in the instrument.
The document does not specify the nature of the emergency, which some may argue limits public understanding of the necessity and scope of the exclusion zone.
Citation and commencement
- These Regulations may be cited as the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Wychnor) (Emergency) Regulations 2026 and come into force with immediate effect.
This section provides the official name of the regulations and establishes their legal validity.
The rules become active at the moment of signing, requiring immediate compliance from all affected parties.
Restricted airspace
No aircraft is to fly below 2,300 feet above mean sea level over the area specified in Column 1 of the Schedule, being an area bounded by a circle of the radius specified in Column 2 and centred on the position specified in Column 3.
These Regulations do not apply to any aircraft flying in accordance with directions given by Staffordshire Police.
Regulation 2 prohibits aircraft from entering a specific volume of airspace below 2,300 feet within a one-nautical-mile radius of the coordinates provided in the Schedule.
Regulation 3 creates an exemption for aircraft that are specifically authorized or directed by Staffordshire Police, such as emergency services or law enforcement assets.
SCHEDULE
Regulation 2
Table 1
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | |----------------|------------------|-------------------------------------------------------| | Specified area | Radius of circle | Position of centre of circle (latitude and longitude) | | Wychnor | 1 nautical miles | 524425N 0014326W |
The Schedule defines the geographic boundaries of the restricted zone.
It specifies a circular area centered at 52°44'25"N 001°43'26"W with a radius of one nautical mile.
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