The pattern of military low flying across the United Kingdom 2020/2021
Published 14 July 2022
© Crown copyright 2022
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/the-pattern-of-military-low-flying-across-the-uk-20202021/the-pattern-of-military-low-flying-across-the-united-kingdom-20202021
This annual bulletin provides statistics on military low flying training activity conducted in the UK Low Flying System (UKLFS) for the Financial Year (FY) 2020/2021 (i.e. 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021).
Further detailed statistics and comparisons with earlier years can be found in the Supplementary Tables
The overall levels of Low Flying (LF), Operational Low Flying (OLF) and complaints are contained within this report. In addition, statistics are given for the 19 Low Flying Areas (LFA), 3 Tactical Training Areas (TTA), 13 Night Rotary Regions (NRR), 5 Allocated Regions (AR) and the Thames Valley Avoidance Area (TVAA).
Key Points and Trends
In the FY 2020/2021
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There were 39 260 hours of military low flying within the UKLFS, an increase of 13.3 per cent compared to 34 638 hours in FY 2019/2020.
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There were 39 166 hours of routine LF activity in FY 2020/2021, of which 8 614 hours was fixed-wing activity, and 30 551 hours was rotary-wing.
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Overall routine LF activity increased by 13.2 per cent; fixed wing activity increased by 3.4 per cent and rotary-wing activity increased by 16.4 per cent compared to the previous year.
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Of the 39 166 hours of routine LF activity in FY 2020/2021, 71.6 per cent was conducted during day light hours.
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Routine day LF activity increased by 8.8 per cent compared to the previous year; fixed wing activity decreased by 2.9 per cent and rotary wing increased by 13 per cent.
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Routine LF activity at night, 11 132 hours in FY 2020/2021, increased by 26.3 per cent compared to the previous year. Fixed wing activity increased by 33 per cent and rotary wing increased by 24.9 per cent.
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Operational Low Flying (OLF) accounted for 94 hours in FY 2020/2021, 0.2 per cent of all LF activity.
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The Ministry of Defence’s Low Flying Complaints and Enquiries Unit (LFCEU) received 1 404 complaints in FY 2020/2021, an increase of 126.8 per cent compared to the previous year.
Responsible Statistician: Head of Defence Statistics Air: Analysis-Air@mod.gov.uk
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Background Quality Report: Background Quality Report
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Please refer to the Supplementary tables containing all data presented in this publication.
Introduction
Military fixed wing aircraft are assessed to be low flying when operating below 2,000 feet Above Ground Level (AGL); helicopters and light propeller-driven aircraft are assessed to be low flying when below 500 feet AGL. Due to their role, helicopters may operate down to ground level for specific training activities.
The Day UKLFS consists of 19 Low Flying Areas (LFA), 3 Tactical Training Areas (TTA) and the Thames Valley Avoidance Area (TVAA).
The Night UKLFS differs from that used by day; it comprises 13 Night Rotary Regions (NRR) which are located in the south of the country and predominantly used by rotary wing aircraft, 5 Allocated Regions (AR), which are mostly located in the north of the country and predominantly used by fixed-wing aircraft, and the Thames Valley Avoidance Area (Night) (TVAA(N)).
This report aims to provide interested parties with the usage of the UKLFS in total and the volume of low flying within the day and night low flying areas.
Further information on military low flying can be found on the GOV.uk website
Statistics on military low flying for previous calendar years can be found on the GOV.uk website
There is a continuing requirement for UK Armed Forces to operate successfully in the low-level environment. These skills are used not only in Defence of our Nation, but also to assist with peacekeeping and humanitarian support across the globe, and to provide assistance here in the UK to the civil authorities on request at times of need.
Responsiveness alone is not enough; it must be backed by a credible and practised military capability and it is on this foundation of military readiness that the need to train regularly is built. Low flying skills are perishable, and can only be perfected and maintained through rigorous practice in a realistic environment.
Military aircrew train at low level within a clear regulatory framework that sets out the activities they are authorised to conduct, and what limitations are placed on those activities. The safety of the public, aircrew and aircraft remains of paramount concern. Regulations are designed to ensure that training is appropriate for the operational task and is conducted so that risks to life are mitigated to a level that is as low as is reasonably practicable, and to minimise disturbance to those on the ground. Military low flying regulations can be found on the GOV.uk website
Foreign military forces, including the UK-based United States Air Force Europe units, may fly within the UKLFS under the principle of reciprocity, and must comply with the same regulatory framework as UK aircraft.
