ICAO 9643 and Heathrow operations

The request was refused by Civil Aviation Authority.

Dear Civil Aviation Authority,

Under the Freedom of Information Act, please could you provide copies of any meeting minutes, emails or other information held by the CAA involving ICAO 9643 (SOIR) and / or Heathrow and / or NATS covering operations, mitigation, parallel operations and usage of Heathrow's runways covering the period since 2013.

Yours faithfully,

Angela Baker

Civil Aviation Authority

Thank you for your enquiry to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

We aim to respond as soon as possible. In some cases, we will need to seek specialist advice or forward your enquiry onto the most relevant area of the CAA to respond to you directly. This can sometimes take up to 20 working days.

Privacy Notice:

You have consented to the use of your personal information to enable us to consider, investigate where necessary, and respond to your enquiry. We are committed to doing that in the most safe, efficient and proper way. You may withdraw consent at any time by emailing us at [CAA request email] . Depending on the nature of your enquiry, if you withdraw your consent we may still use your personal information to comply with our public function or our legal duty. A more comprehensive General Privacy Notice can be accessed further below.
Sometimes we may need to share your personal information with other organisations, such as when we need to investigate incidents with airlines or airports. In most cases we will be able to do this by removing your personal information. If the nature of the investigation means that we need to share your personal information we will obtain your consent beforehand. If you would prefer to make it known that you do not wish us to share your personal information, you can let us know straight away by emailing us at [CAA request email] .
Records of enquiries made to the CAA are retained for five years following a response or closure of a case or investigation, unless there are extenuating circumstances such as a legal or regulatory basis. We sometimes retain information for research or statistical purposes. If we do, we will make sure that your privacy is protected and only use it for those purposes.

Enquiries or complaints:

You can submit an information enquiry or make a complaint about how we have processed your personal information by emailing [CAA request email] . Please be aware that the CAA is subject to the Freedom of Information Act, which means we may need to release information you have supplied to us. However, we would never disclose your personal information without first obtaining your consent.

You have further rights as a data subject, which can be found here http://www.caa.co.uk/Our-work/Informatio...

Contact details of the CAA’s Data Protection Officer can be found here http://www.caa.co.uk/Our-work/Informatio...

You have a right to complain to the ICO here https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/your... about the CAA’s processing of personal data.

Our General Privacy Notice can be viewed at http://www.caa.co.uk/Our-work/About-us/G...

FOI Requests, Civil Aviation Authority

1 Attachment

Good afternoon,

 

I am writing to acknowledge receipt of your application for the release of
information held by the Civil Aviation Authority.

 

If your requirements are unclear, or the information is held by another
public authority, we will contact you in the next five working days. 
Otherwise the information we are able to disclose will be assembled and
made available to you within 20 working days from receipt of your
request.  If we are unable to provide any of the information requested an
explanation will be provided.

 

The reference for the request is E0004107.

 

Kind regards,

 

 

 

show quoted sections

FOI Requests, Civil Aviation Authority

2 Attachments

Dear Ms Baker

 

Thank you for your request for copies of any meeting minutes, emails or
other information held by the CAA involving ICAO 9643 (SOIR) and / or
Heathrow and / or NATS covering operations, mitigation, parallel
operations and usage of Heathrow's runways covering the period since
2013. 

 

I have discussed your request with our airspace team and we have concluded
that we are unable to deal with your request as it currently stands as it
is very wide-ranging and non-specific – it essentially requests any
information related to the usage of Heathrow’s runways over a six year
period.

 

Under Regulation 12(4)(c) of the Environmental Information Regulations
2004 (EIR), a public authority may refuse to disclose information to the
extent that the request for information is formulated in too general a
manner.  However, we would like to help you refine your request to
something more specific that we are able to deal with.

 

As you may know, Heathrow airport has initiated an airspace change
proposal for an Independent Parallel Approach Arrivals Procedure.  If you
are primarily interested in these proposals, more information can be found
at [1]https://airspacechange.caa.co.uk/PublicP....

 

If your request is not specifically related to this proposal, please could
you provide some more information that might help us identify the specific
information you are seeking.

 

If you are not satisfied with how we have dealt with your request in the
first instance you should approach the CAA in writing at:-

 

Caroline Chalk

Head of External Information Services

Civil Aviation Authority

Aviation House

Gatwick Airport South

Gatwick

RH6 0YR

 

[2][email address]

 

The CAA has a formal internal review process for dealing with appeals or
complaints in connection with requests under the Environmental Information
Regulations.  The key steps in this process are set in the attachment.

