SI 2026/618 - The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Southport Airshow) Regulations 2026

S T A T U T O R Y I N S T R U M E N T S 2026 No. 618 CIVIL AVIATION The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Southport Airshow) Regulations 2026 Made - - - - 10th June 2026 Coming into force - - 29th August 2026 The Secretary of State has decided that it is necessary in the public interest to restrict flying in the area specified in regulation 3(1) by reason of the intended holding of flying displays that are scheduled to take place there. The Secretary of State makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by article 239 of the Air Navigation Order 2016(a). Citation and commencement 1. These Regulations may be cited as the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Southport Airshow) Regulations 2026 and they come into force on 29th August 2026. Interpretation 2. In regulation 3(1) the times referred to are Co-ordinated Universal Time(b). Restricted airspace 3.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), beginning with 0900 hours and ending with 1630 hours on each of the two days of 29th and 30th August 2026 no aircraft is to fly below Flight level 085(c) within the area bounded by a circle having a radius of 2.3 nautical miles which is centred at 533921N 0030117W. (2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to any aircraft operating in accordance with a permission issued by the Southport Airshow Flying Display Director. Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Transport Karen L Michaels Grade 7 10th June 2026 Department for Transport (a) S.I. 2016/765, amended by S.I. 2024/990; there are other amending instruments but none is relevant. (b) Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC) is one hour behind British Summer Time (BST). (c) The term ‘Flight level’ is defined in Schedule 1 to the Air Navigation Order 2016.EXPLANATORY NOTE (This note is not part of the Regulations) These Regulations impose restrictions on flying in the vicinity of Southport, Merseyside during flying displays for the public that are scheduled to take place there on 29th and 30th August 2026. Many aircraft will be involved in high energy manoeuvres during the displays and therefore the Civil Aviation Authority and the Department for Transport agree that flying should be restricted in the vicinity of the displays for reasons of public safety. The times mentioned in regulation 3(1) are Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC) which is one hour behind British Summer Time (BST). In relation to the permission mentioned in regulation 3(2) the Southport Airshow Flying Display Director may be contacted as notified. Full details of this Statutory Instrument will be promulgated by Aeronautical Information Circular (AIC) and Notice to Aviation (NOTAM). The point of contact in the Civil Aviation Authority is Mr David Ridley, Airspace Regulator, Safety and Airspace Regulation Group, on telephone number 03301 382471. 2