Free Route Airspace (FRA) allows aircraft in upper airspace to flight plan and fly between existing points and not be constrained to follow the current network of routes.  FRA is well established across Europe and NATS has been involved in developing the FRA concept over the last 5 years.

FRA is Initiative 2 of the UK CAA’s Airspace Modernisation Strategy (AMS) (CAP 1711), and mandated for European Union (EU) members in European Law (EU Implementing Regulation EU716/204).

Free Route Airspace (FRA) Deployment 2

NATS is proposing to introduce FRA across UK airspace in four deployments. This second deployment (Deployment 2) will implement FRA across the majority of the Southwest of the UK UIR airspace.  The concept will also enable the opportunity to flight plan across the airspace managed by Borealis Alliance member ANSPs unconstrained by the route network in each ANSP’s airspace with free crossing at boundaries not limited to fixed entry/exit points.

• View full consultation details