SI 2026/444 - The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Helicopter Flight) (No. 4) Regulations 2026

S T A T U T O R Y I N S T R U M E N T S 2026 No. 444 CIVIL AVIATION The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Helicopter Flight) (No. 4) Regulations 2026 Made - - - - 21st April 2026 Coming into force - - 24th April 2026 The Secretary of State has decided that it is necessary in the public interest to restrict flying in the areas specified in regulation 3(1) to (11) by reason of an intended helicopter flight which due to take place there.

The Secretary of State makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by article 239 of the Air Navigation Order 2016(a).

Citation and commencement

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Helicopter Flight) (No. 4) Regulations 2026, and they come into force on 24th April 2026.

Interpretation

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

Restricted airspace

3.—(1) Subject to paragraph (12) and (17), beginning with 1145 hours and ending with 1245 hours on 24th April 2026 no aircraft is to fly below 4,000 feet above mean sea level within the area bounded by—

(a) the clockwise arc of a circle having a radius of 2.5 nautical miles centred at 551637N 0034831W between 551631N 0035253W and 551704N 0034413W, and

(b) straight lines joining successively the following points—

(i) 551704N 0034413W,

(ii) 544151N 0032741W,

(iii) 544008N 0033547W, and

(iv) 551631N 0035253W.

(2) Subject to paragraphs (12) and (17), beginning with 1200 hours and ending with 1300 hours on 24th April 2026, no aircraft is to fly below 4,000 feet above mean sea level within the area bounded by straight lines joining successively the following points—

(a) S.I. 2016/765, as amended by S.I. 2024/990; there are other amending instruments but none is relevant.

(b) Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC) is one hour behind British Summer Time (BST).(a) 544008N 0033547W,

(b) 544151N 0032741W,

(c) 540810N 0031149W,

(d) 540443N 0031115W,

(e) 540414N 0031932W,

(f) 540710N 0032009W, and

(g) 544008N 0033547W.

(3) Subject to paragraphs (12) and (17), beginning with 1215 hours and ending with 1320 hours on 24th April 2026, no aircraft is to fly below 4,000 feet above mean sea level within the area bounded by—

(a) straight lines joining successively the following points—

(i) 540414N 0031932W,

(ii) 540443N 0031115W, and

(iii) 533603N 0030612W,

(b) the anti-clockwise arc of a circle having a radius of 2 nautical miles centred at 533454N 0030327W between 533603N 0030612W and 533328N 0030547W, and

(c) straight lines joining successively the following points—

(i) 533328N 0030547W,

(ii) 533219N 0030530W,

(iii) 533213N 0031406W, and

(iv) 540414N 0031932W.

(4) Subject to paragraphs (13) and (17), beginning with 1235 hours and ending with 1320 hours on 24th April 2026, no aircraft is to fly below 3,500 feet above mean sea level within the area bounded by straight lines joining successively the following points—

(a) 533213N 0031406W,

(b) 533219N 0030530W,

(c) 532814N 0030443W, and

(d) 533213N 0031406W.

(5) Subject to paragraphs (13) and (17), beginning with 1235 hours and ending with 1320 hours on 24th April 2026, no aircraft is to fly below 2,000 feet above mean sea level within the area bounded by straight lines joining successively the following points—

(a) 533213N 0031406W,

(b) 532814N 0030443W,

(c) 532656N 0030427W,

(d) 532336N 0031110W,

(e) 532309N 0031205W,

(f) 532338N 0031218W, and

(g) 533213N 0031406W.

(6) Subject to paragraphs (13) and (17), beginning with 1235 hours and ending with 1320 hours on 24th April 2026, no aircraft is to fly below 1,500 feet above mean sea level within the area bounded by straight lines joining successively the following points—

(a) 532309N 0031205W,

(b) 532336N 0031110W,

(c) 532656N 0030427W,

(d) 532514N 0030412W, 2(e) 532330N 0030803W,

(f) 531924N 0030735W, and

(g) 532309N 0031205W.

(7) Subject to paragraphs (13) and (17), beginning with 1235 hours and ending with 1325 hours on 24th April 2026, no aircraft is to fly below 2,000 feet above mean sea level within the area bounded by straight lines joining successively the following points—

(a) 532309N 0031205W,

(b) 531924N 0030735W,

(c) 531427N 0030140W,

(d) 531643N 0030921W, and

(e) 532309N 0031205W.

(8) Subject to paragraphs (14) and (17), beginning with 1240 hours and ending with 1330 hours on 24th April 2026, no aircraft is to fly below 3,000 feet above mean sea level within the area bounded by straight lines joining successively the following points—

(a) 531643N 0030921W,

(b) 531427N 0030140W,

(c) 531318N 0025906W,

(d) 530314N 0025457W,

(e) 530623N 0030456W, and

(f) 531643N 0030921W.

