East London and South East Essex Area
This page provides an introduction to the changes proposed for the East London and South Essex area.
Airspace does not conform to geographic boundaries so if you are close to the edge of one of the areas we have defined you may also want to look at the information on the neighbouring area.
Airspace over most of southern and eastern England is already used by aircraft heading to or from airports across the region and beyond.
Aircraft from London heading east and north east generally fly through the East London and South Essex area. This includes all aircraft arriving or departing London City Airport.
The following routes passing over this area would remain the same as today and be unaffected by this proposal:
- Gatwick arrivals and departures
- London City arrivals from the south
- Heathrow and Northolt arrivals
- Stansted departures to the south
- Arrivals at and departures from smaller airfields in the London area
- Overflights to and from other UK airports, the Americas, Europe and the east.
Routes that would change under this proposal are:
- London City arrivals and departures
- Luton and Northolt departures to the east and south east
- Biggin Hill arrivals
New Hold
The current hold for London City arrivals from the west, north and east sits over Southend and allows just two aircraft to hold at 4,000ft and 5,000ft.
A replacement hold is proposed to the north of Southend, east of Maldon and south of West Mersea. This would hold aircraft at up to six higher levels - between 6,000ft and 11,000ft - reducing noise and improving fuel efficiency.
All London City arrivals plan a route via a hold, although if there is no queue they may take a more direct flight path to the runway.
A variety of direct flight paths is more efficient, burns less fuel and creates fewer emissions, but means more people across a wider area may see and hear aircraft.
A single route from the hold to the runway, used all the time, means fewer people overall would see and hear aircraft but they would see and hear them more consistently.
Precision Area Navigation (P-RNAV)
The flightpaths from the hold to the runway would be designed to enable aircraft to use P-RNAV, a new navigation technology that is being introduced in accordance with Civil Aviation Authority direction.
P-RNAV technology can provide safety, efficiency and environmental benefits.
Aircraft can follow a P-RNAV designed route more accurately than a conventionally designed route. This means departing aircraft may be more concentrated along the centre of a route.
London City Departures
Proposed changes to London City departure routes would accommodate the jet aircraft now using the airport. These have different flight profiles from propeller aircraft for which the departure routes were originally designed.
This would mean making the first turn wider for departing flights. While jet aircraft already fly a wider turn, establishing it as a formal route enables air traffic control to more easily predict aircraft positions and would therefore be a significant enhancement to safety.
Changes to London City departures heading north would avoid the area of the new hold. Departures which currently pass through congested airspace at Brookmans Park in Hertfordshire, would be re-routed away from this area further to the north east and the route redesigned to P-RNAV standards.
Luton and Northolt departures to the south east would also avoid Brookmans Park, crossing the area further east than they do today.
For full details on the East London and South East Essex Area please refer to the consultation document.