Futuristic motorways of the SKY to cut delays & make flights shorter revealed-& they’re already controversial

PLANS for futuristic “motorways of the sky” that will cut delays and make flights shorter have been revealed.

The proposed introduction of the 25-mile wide motorways, based thousands of the feet in the air, will revolutionise British aviation.

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

Planes often zig-zag along the way because of outdated restrictions unable to meet the demands of modern air travel.

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

Aircraft, no longer constrained by outdated technology, can now navigate much more precisely.

Now, for the first time in seven decades, the sweeping transformation aims to overhaul the nation’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 vowed to provide a smoother and faster journey for passengers from departure to destination.

This ambitious initiative will touch down on the flight paths of the country’s busiest 20 airports.

Supporters of the plans say it could save time and fuel, reduce delays and cut noise for many villages and towns under flight paths.

But the proposals have already proven controversial with some locals.

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

Aircraft approaching popular Gatwick Airport typically start their descent at 7,000ft.

But under the new plans they could start 25 miles out, further to the south, keeping traffic to one long channel.

However, the ambitious plans would likely see more aircraft gathering at a lower altitude.

Campaigners against the plans say aircraft will fly lower for longer, creating more noise and lead to increased air traffic in areas under the new flight paths

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

She said: “This comes with no compensation, no consideration to the impact it will have on home life or house value.”

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

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

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

Its custodian, Duncan Leslie, has already moved out of the grounds after 15 years partly because of the noise from aircraft.

He fears much more regular traffic, which could affect the number of visitors and the opportunities to make money from filming.

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

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

Leslie said the process appeared to be intentionally obscure: “I’m sure they are thinking if we do this, [locals] will give up after a while, because they’ve got other things to do, which is kind of true.”

The plans were submitted to a panel of independent experts for examination 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 £1billion into the region’s economy every year.

The plan for Gatwick is particularly significant because it is also seeking to add a second runway, to be in use by 2030.

While the proposed changes to the airspace used for take-off and landing are still in the early stages, some remarkable work is under way for aircraft at higher altitude.

The old system sent planes on long detours — in one case of 578 miles — because aircraft could be plotted only every 14 minutes in the middle of the ocean 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 prevailing winds.