The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Helicopter Flight) (No. 10) Regulations 2026
Restricted airspace below 4,000 feet along a specific helicopter flight path through southern and western England on 13 November 2026.
These Regulations establish five temporary restricted airspace zones across Surrey, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire on 13 November 2026 to facilitate a specific helicopter flight.
The document prohibits aircraft from flying below specified altitudes—ranging from 2,500 to 4,000 feet—within defined geographical coordinates and time windows between 1300 and 1420 UTC. These rules apply to all civilian and military aircraft except for those operated by The King's Helicopter Flight, emergency services, or those flying with explicit permission from designated air traffic control units.
Arguments For
The Secretary of State asserts that these restrictions are necessary in the public interest to facilitate an intended helicopter flight.
The document states that the Civil Aviation Authority and the Department for Transport agree the measures are required to avoid disruption to the flight.
The restrictions are implemented under the legal authority of article 239 of the Air Navigation Order 2016.
Arguments Against
General aviation pilots or commercial operators may face limited route availability or increased fuel consumption due to the need to circumnavigate the restricted zones.
The technical nature of the coordinates and varying altitude limits across five distinct zones may present compliance challenges for pilots not receiving real-time air traffic updates.
Local aerodrome users, such as those at Kemble, must adhere to specific communication requirements to maintain access during the restricted period.
Citation and commencement
- These Regulations may be cited as the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Helicopter Flight) (No. 10) Regulations 2026 and they come into force on 13th November 2026.
This section establishes the official name of the regulations and sets the date they become legally active. The regulations take effect on 13 November 2026.
Interpretation
- In regulation 3 the times referred to are Co-ordinated Universal Time(b).
This section defines the time standard used for all flying restrictions.
Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC) is specified as the reference, which is currently equivalent to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
Restricted airspace
3.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (6) and (9), during the period beginning with 1300 hours and ending with 1350 hours on 13th November 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) 512516.51N 0000837.00W, and
- (ii) 512445.37N 0000343.84W,
- (b) the clockwise arc of a circle having a radius of 2.5 nautical miles centred at 512217.00N 0000417.00W between 512445.37N 0000343.84W and 512153.50N 0000020.66W,
- (c) the anti-clockwise arc of a circle having a radius of 2.5 nautical miles centred at 511951.00N 0000157.00E between 512153.50N 0000020.66W and 512014.57N 0000159.15W,
- (d) the clockwise arc of a circle having a radius of 2.5 nautical miles centred at 512217.00N 0000417.00W between 512014.57N 0000159.15W and 511949.48N 0000458.73W,
- (e) straight lines joining successively the following points—
- (i) 511949.48N 0000458.73W, and
- (ii) 512047.39N 0001209.28W, and
- (f) the anti-clockwise arc of a circle having a radius of 12 nautical miles centred at 512812.00N 0002713.00W between 512047.39N 0001209.28W and 512516.51N 0000837.00W.
(2) Subject to paragraphs (7) and (9), during the period beginning with 1310 hours and ending with 1410 hours on 13th November 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) 512822.00N 0005516.00W, and
- (ii) 512707.91N 0004619.42W,
- (b) the anti-clockwise arc of a circle having a radius of 12 nautical miles centred at 512812.00N 0002713.00W between 512707.91N 0004619.42W and 512112.22N 0004246.68W, and
- (c) straight lines joining successively the following points—
- (i) 512112.22N 0004246.68W,
- (ii) 512109.73N 0004254.17W,
- (iii) 512335.00N 0005516.00W, and
- (iv) 512822.00N 0005516.00W.
(3) Subject to paragraphs (7) and (9), during the period beginning with 1310 hours and ending with 1410 hours on 13 November 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) 512901.00N 0010000.00W,
- (b) 512822.00N 0005516.00W,
- (c) 512335.00N 0005516.00W,
- (d) 512109.73N 0004254.17W,
- (e) 512342.91N 0005929.00W,
- (f) 512430.00N 0010000.00W, and
- (g) 512901.00N 0010000.00W.
(4) Subject to paragraphs (7) and (9), during the period beginning with 1310 hours and ending with 1410 hours on 13 November 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) 513154.00N 0012042.00W,
- (b) 512901.00N 0010000.00W,
- (c) 512430.00N 0010000.00W,
- (d) 512342.91N 0005929.00W,
- (e) 512711.00N 0012320.00W, and
- (f) 513154.00N 0012042.00W.
(5) Subject to paragraphs (8) and (9), during the period beginning with 1325 hours and ending with 1420 hours on 13 November 2026, no aircraft is to fly below 4,000 feet above mean sea level within the area bounded by—
- (a) straight lines joining successively the following points—
- (i) 514221.95N 0020147.32W,
- (ii) 513154.00N 0012042.00W,
- (iii) 512711.00N 0012320.00W, and
- (iv) 513744.31N 0020447.72W, and
- (b) the clockwise arc of a circle having a radius of 2.5 nautical miles centred at 514005.00N 0020325.00W between 513744.31N 0020447.72W and 514221.95N 0020147.32W.
(6) Paragraph (1) does not apply to any aircraft—
- (a) insofar as flying is already prohibited by the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Prisons and Young Offender Institutions) (England and Wales) Regulations 2023(a), or
- (b) flying in accordance with a permission issued by—
- (i) the London Terminal Control Centre, Swanwick, or
- (ii) the Air Traffic Control unit at Farnborough Airport.
(7) Paragraphs (2) to (4) do not apply to any aircraft—
- (a) insofar as flying is already prohibited by the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Nuclear Installations) Regulations 2016(b), or the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Ministry of Defence Prohibited Places) Regulations 2026(c), or
- (b) flying in accordance with a permission issued by—
- (i) the London Terminal Control Centre, Swanwick,
- (ii) the Air Traffic Control unit at Farnborough Airport, or
- (iii) the Royal Air Force Brize Norton Terminal Air Traffic Control Centre (TATCC) South.
(8) Paragraph (5) does not apply to any aircraft—
- (a) insofar as flying is already prohibited by the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Ministry of Defence Prohibited Places) Regulations 2026,
- (b) making an approach to, or departure from, Kemble Aerodrome whilst in communication with the Aerodrome Flight Information Service at that aerodrome, or
- (c) flying in accordance with a permission issued by Royal Air Force Brize Norton Terminal Air Traffic Control Centre (TATCC) South.
(9) Paragraphs (1) to (5) 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 creates five geographically and temporally distinct zones where flying is restricted at various altitudes between 2,500 and 4,000 feet.
It details the specific GPS coordinates and arcs that form the boundaries of the restricted airspace along the flight path.
The section also lists specific exceptions for emergency services, royal flights, and aircraft that have received permission from specific regional air traffic control centers or are using Kemble Aerodrome.
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