Who controls what and when?

Until 27 January, the airspace over England, Wales and the surrounding waters - known as the London Flight Information Region (FIR) - continues to be controlled from the London Area and Terminal Control Centre (LATCC) at West Drayton, near London Heathrow airport. This includes the en route air traffic services, responsible for all controlled airspace in the London FIR with the exception of the terminal areas around London and Manchester.

West Drayton LATCC is also home to the terminal control centre for the London airports, feeding traffic into or taking control of traffic departing from London airports, Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton and Stansted.

Finally, West Drayton hosts the London Joint Area Organisation, which manages military traffic needing to cross civil-controlled airspace, and the military airports service operations room (MASOR), which provides service to military and general aviation traffic outside controlled airspace.

From 27 January

The London Area Control Centre (LACC) at Swanwick goesoperational, taking over the civil en-route services and also the military Local Joint Area Organisation unit.

Remaining at West Drayton will be the terminal area control services for the four main London airports - from that date known as the London Terminal Control Centre (LTCC) - and the MASOR.

In 2006

MASOR moves to Swanwick.

In 2007

The LTCC moves to Swanwick and West Drayton closes

From 2009

The New Scottish Area Centre at Prestwick goes operational, replacing the one that controls the Scottish FIR. Building for this has begun but, because of the recent downturn in traffic, the operational date has been pushed back from the originally planned 2007.

Source: Flight International