Restricted flight below 2,500 feet within 2 nautical miles of Mill Lane, Chipping Ongar, except for aircraft directed by police.
This statutory instrument prohibits aircraft from flying below 2,500 feet above mean sea level within a specified circular area centered on Mill Lane, Chipping Ongar.
These restrictions apply to all aircraft except those operating under the direction of the Essex Police. The Secretary of State for Transport issued these regulations under the Air Navigation Order 2016 to manage airspace safety during an active emergency situation.
Arguments For
The Secretary of State asserts that a restriction of flying is necessary due to a reason affecting the public interest specifically related to an emergency that has arisen in the area.
The Regulations seek to ensure the safety of the public and emergency responders by prohibiting unauthorized aircraft from entering the immediate airspace.
The document specifies that the restrictions are intended to be temporary and will be revoked once the emergency has concluded.
Arguments Against
Legal commentators might note that the document does not specify the exact nature of the emergency, leading to a lack of transparency regarding the necessity of the exclusion zone.
Pilots and aviation organizations may argue that immediate-effect regulations provide limited notice for aircraft already in flight or planning routes through the affected 2-nautical-mile radius.
Civil liberties groups often raise concerns about the breadth of discretionary powers under article 239 of the Air Navigation Order 2016 when specific criteria for an 'emergency' are not detailed in the secondary legislation.
Citation and commencement
- These Regulations may be cited as the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Mill Lane, Chipping Ongar) (Emergency) (No. 2) Regulations 2026 and they come into force with immediate effect.
This section establishes the official name of the regulations for legal citation purposes.
It mandates that the rules become legally enforceable at the moment of their signing.
Restricted airspace
No aircraft is to fly below 2,500 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 Essex Police.
Regulation 2 prohibits all aircraft from entering the airspace below 2,500 feet within a 2-nautical-mile radius of the coordinates 514210N 0001616E. Regulation 3 creates a specific exemption for aircraft that are following instructions issued by the Essex Police, typically allowing for emergency services or authorized surveillance.
Revocation of Regulations
- The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Mill Lane, Chipping Ongar) (Emergency) Regulations 2026( b ) are revoked.
( b ) S.I. 2026/720.
This section cancels the previous version of the flight restrictions for this area (S.I. 2026/720).
It ensures that the current (No. 2) regulations are the singular legal authority governing the specified airspace.
SCHEDULE
Regulation 2
Table 1
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Specified area | Radius of circle | Position of centre of circle (latitude and longitude) | | Mill Lane, Chipping Ongar | 2 nautical miles | 514210N 0001616E |
This schedule provides the precise geographical parameters for the flight restriction.
It defines the restricted zone as a circle with a 2-nautical-mile radius centered at the coordinates corresponding to Mill Lane, Chipping Ongar.
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