Advancing UK Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space Solutions Worldwide
  • Home
  • /
  • Aerospace
  • /
  • UK reverting to international visual flight in Class D airspace rules

Aerospace

UK reverting to international visual flight in Class D airspace rules

From 26th March 2020 the UK’s exemption from the Standardised European Rules of the Air (SERA) covering visibility and distances from cloud in Class D airspace for pilots flying under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) will no longer apply.


Image copyright Shutterstock

From 26th March, VFR flights in Class D airspace will need to comply with SERA.5001, meaning there will be a requirement to be 1000ft vertically clear of cloud. 

It will still be possible to ask air traffic control for a Special VFR clearance within a control zone if the weather conditions require this. The exemption has only applied to flights below 3000 feet and slower than 140kts.

Advertisement
DSEI 2025

In future, UK Class D rules will be fully consistent with SERA and the ICAO requirements that are applied around the rest of the world.  ICAO introduced these rules to improve situational awareness for all pilots flying in Class D airspace.

The exemption has been extended several times but the UK has been informed by the European Commission that no further extensions would be possible.

UK air traffic control providers have been notified so they can amend their procedures and the CAA will be publishing further guidance for pilots on how to comply with the new rules in advance of the change.

Advertisement
ODU RT

The CAA will monitor the impact of the change, including the number of aircraft that are declined clearances to cross controlled airspace.

 

Advertisement
PTC PTC
Manchester Airport has busiest ever June

Aerospace

Manchester Airport has busiest ever June

11 July 2025

More than three million passengers travelled through Manchester Airport last month – the first time the UK’s global gateway in the North has passed that mark in June.

Lane Electronics to showcase defence connectivity at MSPO

Aerospace Defence Events

Lane Electronics to showcase defence connectivity at MSPO

11 July 2025

Lane Electronics, a franchised distributor for many of the industry’s major electrical, electronic and optical connector manufacturers, will be Exhibiting at MSPO 2025 (2nd–5th September 2025, Kielce, Poland), where they will be displaying the latest connector innovations and demonstrating their UK based assembling and value add services.

LK Metrology acquires ProCon X-Ray

Aerospace

LK Metrology acquires ProCon X-Ray

11 July 2025

Best known as a manufacturer and global supplier of coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) and more recently laser scanning sensors, Castle Donington based LK Metrology Ltd has acquired ProCon X-Ray GmbH, a specialist German manufacturer of computed tomography (CT) systems.

Titan Airways adds first Embraer E190LR to its fleet

Aerospace

Titan Airways adds first Embraer E190LR to its fleet

11 July 2025

Stansted based European charter airline, Titan Airways, has announced that it had completed the purchase of its first Embraer E190LR regional jet.

Advertisement
Teledyne
Flitetec secures two distribution agreements

Aerospace Defence Events

Flitetec secures two distribution agreements

11 July 2025

Amersham based aerospace business Flitetec, has confirmed two major deals that it shook on at the recent Paris Air Show.

IFS appoints Kriti Sharma as CEO of Nexus Black

Aerospace Security

IFS appoints Kriti Sharma as CEO of Nexus Black

11 July 2025

IFS has appointed Kriti Sharma as CEO of IFS Nexus Black. This strategic move reinforces IFS’s commitment to industrial AI and fast-tracks the development of agentic AI systems designed for the asset- and service-intensive industries it serves.

Advertisement
DSEI 2025