Should you remain dissatisfied with the outcome you have a right to appeal
against the decision by contacting the Information Commissioner at:-

 

Information Commissioner’s Office

FOI/EIR Complaints Resolution

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

SK9 5AF

[3]https://ico.org.uk/concerns/

 

If you wish to request further information from the CAA, please use the
form on the CAA website at
[4]http://publicapps.caa.co.uk/modalapplica....

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Mark Stevens [6]http://www.caa.co.uk/resources/emailsign...
External
Response
Manager

Communications
Department
Civil Aviation
Authority

Follow us on
Twitter:
[5]@UK_CAA

 

Please
consider the
environment.
Think before
printing this
email.

 

[7]http://www.caa.co.uk/resources/emailsign...

 

 

From: FOI Requests
Sent: 23 January 2019 12:18
To: Angela Baker <[FOI #546791 email]>
Cc: FOI Requests <[email address]>
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - ICAO 9643 and Heathrow
operations

 

Good afternoon,

 

I am writing to acknowledge receipt of your application for the release of
information held by the Civil Aviation Authority.

 

If your requirements are unclear, or the information is held by another
public authority, we will contact you in the next five working days. 
Otherwise the information we are able to disclose will be assembled and
made available to you within 20 working days from receipt of your
request.  If we are unable to provide any of the information requested an
explanation will be provided.

 

The reference for the request is E0004107.

 

Kind regards,

 

 

 

show quoted sections

Dear FOI Requests,

Thank you for your response. I am seeking specific information on ICAO 9643 (SOIR) and Heathrow operations covering meeting minutes, emails or other information held by the CAA involving or relating to ICAO 9643 (SOIR) and Heathrow only. A search on 9643 would not be difficult. This is a specific request, not a comprehensive request on all of Heathrow's operations for the last 6 years.

Yours sincerely,

Angela Baker

Civil Aviation Authority

Thank you for your enquiry to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

We aim to respond as soon as possible. In some cases, we will need to seek specialist advice or forward your enquiry onto the most relevant area of the CAA to respond to you directly. This can sometimes take up to 20 working days.

Privacy Notice:

You have consented to the use of your personal information to enable us to consider, investigate where necessary, and respond to your enquiry. We are committed to doing that in the most safe, efficient and proper way. You may withdraw consent at any time by emailing us at [CAA request email] . Depending on the nature of your enquiry, if you withdraw your consent we may still use your personal information to comply with our public function or our legal duty. A more comprehensive General Privacy Notice can be accessed further below.
Sometimes we may need to share your personal information with other organisations, such as when we need to investigate incidents with airlines or airports. In most cases we will be able to do this by removing your personal information. If the nature of the investigation means that we need to share your personal information we will obtain your consent beforehand. If you would prefer to make it known that you do not wish us to share your personal information, you can let us know straight away by emailing us at [CAA request email] .
Records of enquiries made to the CAA are retained for five years following a response or closure of a case or investigation, unless there are extenuating circumstances such as a legal or regulatory basis. We sometimes retain information for research or statistical purposes. If we do, we will make sure that your privacy is protected and only use it for those purposes.

Enquiries or complaints:

You can submit an information enquiry or make a complaint about how we have processed your personal information by emailing [CAA request email] . Please be aware that the CAA is subject to the Freedom of Information Act, which means we may need to release information you have supplied to us. However, we would never disclose your personal information without first obtaining your consent.

You have further rights as a data subject, which can be found here http://www.caa.co.uk/Our-work/Informatio...

Contact details of the CAA’s Data Protection Officer can be found here http://www.caa.co.uk/Our-work/Informatio...

You have a right to complain to the ICO here https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/your... about the CAA’s processing of personal data.

Our General Privacy Notice can be viewed at http://www.caa.co.uk/Our-work/About-us/G...

FOI Requests, Civil Aviation Authority

1 Attachment

Good morning,

 

I am writing to acknowledge receipt of your email and your application for
the release of information held by the Civil Aviation Authority.

 

If your requirements are unclear, or the information is held by another
public authority, we will contact you in the next five working days. 
Otherwise the information we are able to disclose will be assembled and
made available to you within 20 working days from receipt of your
request.  If we are unable to provide any of the information requested an
explanation will be provided.

 

The reference for the request is E0004163.

