Madrid, 30 June 2023 (AESA)

The update of the regulations governing aeronautical servitudes managed by the State Aviation Safety Agency (AESA) for the protection of air navigation enters into force on 1 July 2023 with the aim of achieving improvements and adjustments that guarantee the safety and regularity of air operations.

With this new Royal Decree, approved in the Council of Ministers on May 16 at the request of the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda (MITMA) and the Ministry of Defence, progress is achieved in the surveillance and control of the most sensitive areas and in the vicinity of airports and aeronautical radio installations.

One of the main novelties brought by the new regulations is the consideration of wildlife protection zones as a sensitive area. Certain points of attraction of birds, such as landfills, which can pose a danger to air operations can be located. In this sense, risks of collision are contemplated if these areas are located in areas close to aerodromes, or in areas further away from them, but that may lead to the movement of birds that cross areas with air traffic.

Therefore, there is a need to extend its control to the entire national territory, beyond the area affected by the aeronautical servitudes, since these activities cause conflict between aircraft and birds.

The new Royal Decree allows the protection zones necessary to safeguard aviation safety to be adapted to each particular case. In this case, it will be reviewed for each airport or radio aid to air navigation the limitations of height and construction to focus the necessary area and reduce, if necessary, its extension.

Need for protection by new technologies

In addition, with the new redesign of servitudes adapted to international and Community regulations on barrier-limiting areas, the protection needs required by new technologies supporting air navigation, such as satellite navigation equipment, are also met. For this purpose, the Royal Decree defines the areas of safety and limitation of heights necessary to protect the operation of the different antennas that are part of satellite navigation and augmentation systems.

Finally, this Royal Decree contains the exemptions, already approved last summer in section 4a of the single additional provision of Law 48/1960, of 21 July, on Air Navigation, which make it possible to relax and improve coordination with the autonomous and local communities. This establishes the assumptions and procedures to derogate from obtaining reports prior to any activity or construction, in a given geographical area, provided that it does not pose a risk to air navigation and regularity of operations.

About EASA

AESA is the State body, attached to the State Secretariat for Transport of the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda, which ensures that civil aviation standards are met in the aeronautical activity of Spain.

The Agency has the tasks of Supervision, Inspection and Management of Air Transport, Air Navigation and Airport Safety. It assesses the risks to transport safety and has the power to sanction infringements of civil aviation rules.

For more information:

comunicación.aesa@seguridadaerea.es

Telephone number: + 34 913 96 85 93