New Scottish airspace map modernized with satellite-based flight paths

(Scotland) Scotland has launched a sweeping redesign of its skies, opening a coordinated public consultation on October 20, 2025, that runs until January 25, 2026. Edinburgh Airport, Glasgow Airport, and NATS are leading the effort with the Airspace Change Organising Group (ACOG, also referenced in some materials as ACocG) to replace 1950s-era flight paths with satellite-based routes.

The plan covers about 61,000 km² of airspace that handles more than 200,000 flights each year, and forms part of a UK-wide airspace modernisation programme shaped by government policy and the Civil Aviation Authority’s Airspace Modernisation Strategy. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the Scottish push is likely to set the pace for future UK changes because of its scale and the complexity of traffic over central Scotland.

Core design and altitude split

At the centre of the proposal is a clear division of responsibilities by altitude intended to make flights quicker, quieter, and cleaner.

• Below 7,000 feet: Edinburgh and Glasgow airports will redesign departures and arrivals to tighten routes, standardise procedures, and increase predictability for pilots and communities.
• 7,000–25,500 feet: NATS will manage the network redesign in this band, aligning routes with higher-level structures.
• Above 25,500 feet: Routes will align with existing Free Route Airspace.

The change moves from ground-based beacons to satellite-guided, Performance-Based Navigation (PBN). This enables aircraft to fly more direct tracks with consistent climb and descent profiles, saving fuel and reducing noise footprints.

Environmental and operational benefits

Planners highlight both environmental and operational gains, with early modelling suggesting measurable improvements:

• Emissions and distance
  • Annual reduction of about 18,000 tonnes of CO₂ — roughly equal to the energy use of 5,000 homes.
  • Reduction of about 79,000 nautical miles of flying per year (≈ circling the globe 3.5 times).
• Time savings
  • Average daily flight time across the network expected to fall by about 30 minutes, though benefits will vary by route and weather.
• Noise and flight profiles
  • Continuous climb and descent procedures keep aircraft higher for longer on departure and reduce low-level power on approach, lowering noise exposure for communities.
• Holding and delays
  • Early modelling indicates 6% fewer aircraft will need to hold at Edinburgh and Glasgow, potentially meaning more than 7,000 flights each year avoid airborne holding.
  • Average holding time could be reduced by over 7%, improving connections and schedule resilience.

Policy and programme context

This consultation follows the Civil Aviation Authority’s acceptance of the Scottish Masterplan in September 2025, a key milestone under the CAP1616 airspace change process. The plan:

• Aligns with the UK’s long-term push to modernise routes, improve network performance, and support decarbonisation goals.
• Is part of a wider, phased programme requiring integration with adjacent UK and North Atlantic flows.

For more background, see the Civil Aviation Authority’s strategy at the CAA site: Civil Aviation Authority Airspace Modernisation Strategy.

Stakeholder perspectives

Government, industry, and community voices have expressed a mix of expectation and caution:

• Keir Mather, Minister for Aviation, Maritime, and Decarbonisation, called the consultation an opportunity to deliver “more reliable, efficient, and greener flights,” noting Scotland’s potential to set a national pattern.
• NATS emphasises projected demand growth over the next decade, making route design and climb/descent consistency vital to keeping emissions per flight down.
• Airport leaders say local input has already shaped draft paths and that the consultation will refine them before final submission to the CAA.
• Mark Swan, leader of ACOG, describes the package as a “significant milestone” for UK aviation and links it to tourism, trade, and regional growth.

The sponsors also point to benefits for general aviation:

• Release of over 600 NM³ of controlled airspace below 7,000 feet to improve access for light aircraft, gliders, and training flights.
• More predictable low-level routes can reduce infringements and improve safety.

Public consultation: how to take part

The consultation runs until January 25, 2026, and invites participation via:

• The CAA’s online portal (submissions accepted digitally).
• In-person sessions and webinars across Scotland to discuss flight paths, noise modelling, and CAP1616 details.

Sponsors will review evidence, refine designs, and submit final proposals to the CAA. If approved, implementation will be phased with timelines set after regulator sign-off.

What the consultation will cover for communities

• How routes sit geographically, how often they may be used, and key hours of operation.
• Noise modelling and potential shifts in noise contours.
• Options for sharing traffic or keeping aircraft higher over sensitive areas where feasible.
• Continuous engagement throughout the CAP1616 cycle, which includes defined stages for scoping, design, assessment, and decision.

Important: PBN can reduce the spread of noise by concentrating flight corridors. That can benefit some areas while increasing exposure for others. The consultation seeks feedback to weigh these trade-offs.

Operational complexity and integration

Integrating airport-level changes with network flows requires careful sequencing:

• Departures need to climb into gaps in the 7,000–25,500 ft band without conflict.
• Arrivals must descend from network flows into standardised approach paths.
• Alignment with Free Route Airspace above 25,500 feet helps long-haul and European flights join direct tracks soon after take-off or before descent.

Benefits include reduced vectoring (turning aircraft off standard paths) and fewer holding stacks during peak arrival waves.

Limits, contingencies, and real-world variability

Sponsors note several real-world constraints:

• Weather, runway works, or emergencies can force spacing or route changes.
• Pilots and controllers retain discretion to leave defined tracks for safety.
• The design aims to absorb daily variation with fewer delays and lower fuel burn over a full season — the key metric for airlines and environmental assessment.

Measuring success

Proposed metrics include:

• Total track miles saved
• Emissions changes (CO₂)
• Average climb/descent height profiles
• Holding events per 1,000 movements
• Community noise exposure over a full year

The CAP1616 process requires clear evidence, stakeholder engagement records, and transparent reasoning for final choices. Sponsors will balance trade-offs — e.g., a small distance increase on one route might yield large noise reductions for a town.

Modernising from legacy systems

Scotland’s legacy airspace was built around beacon-based patterns suited to a different era. Today’s fleet:

• Flies precise tracks with modern avionics and engines.
• Climbs and descends more consistently, enabling PBN benefits.

The switch to satellite guidance also lays foundations for future tools like time-based spacing and improved cross-border coordination, while the current package focuses on deliverable changes post-CAA approval.

Practical effects for people and operators

• Communities: Expect clearer information on where routes sit, typical usage, and peak hours. Quieter outcomes depend on crews keeping to continuous climb/descent profiles and airlines maintaining navigation databases.
• Travellers: Fewer last-minute delays, cleaner climbs, and smoother arrivals.
• Airlines: More efficient tracks and reduced low-altitude fuel burn.
• Air traffic control: Lower workload during busy periods and greater predictability, supporting safety.

The sponsors emphasise that coordinated airport-led changes, linked with NATS network design and ACOG/ACocG coordination, can deliver substantial benefits.

Next steps and why feedback matters

The consultation period is the pivotal window for communities, pilots, and businesses to test proposals against daily life — school hours, commute times, weekends, and night operations. Sponsors say they will adjust where evidence supports a better balance of safety, performance, and community impact.

If the CAA approves the final design, phased rollout will begin — bringing Scotland’s airspace into the 21st century while keeping space for general aviation and training flights via released controlled airspace below 7,000 feet.

As the process progresses, Scotland’s approach will be watched across the UK: a successful outcome would model how public consultation, evidence-based design, and careful phasing can deliver a cleaner, quieter, and more reliable network. Airspace may be invisible, but it shapes the sound over our homes, the time we spend in the air, and the cost and carbon footprint of every trip — which is why the next few months of feedback are so important for what happens above Scotland for decades to come.