Morning, just wondering if anyone has any prior knowledge of how long it generally takes for a FRZ to be removed after operations cease at an airfield (if ever)?
I live on the edge of the FRZ for Nottingham (Tollerton) Airport which as the land has been solved for development ceased operations earlier this year. The flying club has moved out completely although it may still be being used occasionally for the Air ambulance possibly?
The other problem is that the contact number for requests to fly is the number for the flying club which of course have moved out so they probably don’t care or have authority to approve any more.
You can submit flight notifications for approval on Drone Assist apparently but have never tried that before.
There are a few locations I would like to fly and I understand the DJI fly app no longer prevents you from launching or entering the FRZ, you just get a warning screen and checkbox to confirm you understand.
So the question really is how to you request permission when there isn’t really an ATC there any more?
It’s the same with RAF Scampton in Lincs. It was closed in 2022 and is still showing up as a massive RFZ that takes in a lot of the countryside around Lincoln.
I guess they just take their sweet time about it.
Doncaster/Sheffield took around a year for it to disappear from memory too. Its not a rapid process.
Problem with facility notify in DA is if the facility no longer exists, theres no responsible authority on the other end to see or authorise the flight.
Hi! I emailed the CAA about this a couple of weeks ago and had this response:
The current situation at Nottingham City Airport (EGBN) is as follows:
-The aerodrome remains operational for rotary-wing aircraft only.
-Fixed-wing operations have been suspended since 5 August 2025, but the site is not permanently closed.
Accordingly, the Flight Restriction Zone (FRZ) remains fully in effect. Any drone operations within the FRZ require prior permission from the aerodrome operator, regardless of aircraft weight or category.
To address your broader queries:
-Operational Status: Nottingham City Airport is still active for rotary operations.
-FRZ Removal Process: The FRZ can only be rescinded once the aerodrome is formally notified as permanently closed and removed from the CAA database. This process involves regulatory confirmation and publication in the UK AIP and Aeronautical Information Circulars (AIC).
-Public Updates: Once rescinded, changes will be reflected in official sources and third-party platforms (e.g., Drone Assist) following the next data update cycle.
-Interim Permissions: While the FRZ remains in place, there is no standing exemption for sub-250 g drones. Operators must seek permission from the aerodrome before flying within the FRZ, even if flights comply with Open Category requirements.
Thanks for that extra info. It makes sense I guess while there is still a runway that COULD be used in an emergency or by helicopters then it is still an airfield.
The issue really then becomes if you want to “seek permission from the aerodrome” then who do you actually contact?
The CAA lists Truman Aviation as the operator as does the website for Nottingham Airport (https://www.nottinghamairport.co.uk/) but they were served notice to stop operating by 6th June 2025 and have subsequently moved operations elsewhere.
There is a contact form on the Nottingham airport website which still says Truman aviation so I have used the contact form to email them and see what they say. I suspect they may say “not us anymore guv”.
I agree completely. I tried using Altitude Angel last night, but obviously no response! I found a post somewhere else which suggested emailing the NTS email address. I’m just waiting on a response.
I’ve also followed up with the CAA to clarify who we should contact.
One thing I can’t find about the ATC at nottingham as well is operating hours. Probably easier to email them with details of any planned flights well in advance anyway rather than trying to ring them up 10 minutes before
I had a response from the Airport manager for Truman Aviation.
"Thank you for contacting me regarding the flight of a small unmanned aircraft.
In order for us to approve the flight within our Air Traffic Zone (ATZ / FRZ), we require the following:
Proof of license
Liability insurance
Written permission from the owner of the land you wish to fly over
Date and time that the flight(s) will take place
A phone call before and immediately after the flight takes place, if approved. For this, use 0115 981 5050, opt 1.
Intended height of the flight.
Without all of the above, I am not able to authorise the flight.
Please also note, as a company, we have the right to refuse permission for any flight if necessary, as per CAP 1788
All the best,
Airport Manager
Truman Aviation,
Nottingham Airport,
Tollerton Lane,
Tollerton,
NG12 4GA
T: 0115 9815050"
So they do respond to emails, they do want quite a bit of information (land-owner permission is an interesting one if you are TOAL from a public space) and they do want you to phone the ATC tower before and after the flight.
All seems pretty reasonable, the response was mid afternoon on the Monday when I sent the request on Saturday so all very good really.
I assume by licence I would just provide my operator ID/flyer ID even though it shouldn’t be needed. Insurance of course I can prove from my Grey Arrows membership.
No I wasn’t TOAL from their land so not sure why they give a crap but hey ho.
Totally get this wasn’t a dig at me so no worries.
No but I hadn’t pushed back as I intend to get permission anyway.
The wording on the last reply was “That all sounds fine — once you’ve confirmed the date, time, and have the landowner’s permission in place, please send the details along with your licence and insurance so we can authorise the flight accordingly.”
The permission and the use of “licence” is still an interesting interpretation of the rules but I will supply all the required details and move on