All flying activity within the UKLFS must be specifically authorised, and the vast majority booked in advance, to avoid conflict with other aircraft. Flying units are required to subsequently provide booking returns with the actual times and low flying areas used. Detailed information on actual routes flown is not provided to MAMC.
Further information can be found in the Background Quality Report
Total low flying in the UKLFS
The combination of both routine and operational low flying hours is 39 260 hours of low flying within the UK Low Flying System for the FY 2020/2021, an increase of 13.3 per cent compared to the previous year.
Operational Low Flying is a specific type of activity that only takes place in the three TTA, where fixed-wing aircraft can operate between 250 feet MSD and 100 feet MSD. Routine low flying for fixed wing aircraft is from 250 feet MSD to 2 000 feet MSD.
Table 1: Total Low Flying
| Year | Routine Low Flying (hours) | Operational Low Flying (hours) | Total Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-2017 | 29 554 | 166 | 29 720 |
| 2017-2018 | 29 024 | 126 | 29 150 |
| 2018-2019 | 33 931 | 125 | 34 056 |
| 2019-2020 | 34 587 | 51 | 34 638 |
| 2020-2021 | 39 166 | 94 | 39260 |
The amount of routine low flying, shown in hours flown, is given in the table below.
Table 2 Routine Low Flying
| Year | Fixed Wing (hours) | Rotary Wing (hours) | Total Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-2017 | 9 054 | 20 500 | 29 554 |
| 2017-2018 | 6 798 | 22 227 | 29 024 |
| 2018-2019 | 12 390 | 21 541 | 33 931 |
| 2019-2020 | 8 329 | 26 258 | 34 587 |
| 2020-2021 | 8 614 | 30 551 | 39 166 |
In FY 2020/2021 fixed-wing activity accounted for 22.0 per cent and rotary-wing 78.0 per cent of the 39 166 hours of routine LF activity. Total routine LF activity rose by 13.2 per cent. Fixed-wing activity increased by 3.4 per cent from the previous year.
Whilst there is no singular reason for the increase in fixed wing activity, restrictions on training overseas during the Covid-19 pandemic leading to increased training in the UKLFS was likely to be a contributory factor.
Rotary-wing activity increased by 16.4 per cent compared to the previous year. This reflects an uplift in training to support Maritime Combat Trials and Force Generation to meet operational taskings. In addition, it reflects new rotary wing aircraft, such as the Merlin Mk 2 for the Navy and the Wildcat for the Army, coming fully into service and the UK Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS) reaching full capacity.
Day Low Flying
Of the routine LF activity in 2020/2021, 71.6 per cent was conducted during daylight hours. The amount of routine day time low flying activity conducted in the FY 2020/2021 shown in hours flown, is given in the table below.
Table 3 Day Low Flying
| Year | Fixed Wing (hours) | Rotary Wing (hours) | Total Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-2017 | 7 190 | 15 074 | 22 264 |
| 2017-2018 | 6 228 | 17 045 | 23 272 |
| 2018-2019 | 9 552 | 15 705 | 25 258 |
| 2019-2020 | 6 865 | 18 908 | 25 773 |
| 2020-2021 | 6 666 | 21 368 | 28 034 |
In FY 2020/2021, fixed wing activity accounted for 23.8 per cent and rotary-wing for 76.2 per cent of day time low flying hours.
Routine day LF activity increased by 8.8 per cent compared to the previous year; fixed wing activity decreased by 2.9 per cent and rotary wing increased by 13 per cent.
Night Low Flying
The amount of routine night time low flying activity conducted in the FY 2020/2021 is shown in the table below. Night time activity accounted for 28.4 per cent of routine low flying.