 

Kind regards,

 

 

 

 

show quoted sections

FOI Requests, Civil Aviation Authority

1 Attachment

Dear Ms Baker

 

Further to my colleague’s email below, while I recognise that today is 20
working days from the date of your request, unfortunately we are not yet
in a position to provide a response. We will respond in full as soon as we
are able.

 

Kind regards

 

 

Mark Stevens [2]http://www.caa.co.uk/resources/emailsign...
External
Response
Manager

Communications
Department
Civil Aviation
Authority

Tel: 01293 57
3873

Follow us on
Twitter:
[1]@UK_CAA

 

Please
consider the
environment.
Think before
printing this
email.

 

[3]http://www.caa.co.uk/resources/emailsign...

 

 

 

 

From: FOI Requests
Sent: 04 March 2019 10:49
To: Angela Baker <[FOI #546791 email]>
Cc: FOI Requests <[email address]>
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - ICAO 9643 and Heathrow
operations

 

Good morning,

 

I am writing to acknowledge receipt of your email and your application for
the release of information held by the Civil Aviation Authority.

 

If your requirements are unclear, or the information is held by another
public authority, we will contact you in the next five working days. 
Otherwise the information we are able to disclose will be assembled and
made available to you within 20 working days from receipt of your
request.  If we are unable to provide any of the information requested an
explanation will be provided.

 

The reference for the request is E0004163.

 

Kind regards,

 

 

 

 

show quoted sections

Dear FOI Requests,

Pleas provide the information as requested.

Yours sincerely,

Angela Baker

Civil Aviation Authority

Thank you for your enquiry to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

We aim to respond as soon as possible. In some cases, we will need to seek specialist advice or forward your enquiry onto the most relevant area of the CAA to respond to you directly. This can sometimes take up to 20 working days.

Privacy Notice:

You have consented to the use of your personal information to enable us to consider, investigate where necessary, and respond to your enquiry. We are committed to doing that in the most safe, efficient and proper way. You may withdraw consent at any time by emailing us at [CAA request email] . Depending on the nature of your enquiry, if you withdraw your consent we may still use your personal information to comply with our public function or our legal duty. A more comprehensive General Privacy Notice can be accessed further below.
Sometimes we may need to share your personal information with other organisations, such as when we need to investigate incidents with airlines or airports. In most cases we will be able to do this by removing your personal information. If the nature of the investigation means that we need to share your personal information we will obtain your consent beforehand. If you would prefer to make it known that you do not wish us to share your personal information, you can let us know straight away by emailing us at [CAA request email] .
Records of enquiries made to the CAA are retained for five years following a response or closure of a case or investigation, unless there are extenuating circumstances such as a legal or regulatory basis. We sometimes retain information for research or statistical purposes. If we do, we will make sure that your privacy is protected and only use it for those purposes.

Enquiries or complaints:

You can submit an information enquiry or make a complaint about how we have processed your personal information by emailing [CAA request email] . Please be aware that the CAA is subject to the Freedom of Information Act, which means we may need to release information you have supplied to us. However, we would never disclose your personal information without first obtaining your consent.

You have further rights as a data subject, which can be found here http://www.caa.co.uk/Our-work/Informatio...

Contact details of the CAA’s Data Protection Officer can be found here http://www.caa.co.uk/Our-work/Informatio...

You have a right to complain to the ICO here https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/your... about the CAA’s processing of personal data.

Our General Privacy Notice can be viewed at http://www.caa.co.uk/Our-work/About-us/G...

FOI Requests, Civil Aviation Authority

1 Attachment

Dear Ms Baker

 

Unfortunately, we are not yet in a position to respond to your request. We
are working to ensure that this is completed as soon as possible and we
will respond in full as soon as we are able.

 

Kind regards,

 

 

 

 

show quoted sections

FOI Requests, Civil Aviation Authority

1 Attachment

Dear Ms Baker

 

With apologies for the delay, please find attached the CAA’s response to
your request for information.

 

Kind regards

 

 

Mark Stevens [2]http://www.caa.co.uk/resources/emailsign...
External
Response
Manager

Communications
Department
Civil Aviation
Authority

Tel: 01293 57
3873

Follow us on
Twitter:
[1]@UK_CAA

 

Please
consider the
environment.
Think before
printing this
email.

 

[3]http://www.caa.co.uk/resources/emailsign...

 

 

show quoted sections

References

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Dear Civil Aviation Authority,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of Civil Aviation Authority's handling of my FOI request 'ICAO 9643 and Heathrow operations'.