(9) Subject to paragraphs (14) and (17), beginning with 1245 hours and ending with 1340 hours on 24th April 2026, no aircraft is to fly below 4,000 feet above mean sea level within the area bounded by straight lines joining successively the following points—

(a) 530623N 0030456W,

(b) 530314N 0025457W,

(c) 524931N 0024930W,

(d) 524528N 0024734W,

(e) 524403N 0025527W, and

(f) 530623N 0030456W.

(10) Subject to paragraphs (15) and (17), beginning with 1255 hours and ending with 1355 hours on 24th April 2026, no aircraft is to fly below 4,000 feet above mean sea level within the area bounded by straight lines joining successively the following points—

(a) 524403N 0025527W,

(b) 524528N 0024734W,

(c) 521454N 0023431W,

(d) 521306N 0024213W, and

(e) 524403N 0025527W.

(11) Subject to paragraphs (16) and (17), beginning with 1310 hours and ending with 1415 hours on 24th April 2026, no aircraft is to fly below 4,000 feet above mean sea level within the area bounded by—

(a) straight lines joining successively the following points—

(i) 521306N 0024213W,

(ii) 521454N 0023431W, and

(iii) 515408N 0021310W,

(b) the anti-clockwise arc of a circle having a radius of 2 nautical miles centred at 515339N 0021002W between 515408N 0021310W and 515142N 0021044W, 3(c) straight lines joining successively the following points—

(i) 515142N 0021044W, and

(ii) 514140N 0020019W,

(d) the clockwise arc of a circle having a radius of 2.5 nautical miles centred at 514004N 0020324W between 514140N 0020019W and 513854N 0020657W, and

(e) straight lines joining successively the following points—

(i) 513854N 0020657W, and

(ii) 521306N 0024213W.

(12) Paragraphs (1) to (3) do not apply to any aircraft—

(a) insofar as flying is already prohibited by the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Nuclear Installations) Regulations 2016(a),

(b) flying in accordance with a permission issued by the Air Traffic Control unit at—

(i) Prestwick Airport,

(ii) Warton Aerodrome, or

(iii) Liverpool Airport.

(13) Paragraphs (4) to (7) do not apply to any aircraft flying in accordance with a permission issued by the Air Traffic Control unit at—

(a) Warton Aerodrome, or

(b) Liverpool Airport.

(14) Paragraphs (8) and (9) do not apply to any aircraft flying in accordance with a permission issued by the Air Traffic Control unit at—

(a) Warton Aerodrome,

(b) Hawarden Airport,

(c) Liverpool Airport, or

(d) Royal Air Force Shawbury.

(15) Paragraph (10) does not apply to any aircraft flying in accordance with a permission issued by the Air Traffic Control unit at Royal Air Force Shawbury.

(16) Paragraph (11) does not apply to any aircraft—

(a) making an approach to, or departure from, Kemble Aerodrome whilst in communication with the Aerodrome Flight Information Service (AFIS) at that aerodrome, or

(b) flying in accordance with a permission issued by Royal Air Force Brize Norton Terminal Air Traffic Control Centre (TATCC) South.

(17) Paragraphs (1) to (11) do not apply to any aircraft—

(a) flying in accordance with a permission issued by—

(i) The Scottish Area Control Centre, Prestwick

(ii) Royal Air Force 78 Squadron, Swanwick, or

(iii) London Area Control Centre, Swanwick, or

(b) operated by or on behalf of—

(i) The King’s Helicopter Flight,

(ii) a Police Air Support Unit,

(iii) an Emergency Medical Service, or

(iv) the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

(a) S.I. 2016/1003.

4Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Transport Karen L Michaels Grade 7 21st April 2026 Department for Transport EXPLANATORY NOTE (This note is not part of the Regulations) These Regulations impose restrictions on flying in the vicinity of Dumfries and Galloway, Cumberland, Westmoreland and Furness, Merseyside, Cheshire, Flintshire, Wrexham, Shropshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, by the reason of an intended helicopter flight which is due to take place there on 24th April 2026.

The Civil Aviation Authority and Department for Transport agree that it is in the public interest to restrict flying in the relevant areas to avoid disruption to this flight.

These regulations apply except insofar as flying is already prohibited by the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Nuclear Installations) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/1003).

The times mentioned in regulation 3(1) to (11) are Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC) which is one hour behind British Summer Time (BST).

Full details of this Statutory Instrument will be promulgated by Briefing Sheet and Notice to Aviation (NOTAM).

The point of contact in the Civil Aviation Authority is Mr David Ridley, Airspace Regulator, Safety and Airspace Regulation Group, on telephone number 03301 382471.

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