By reorganizing the airspace, more space will be created for the Defense to practice with the F-35, and certain areas will allow for shorter flights for civil aviation. The new layout of the airspace pertains to where aircraft fly at high altitudes, at a minimum of 1800 meters. Implementation is expected to take place between 2028 and 2030.
The new layout of the airspace also lays the foundation for reducing the noise of civil aviation on the ground in the future. This is good news for residents. A 4th approach point towards Schiphol, which was previously considered, will not be established.
Defense
The Defense requires a larger training area to effectively train with the F-35, the latest generation of fighter jets. This strengthens the combat power and deterrence of the armed forces and ensures that the armed forces are ready for deployment.
Currently, the Defense has 3 training areas: in the north, south, and east of the country. The area in the north will be expanded, creating more suitable training space for the F-35. The average altitude for an exercise is about 6 kilometers, and more than 80% of the exercises take place over the sea. The areas in the south and east are too small for this purpose and will be discontinued for daily use.
The new layout of the airspace further enables cross-border cooperation with our neighboring countries during large NATO exercises. The urgency of this has been heightened by the changed geopolitical circumstances and the deteriorated security situation.
Civil Aviation
As 2 training areas disappear, civil aviation will no longer have to fly around them, leading to shorter routes.
During the process, it was examined whether a 4th approach point towards Schiphol could be established. This would mean that aircraft could fly shorter routes, thereby emitting less. Ultimately, it turned out that such a 4th approach point could not be combined with the international connections in the airspace.
This draft design is a first step. An external committee will assess the utility and necessity of the design and the process followed. This committee was a strong wish of the House of Representatives. Ultimately, the parliament will also deliberate on the new layout next year. Decision-making will follow afterward.
Less Noise and Emissions
The new layout lays the groundwork for allowing aircraft to approach airports at higher altitudes and to descend continuously in the future. In practice, this means that an aircraft follows a fixed route in the last segment before landing, flies longer at greater altitude, and, due to a gradual descent, needs to use the engine less. This leads to less noise on the ground and reduced emissions of harmful substances.
In 2025, the learning trajectory for Higher Approaches will begin, on 1 runway at Schiphol. Stakeholders and residents will be closely involved in the development and evaluation of this. From 2026, participation processes will also start around Rotterdam The Hague Airport and for the other runways at Schiphol.