Table 4 Night Low Flying
| Year | Fixed Wing (hours) | Rotary Wing (hours) | Total Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-2017 | 1 864 | 5 426 | 7 290 |
| 2017-2018 | 570 | 5 182 | 5 752 |
| 2018-2019 | 2 837 | 5 836 | 8 674 |
| 2019-2020 | 1 464 | 7 350 | 8 814 |
| 2020-2021 | 1 948 | 9 183 | 11 132 |
In FY 2020/2021, fixed-wing activity accounted for 17.5 per cent and rotary-wing 82.5 per cent of night time low flying activity.
Routine LF activity at night increased by 26.3 per cent compared to the previous year. Fixed-wing activity at night increased by 33 per cent; rotary-wing activity at night increased by 24.9 per cent.
It seems likely that restrictions on training overseas during the Covid 19 pandemic led to more activity in the UKLFS in the hours of darkness. As for rotary wing activity in general, activity during night time hours has increased as new aircraft are brought into service and to meet operational requirements. In particular, this has required an uplift in training using Night Vision Goggles, which cannot be conducted during daylight hours. In addition, a significant part of the UKMFTS training syllabus requires training at night.
Operational Low Flying (OLF)
The amount of Operational Low Flying (OLF) training activity conducted in the FY 2020/2021 is shown in the table below. OLF training accounted for 0.2 per cent of all LF activity, reflecting an increase of 0.1 percentage points from the previous year.
Table 5 Operational Low Flying
| Year | LFA 7(T) Wales (hours) | LFA 14(T) Scotland (hours) | LFA 20(T) Borders (hours) | Total Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-2017 | 4 | 65 | 98 | 166 |
| 2017-2018 | 4 | 31 | 91 | 126 |
| 2018-2019 | 7 | 45 | 73 | 125 |
| 2019-2020 | 0 | 17 | 34 | 51 |
| 2020-2021 | 6 | 41 | 47 | 94 |
The timetable of planned OLF training is published on the GOV.uk website
TVAA (Thames Valley Avoidance Area)
The Thames Valley Avoidance Area covers the Greater London area, where restrictions are imposed on military flying due to population density and aerial congestion. The amount of day and night low flying conducted in the TVAA in the FY 2020/2021 is given in the table below.
Table 6 TVAA Low Flying
| Year | Fixed Wing (hours) | Rotary Wing (hours) | Total Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-2017 | 66 | 428 | 494 |
| 2017-2018 | 22 | 557 | 579 |
| 2018-2019 | 90 | 636 | 726 |
| 2019-2020 | 26 | 568 | 593 |
| 2020-2021 | 4 | 707 | 711 |
Further statistics for day and night low flying activity for individual areas can be found in the Supplementary Tables
Low Flying Activity by Area
The charts below show the hours flown, day and night, ranked by LFA, for FY 2020/2021 compared to previous years.
The intensity of low flying activity varies by area; LFAs 1 and 2 rank higher than other day areas, and NRR1 and NRR2 greater than other night areas. This reflects the geographical location of air bases and types of aircraft. Rotary wing aircraft by their nature (speed, range etc) are less likely to go ‘further afield’ and more likely to conduct sorties in the local area, due to the availability of airspace and fuel options.
It should be noted that, as for FY 2019/2020, the figures for activity in the DUA comprise a combined total of manual returns plus automated figures, and consequently the figures for both years are not directly comparable with those previously published.
It should also be noted that, as for FY 2018/2019 and FY 2019/2020, due to staffing shortages manual returns were not available for DUA/LFA9, consequently the data for these years is not as accurate as that previously published.
Figure 1 Day Chart
Figure 2 Night Chart
Complaints
The Ministry of Defence Low Flying Complaints and Enquiries Unit (LFCEU) received 1 404 complaints in FY 2020/2021, an increase of 126.8 percent. It should be noted that this total only includes complaints recorded centrally by the LFCEU.
It is thought that the significant increase in the number of complaints was generated in part by the Covid-19 lockdown period, where essential low flying training continued whilst much of the population were spending more time in their homes.
Table 7 Complaints
| Year | Number of Complaints | Flying Hours per Complaint |
|---|---|---|
| 2016-2017 | 1291 | 23 |
| 2017-2018 | 1 307 | 22 |
| 2018-2019 | 713 | 48 |
| 2019-2020 | 619 | 56 |
| 2020-2021 | 1 404 | 28 |
The number of complaints and flying hours per complaint for each LFA can be found in the Supplementary Tables
Low Flying Compensation Payments
The total compensation amount paid by the MOD relating to military low flying in FY 2020/2021 is recorded in the table below, a 45 per cent reduction on the previous year.