While I am aware of Heathrow’s plans to implement IPA, I am not ACTUALLY requesting information on their background and future plans for IPA and appreciate that they will follow CAA airspace change procedures. I am also aware of ICAO 9643 and what its purpose is, as referenced by Heathrow in their publically available published material ‘Airports Commission’s Initial Assessments – Consultation’ from 2014. In this document they claim to be (or approved plans in place) 9643 / SOIR compliant in section 5.14.2.

Prior to this 2014 declaration by Heathrow, CAA confirmed in material to the Airports Commission that SOIR compliance was an ‘Aerodrome Safety’ issue and CAA confirmed that “a significant proportion of the challenges currently associated with safety assurance of parallel runways result from inadequate spacing between parallel runways.” Heathrow have inadequate spacing between existing and proposed runways according to ICAO 9643 guidelines. Hence, the requirement to modify operations. Further, CAA observe in CAP 1215 that the 'proposer must demonstrate that the design meets requirements of ICAO 9643 for ALL possible modes of operation'.

My request is specific to ICAO 9643 and the safety case / mitigations Heathrow have proposed given they claim to meet 9643 compliance requirements. Information regarding safety are in the public interest. CAA also claim that 'the proposer must demonstrate that the designs proposed meet SOIR requirements for all possible modes of operation', that means more than IPA. With 2 runways, there are a number of possible modes of operations according to ICAO’s SOIR manual so which have Heathrow decided will provide SOIR compliance given the design of their runways?

Under section 31(1)(g), aviation parties cannot be reluctant to share information with the regulator as the regulator is surely in control. Failure to comply with or provide required information to the regulator, particularly in relation to safety, must surely be an infraction impacting the granting of relevant licenses to operate, as granted by the regulator, CAA, especially as safety is the aviation industries stated number 1 priority. This surely cannot apply as the CAA suggest, that the CAA are afraid NATS and Heathrow will not be honest with them in the future in matters affecting public safety so cannot tell the public how the regulator is keeping us safe. The pressure to comply with all necessary CAA processes / provision of requested information as required by the industry regulator surely comes from the threat of not being granted a license to operate, not from fear of information sharing with people who are impacted daily by their licensed operations.

In 2013, NAT’s claimed in its ‘Support to the Assessment of Potential Short Term Measures’ (25 November 2013) submission to the Airports Commission that “the use of Mixed Mode without the requirements of SOIR being met would result in a sub‐optimal solution.” They also provided details which CAA seem to be reluctant to provide already within this submission document.

Indeed, NATS have consulted for the Airport Authority Hong Kong for the HKIA master plan on the same SOIR issue for the Hong Kong runways as shown below, this is in the public domain. Where are the assumptions now being made for Heathrow? What were they before SOIR compliance was assured for example?
"ASSUMPTIONS
The following ICAO guidance is used throughout this evaluation (Ref ICAO Doc 9643):
• Missed approach procedures from adjacent parallel runways must diverge by at
least 30 degrees;
• Aircraft departing from adjacent parallel runways must diverge by at least 15
degrees;
• During Segregated Mode parallel operations, the missed approach track from the
arrival runway must diverge by 30 degrees from the departure tracks of the
adjacent runway; and
• In the event of a missed approach during Independent Mixed Mode operations,
the missed approach must diverge by 30 degrees from any Mixed Mode departure
from the same runway or an adjacent runway. "

Where is this same evaluation for Heathrow? If HKIA can provide publically the NATS SOIR evaluation for HKIA then it should be possible to publish the same type of evaluation which must have been done for Heathrow. This information being publically available in Hong Kong but not in the UK does not make sense.

It is in the public interest to be made aware of aviation operations which impact on our safety. NATS and CAA claimed in submissions to the AC that SOIR compliance required changes / mitigation measures to be compliant in all operating modes. In 2014, Heathrow claims to be compliant. The public has a right to know what has been agreed, see the materials on considered options, how the CAA determined the proposals were safe, how the aviation bodies in the UK comply with international standards as required by the ICAO, etc. The point to this request is that SOIR/9643 compliance must already be in place, or plans agreed / established, before airspace change proposals can progress for IPA as compliance applies to all operating modes. I am only requesting background and relevant details related to establishing the solutions / mitigation measures for SOIR/ 9643 compliance in the time period indicated which will reassure communities impacted that the operational changes will be safe.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/i...

