The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Woodchurch) Regulations 2026

Published: Fri 19th Jun 26

The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Woodchurch) Regulations 2026 establish a temporary restricted airspace near Woodchurch, Kent, to facilitate the Aero Legends BOB26 Airshow.

The regulations prohibit all aircraft from flying below 3,500 feet above mean sea level within a 2.5 nautical mile radius of a specified coordinate between 06:30 and 17:30 UTC from 7 August to 9 August 2026.

These restrictions apply to all pilots and aircraft operators, except those granted specific permission by the Aero Legends BOB26 Airshow Flying Display Director or the Aero Legends Operations Manager.

Arguments For

The Secretary of State asserts that flight restrictions are necessary in the public interest due to intended flying displays.
The Civil Aviation Authority and the Department for Transport state that public safety requires these restrictions because aircraft will perform high-energy manoeuvres.
The regulations provide a mechanism for authorized flight through a permission system managed by the Flying Display Director or Operations Manager.

Arguments Against

Legal scholars or pilots might note that the regulations impose geographical and temporal limits on the use of public airspace by general aviation.
Affected parties may find the reliance on Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC) requires careful conversion to British Summer Time (BST) to ensure compliance and avoid unintended violations.
The efficacy of the restriction depends on the successful dissemination of information via Aeronautical Information Circulars (AIC) and Notices to Aviation (NOTAM).

Citation and commencement

These Regulations may be cited as the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Woodchurch) Regulations 2026 and they come into force on 7th August 2026.

This section provides the official name of the statutory instrument.

It specifies that the legal requirements take effect on 7 August 2026.

Interpretation

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

This provision clarifies that all time references in the subsequent flight restriction section follow Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC).

This standard is one hour behind British Summer Time (BST).

Restricted airspace

-(1) Subject to paragraph (2), beginning with 0630 hours and ending with 1730 hours on each of the three days beginning with 7th August 2026 and ending with 9th August 2026 no aircraft is to fly below 3,500 feet above mean sea level within the area bounded by a circle having a radius of 2.5 nautical miles which is centred at 510558N 0004642E.

(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to any aircraft operating in accordance with a permission issued by-

(a) the Aero Legends BOB26 Airshow Flying Display Director, or
(b) the Aero Legends Operations Manager.

This section creates a circular zone of restricted airspace with a 2.5 nautical mile radius centered on Woodchurch, extending from the ground up to 3,500 feet above mean sea level.

It mandates that no aircraft may enter this area during specified hours over a three-day period in August 2026.

Exceptions are permitted for aircraft that have received explicit authorization from the designated Flying Display Director or the Operations Manager of the Aero Legends event.

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