NATS: West Airspace and Free Route Airspace Deployments

Guest blog from NATS on changes already delivered to UK airspace

NATS, the UK’s major provider of air traffic services and responsible for the airspace network, is already underway with transformative upgrades of airspace across the UK. Over the past four years more than ten airspace changes have been implemented, ranging from smaller targeted changes to major deployments taking many years to design and deliver. Together, these are enabling CO2 savings of more than 60,000 tonnes – equivalent to the carbon output from the power used by 17,000 family homes.

The biggest change so far came in March 2023 and took place in the airspace over 7000ft above Southwest England and Wales. The project, called West Airspace Deployment (West), was a dual
implementation of systemised and free route airspace (FRA) and the first time both concepts have been delivered simultaneously. It is already enabling savings of over 12,000 tonnes of CO2 a year.

West Airspace Deployment is already enabling savings of over 12,000 tonnes of CO2 a year

This was complete modernisation of 54,000 square nautical miles of airspace, including some of the busiest routes for international travel to and from UK airports and across to Europe.
Systemising airspace between 7,000ft and 24,500ft broke with traditional airspace design by providing structured, predictable routes and altitude layers to pilots, reducing controller interactions and increasing efficiency. Unlike older systems, it offers clear separation between aircraft by design, enhancing safety and optimising traffic flows.

Above 24,000ft, FRA allows aircraft to choose their own flightpath directly through a region, rather than following fixed points which could lead to longer flights and more time in the air. FRA offers the flexibility to take account of factors like weather and wind speed to reduce flying time and improve routing.

As well as simplifying the design, West also predicts a reduction of 150,000 nautical miles of flying a year and a decrease in flying time by 844 hours for aircraft using the airspace. Modernisation across the rest of the UK’s airspace network is also taking shape. Following the blueprint set by West, and in collaboration with airports and international partners, these changes will help reduce aviation’s environmental footprint and support the sustainable growth of air travel while enhancing safety, efficiency and reliability.