Table 8 Compensation
| Year | Amount of Compensation Paid (£)(rounded) |
|---|---|
| 2016-2017 | 473K |
| 2017-2018 | 440K |
| 2018-2019 | 226K |
| 2019-2020 | 289K |
| 2020-2021 | 159K |
These totals include damages and other costs, such as claimants’ legal costs. They do not include MOD costs. It should be noted that expenditure may include interim payments for active claims as well as final payments for settled claims, and payment may be made for claims arising from military aircraft activity in previous financial years.
Figure 3 Map of Day Low Flying Areas
Figure 4 Map of Night Low Flying Areas
Glossary
| AGL | Above Ground Level |
| AMSL | Above Mean Sea Level. To illustrate the difference between AGL and AMSL, if an aircraft is flying 2 000 feet above a mountain that is 5 000 feet high, it would be flying at 2 000 feet AGL and 7 000 feet AMSL. |
| AR | Allocated Region. An area in the Night UK Low Flying System used mainly by fast jets and transport aircraft. |
| Air Traffic Zones | Where aircraft are/can be provided with an Air Traffic Control Service. |
| CADS | Centralised Aviation Data Service. Bookings into the UKLFS are made onto this system, which is the source for low flying statistics. |
| Danger Areas | A danger area is an airspace of defined dimensions within which activities dangerous to the flight of aircraft may exist as specified times, such as the Salisbury Plain Training Area. |
| Day time hours | See night time hours. |
| FOI | Freedom of Information. |
| FY | Financial Year. The MOD financial year runs from 1 April to 31 March. |
| LF | Low Flying. |
| LFA | Low Flying Area. |
| LFCEU | Low Flying Complaints and Enquiries Unit. Based at RAF Wittering, the LFCEU responds to complaints from members of the public. |
| MAMC | Military Airspace Management Cell. Administers low flying bookings and extracts statistical data from CADS. Responsible for day to day management of the UKLFS. |
| MATZ | Military Air Traffic Zone, usually extends around the airspace above a flying unit. |
| MSD | Minimum Separation Distance i.e the distance that must be maintained between any part of an aircraft in flight and the ground, water or any object. Does not apply to the separation between aircraft in formation. |
| NRR | Night Rotary Region. An area in the Night UKLFS used mainly by helicopters. |
| Night time hours | Night low flying commences from sunset plus 30 minutes at N5400 E or W00000 on the 15th of each month. Night flying ends at sunrise minus 30 minutes at the same position and date. |
| OLF | Operational Low Flying i.e. where aircraft can fly between 250 feet and 100 feet MSD. This takes place in the three TTAs when that are activated. |
| Restricted Areas | These include National prohibited and restricted sites, military prohibited and restricted sites and Provost Marshal prohibited and restricted areas e.g. nuclear power stations. |
| TTA | Tactical Training Area. OLF can only take place in these areas when they are activated. |
| TVAA | Thames Valley Avoidance Area covers an area that encompasses London Gatwick, London Heathrow, London Luton, London Stansted, London city and Southend airports. Fixed Wing military aircraft require permission from Low Flying Operations Flight to enter the TVAA. Rotary Wing and light aircraft may enter the TVAA not below 500ft AGL. |
| UKLFS | UK Low Flying System. Covers the open airspace of the whole of the UK from the surface to 2 000 feet above ground or mean sea level. |
Further Information
Rounding
Where rounding has been used, totals and sub-totals have been rounded separately and so may not equal the sum of their rounded parts.
Revisions
Corrections to the published statistics will be made if errors are found, or if figures change because of improvements to methodology or changes to definitions. When making corrections, we will follow the Ministry of Defence Statistics, revisions and corrections policy.
All corrected figures will be identified by the symbol “r”, and an explanation will be given of the reason for and size of the revision. Corrections which would have a significant impact on the utility of the statistics will be corrected as soon as possible, by reissuing the publication. Minor errors will also be corrected, but for convenience these corrections may be timed to coincide with the next release of the publication.
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