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Airspace change

Heathrow Airport London Heathrow - arrival procedures

Airspace change ID: ACP-2017-49

Current status:IN PROGRESS

Slightly Steeper Approaches (SSA) has been running as a trial since 2015 and was renewed in October 2020 by the CAA for a further 12 months, whilst Heathrow prepared its Airspace Change Proposal (ACP) to make the trial permanent. Due to the impact of Covid, all Heathrow ACPs were paused in March 2020 including 2017-49 (SSA). After a review, Heathrow decided to recommence the SSA ACP and this was un-paused on the CAA portal in September 2020. This statement is provided to confirm that the ACP has not altered contextually since it was paused in March 2020. The Options for this ACP remain unchanged and Community Engagement has taken place informing of the intention to resume and implement SSA on a permanent basis. A revised timeline has been submitted and accepted by the CAA.

Current step:: Step 7
Created:: 25 September 2018
Last updated:: 19 January 2022

Purpose of this change

This proposal is for a Permanent change to the notified airspace design, and the change level is 1.

It is intended that this slightly steeper suite approaches will replace the existing RNAV Z procedures but will not lead to any proposed changes of the existing ILS. There will also be no changes to where aircraft fly laterally so tracks over the ground will remain as they are today.

The operational trials have demonstrated that a slightly steeper approach has a measurable noise benefit to those under

the final approach path owing to the fact that aircraft remain higher for longer. As part of the analysis of the trials, the data

shows that there is no measurable detrimental impact to other key environmental metrics which include CDA, landing gear

deployment, increased risk of go-arounds and other key metrics which can be viewed in the end of trial reports.

Step 7 : Post-Implementation Review

This step has been started

At the Post-Implementation Review Step, the CAA reviews how the airspace change has performed, including whether anticipated impacts and benefits in the original proposal and decision have been delivered.

Step 1a : Assess Requirements
Step 1b : Design Principles
Define Gateway : Define Gateway
Step 2a : Develop & Assess
Step 2b : Options Appraisal
Develop & Assess Gateway : Develop & Assess Gateway
Step 3a : Consultation Preparation
Step 3b : Consultation Validation
Consult Gateway : Consult Gateway
Step 3c : Commence Consultation
Step 3d : Collate & Review Responses
Step 4a : Update Design
Step 4b : Submit Proposal to CAA
Step 5a : CAA Assessment
Step 5b : CAA Decision
Decide Gateway : Decide Gateway
Step 6 : Implement
Step 7 : Post-Implementation Review

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Heathrow Airport London Heathrow - arrival procedures

Purpose of this change

Step 7 : Post-Implementation Review

Citizen Space Consultation

CAA response to Step 7

Documents for this proposal (44 documents)

Potentially affected area