JUSTIN WASTNAGE / BRUSSELS
General aviation (GA) aircraft flying under visual flight rules (VFR) conditions will be banned in Europe above flight level (FL) 195 (19,500ft/5,950m), except under exceptional circumstances, from 2010. Under new European airspace rules, only aircraft operating under instrument flight rules (IFR) and radar surveillance will be allowed above FL195.
Bill Armit, Eurocontrol's project manager for the simplification of European airspace classification, told the International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations (IAOPA) earlier this month that the reclassification of European airspace would prohibit any non-IFR flights in upper air- space, and that GA use of middle airspace will be evaluated before any further rulings are made.
European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) member states will enforce three new airspace designations from 2010: "N" (controlled), "K" (known traffic) and "U" (uncontrolled), replacing the current seven International Civil Aviation Organisation classifications. ECAC airspace is currently divided into upper and lower airspace, defined differently in each member state.
Eurocontrol says that VFR flights in its "N" airspace - all airspace above FL195 and designated terminal areas below it - will be prohibited. Temporarily segregated airspace, with specific permissions, will be granted for certain high-level gliders, test flights and high-level parachuting. Between FL195, which Eurocontrol previously referred to as "FLx", and "FLz", a lower level yet to be designated, a "K" band of semi-controlled airspace will exist, where VFR flights may continue under rules being defined this year. But the GA community wishes to maintain the right to change from IFR to VFR and vice-versa in the air, according to weather conditions.
Most GA flights are in U airspace below FLz, the level for which will be designated by next April.
Source: Flight International
