SKY’s futuristic highways have been unveiled to cut delays and make flights shorter – and they’re already controversial

PLANS have been unveiled for futuristic ‘highways of the air’ that will cut delays and make flights shorter.

The proposed introduction of the 25-mile wide highways, suspended thousands of feet in the air, will revolutionize British aviation.

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A reorganization of the airspace is necessary because aircraft rarely take the shortest route between two aircraft airports.

Airplanes often zigzag along the way due to outdated restrictions that cannot meet the demands of modern air travel.

The original system was designed in the 1950s for aircraft that have long been discontinued, such as the Vickers Vanguard and the Hawker Siddeley Trident.

Airplanes, no longer limited by outdated technology, can now navigate much more accurately.

Now, for the first time in seven decades, the sweeping transformation aims to overhaul the country’s airspace and usher in a new era of aviation efficiency and innovation.

The clear goal is to replace the convoluted routes of yesteryear with streamlined paths that allow for more direct travel.

Promises of significant improvements in efficiency and a reduction in delays have been touted.

And the leap forward has also led to a smoother and faster journey for passengers from departure to destination.

This ambitious initiative will cover the flight paths of the country’s twenty busiest airports.

Supporters of the plans say it could save time and fuel, reduce delays and reduce noise pollution for many towns and cities under flight routes.

But the proposals have already proven controversial with some locals.

For those living under the new jet highways, the fear is that the noise pollution could be devastating.

Airplanes approaching the popular Gatwick Airport typically begin their descent at an altitude of 7,000 feet.

But the new plans allowed them to start 25 miles away, further south, and keep traffic on one long canal.

However, the ambitious plans would likely see more planes congregate at a lower altitude.

Campaigners against the plans say planes will fly lower for longer, creating more noise and leading to more air traffic in areas under the new flight routes

Sally Pavey, president of Cagne, a group that campaigns about noise from Gatwick, was alarmed to see proposals for new routes across the Horsham and Copthorne areas south of the airport.

She said: “This comes without compensation, without regard to the impact it will have on family life or the value of the home.”

Another campaigner, Charles Lloyd, highlighted the threat to Cowden, a village in the High Weald area of ​​natural beauty.

He estimated that the frequency of overhead aircraft could increase from once every 15 to 20 minutes in the future summer peak to one every 100 seconds.

The new flight path for Gatwick could also go over Hever Castle, near Edenbridge, Kent – ​​the childhood home of Anne Boleyn.

The manager, Duncan Leslie, has already moved from the site after fifteen years, partly because of the noise of aircraft.

He fears much more regular traffic, which could have consequences for the number of visitors and the opportunities that can be created money of filming.

Leslie told The Times: “When you hear the planes you can’t really escape them. Things keep you awake and the planes are particularly good at that.

“That bothers me, as does some of our guests, and I dare say that some of our guests may choose not to come anymore if they think there might be more planes.”

Leslie said the process seemed deliberately unclear: “I’m sure they think if we do this, [locals] They will give up after a while because they have other things to do, and that is true.”

The plans were submitted to a panel of independent experts for assessment in August last year.

But the process could take up to 18 months and could lead to the final green light for the controversial initiative.

Gatwick says their “substantial growth plan” would create 14,000 new jobs and inject £1 billion into the region’s economy every year.

The plan for Gatwick is particularly important as it also aims to add a second runway, which should be in use by 2030.

Although the proposed changes to the airspace used for take-off and landing are still in the early stages, notable work is being done for higher altitude aircraft.

The old system sent planes on long detours – in one case of 578 miles – because planes could only be landed in the middle of the ocean every 14 minutes and had to be kept 40 nautical miles apart for safety reasons.

But with modern technology they can be monitored every eight seconds.

This means they can fly closer together and on more direct routes that make better use of the prevailing winds.