Yours faithfully,

Angela Baker

Civil Aviation Authority

Thank you for your enquiry to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

We aim to respond as soon as possible. In some cases, we will need to seek specialist advice or forward your enquiry onto the most relevant area of the CAA to respond to you directly. This can sometimes take up to 20 working days.

Privacy Notice:

You have consented to the use of your personal information to enable us to consider, investigate where necessary, and respond to your enquiry. We are committed to doing that in the most safe, efficient and proper way. You may withdraw consent at any time by emailing us at [CAA request email] . Depending on the nature of your enquiry, if you withdraw your consent we may still use your personal information to comply with our public function or our legal duty. A more comprehensive General Privacy Notice can be accessed further below.
Sometimes we may need to share your personal information with other organisations, such as when we need to investigate incidents with airlines or airports. In most cases we will be able to do this by removing your personal information. If the nature of the investigation means that we need to share your personal information we will obtain your consent beforehand. If you would prefer to make it known that you do not wish us to share your personal information, you can let us know straight away by emailing us at [CAA request email] .
Records of enquiries made to the CAA are retained for five years following a response or closure of a case or investigation, unless there are extenuating circumstances such as a legal or regulatory basis. We sometimes retain information for research or statistical purposes. If we do, we will make sure that your privacy is protected and only use it for those purposes.

Enquiries or complaints:

You can submit an information enquiry or make a complaint about how we have processed your personal information by emailing [CAA request email] . Please be aware that the CAA is subject to the Freedom of Information Act, which means we may need to release information you have supplied to us. However, we would never disclose your personal information without first obtaining your consent.

You have further rights as a data subject, which can be found here http://www.caa.co.uk/Our-work/Informatio...

Contact details of the CAA’s Data Protection Officer can be found here http://www.caa.co.uk/Our-work/Informatio...

You have a right to complain to the ICO here https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/your... about the CAA’s processing of personal data.

Our General Privacy Notice can be viewed at http://www.caa.co.uk/Our-work/About-us/G...

FOI Requests, Civil Aviation Authority

1 Attachment

Dear Ms Baker

 

Thank you for your email, I acknowledge receipt and will commence the
internal review process.

 

You will next be contacted by the appeals manager, they will endeavour to
complete the review within 20 working days.

 

Kind regards,

 

 

 

 

show quoted sections

Clarke Philip, Civil Aviation Authority

1 Attachment

Dear Ms Baker

 

Please find attached a letter acknowledging receipt of your appeal against
the CAA decision of 17 May 2019 regarding your FoI request of 2 March
2019.  I will endeavour to respond fully to your request by 18 June 2019.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Philip [2]http://www.caa.co.uk/resources/emailsign...
Clarke
Manager
Safety
Policy

Future
Safety
Civil
Aviation
Authority

Tel: 01293
573809

[mobile number]

Follow us on
Twitter:
[1]@UK_CAA

 

Please
consider the
environment.
Think before
printing
this email.

 

 

 

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References

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Clarke Philip, Civil Aviation Authority

1 Attachment

Dear Ms Baker

 

Further to my letter of 30 May 19, I have now completed my review of your
appeal against the CAA’s decision of 17 May 2019 regarding your FoI
request of 2 March 2019.  Attached is a further letter setting out my
conclusions.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Philip [2]http://www.caa.co.uk/resources/emailsign...
Clarke
Manager
Safety
Policy

Future
Safety
Civil
Aviation
Authority

Tel: 01293
573809

[mobile number]

Follow us on
Twitter:
[1]@UK_CAA

 

Please
consider the
environment.
Think before
printing
this email.

 

[3]http://www.caa.co.uk/resources/emailsign...

 

 

 

 

From: Clarke Philip
Sent: 30 May 2019 09:31
To: [FOI #546791 email]
Subject: FoI Internal Review acknowledgement

 

Dear Ms Baker

 

Please find attached a letter acknowledging receipt of your appeal against
the CAA decision of 17 May 2019 regarding your FoI request of 2 March
2019.  I will endeavour to respond fully to your request by 18 June 2019.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Philip [5]http://www.caa.co.uk/resources/emailsign...
Clarke
Manager
Safety
Policy

Future
Safety
Civil
Aviation
Authority

Tel: 01293
573809

[mobile number]

Follow us on
Twitter:
[4]@UK_CAA

 

Please
consider the
environment.
Think before
printing
this email.

 

 

 

show quoted sections

References

Visible links
1. http://twitter.com/UK_CAA
4. http://twitter.com/UK_CAA