Restricted flight operations below 3,000 feet in the Trawsfynydd area for a specific nine-hour period on 18 August 2026.
These Regulations prohibit aircraft from flying below 3,000 feet above mean sea level within a specified circular area centered on Trawsfynydd, Wales, on 18 August 2026.
The restriction applies to all aircraft between 07:00 and 16:00 UTC, except those operating with permission from the Air Accident Investigation Branch or the HM Coastguard Joint Rescue Coordination Centre.
The Secretary of State issued this order under the Air Navigation Order 2016 citing public interest and safety requirements.
Arguments For
The Secretary of State asserts that the restriction is necessary in the public interest.
The explanatory note states that the Civil Aviation Authority and the Department for Transport agree the measures are required for reasons of public safety.
The regulations provide specific exemptions for emergency and investigative services, including the Air Accident Investigation Branch and HM Coastguard.
Arguments Against
Aviation stakeholders may seek clarification on the specific nature of the public safety risk, as the document does not detail the underlying event necessitating the closure.
Pilots and local operators may face disruption to planned routes within the two-nautical-mile radius during the nine-hour enforcement window.
Citation and commencement
- These Regulations may be cited as the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Trawsfynydd) Regulations 2026 and they come into force on 18th August 2026.
This section establishes the official name of the regulations and sets the date they become legally active. The rules take effect on 18 August 2026.
Interpretation
- In regulation 3(1) the times referred to are Co-ordinated Universal Time( b ).
( b ) Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC) is one hour behind British Summer Time (BST).
This section defines the time standard used for the flying restrictions.
It specifies that all times are in Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC), noting that this is one hour behind local British Summer Time.
Restricted airspace
- -(1) Subject to paragraph (2), beginning with 0700 hours and ending with 1600 hours on 18th August 2026 no aircraft is to fly below 3,000 feet above mean sea level within the area bounded by a circle having a radius of 2 nautical miles whose centre is at 525354N 0035645W.
(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to any aircraft operating in accordance with the permission of-
- (a) the Air Accident Investigation Branch, or
- (b) HM Coastguard Joint Rescue Coordination Centre.
This section prohibits flight below 3,000 feet within a two-nautical-mile radius of the specified coordinates near Trawsfynydd.
The restriction is active from 07:00 to 16:00 UTC on 18 August 2026.
It grants exemptions to aircraft that have received explicit authorization from either the Air Accident Investigation Branch or the HM Coastguard Joint Rescue Coordination Centre.
This allows emergency or investigative flights to operate within the restricted zone.
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