More rotors in the sky

The only way is up

Written by Kevin Glynn for the Greater London Project. Kevin is the Co-founder of Butternut Box.

I had a lot of fun getting my pilot’s licence over the summer. The learning curve was brilliant – from radio communications to engines, aerodynamics, and navigation. But as I logged hours, I realised that what captivated me wasn’t just the technical elements; it was the entire ecosystem of flight. The precision, perspective, and coordination required to keep everything running smoothly are nothing short of extraordinary. Not to mention, I am a creature of habit and love checklists – the aviation industry takes this to another level and it's like living The Checklist Manifesto in real-time.

As I learned more about airspace it has made me even more convinced that London can do more to expand its position as a global powerhouse.

London’s airspace

To give context, the UK’s aviation sector delivers huge economic benefits, contributing mid-single digits to UK GDP while supporting 1.6 million jobs either directly or indirectly.

London itself is home to one of the busiest airspaces on the planet, with six major airports – Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, London City, and Southend – handling over 4,000 flights on any given day, or one every 20 seconds. Heathrow alone, Europe’s busiest airport, sees more than 80 million passengers annually.

So, why is London’s airspace so effective?

• A network of complementary airports: Each airport serves a specific role. Heathrow handles long-haul flights, Gatwick manages a mix of budget and international trips, and London City is perfect for business travellers. This segmentation keeps the system efficient and flexible – a smart design that many cities could learn from.

• Quick, seamless transport: From central London, you can reach most of the airports in around an hour – something you can’t say for many other big cities. Whether it’s the Underground, buses, or taxis, London’s transport network ensures getting to the airport isn’t a headache.

• World-class infrastructure: While each London airport may not meet the Lee Kuan Yew benchmark, collectively they surpass most European and American equivalents in operational efficiency and passenger experience.

• Air traffic control at its finest: London’s airspace, one of the most complex in the world, operates like an orchestrated symphony. The volume of aircraft – jets, private planes, and helicopters – that air traffic controllers handle daily is incredible, a true testament to the precision behind London’s vast, invisible infrastructure.

The result is clear: increased tourism, less congestion at airports, and quicker travel times. London’s connectivity doesn’t just facilitate tourism; it enhances commercial trade and increases the appeal for international companies to relocate here.

Staying ahead of the game

But recent innovations in air travel have caught my attention, making me think that if London doesn’t continue to push boundaries, it could be knocked off its top spot. Chinese cities are exploring electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, while in Dublin, a company is delivering coffee by drone in minutes to people’s gardens.

Staying ahead will require addressing typical concerns associated with increased air travel – noise, congestion, and environmental impact. However, innovations are already tackling these issues, and it would be short-sighted to ignore meaningful progress, especially given the long-term economic benefits.

• Noise: Aircraft noise is a well-known concern, particularly for those living near flight paths. I live under one, yet I’m still all for more planes in the sky. But technology is reducing noise pollution, and modern aircraft like the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 787 are up to 50% quieter than their predecessors. Another avenue worth exploring is having airports accommodate narrow-bodied planes landing at steeper angles, as is already the case at London City Airport.

• Stagnant airport capacity: Contrary to popular belief, Heathrow’s flight numbers have been stagnant for over two decades. It’s a crying shame that other major European airports have surpassed Heathrow in passenger growth, with much more aggressive expansion strategies.

• Technological advancements for the environment: The industry is proactively addressing environmental concerns - Airbus has committed to developing a hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft by 2035. Airlines are investing in sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs), which can reduce carbon emissions by up to 80%, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and electric aircraft will (eventually) provide a route to even lower emissions.

The future ahead

To ensure London’s airspace remains at the cutting edge of global aviation, we need to embrace innovation and push the boundaries.

We must expand airport capacity:

• Expanding airport capacity is crucial for London’s future. Heathrow’s third and fourth runways are needed to accommodate the growing demand; by the mid-2030s, most of London’s airports are expected to be at full capacity. We can do it, China already creates eight new airports (not runways) a year and has built nearly 100 airports during the time it’s taken to debate Heathrow’s third runway.

• Gatwick’s Northern Runway Project is facing local and environmental opposition to moving a runway just 12 metres – a move that is projected to inject £1 billion into the local economy and create 14,000 jobs. It’s been six years since the original proposal with nothing approved to date.

• The cutting edge of air travel is shifting back towards speed. Innovations in supersonic travel are on the horizon, and London must be ready for Mach 2 flights, where trips to New York will take as long as a flight to Spain does today. Companies like Boom Supersonic are developing aircraft that could make this a reality by the end of the decade.

• Additionally, we could optimise slot allocation through auctions, as discussed in Foundations, to improve efficiency and competitiveness. By auctioning time slots, we ensure they go to airlines that value them most, fostering competition and perhaps opening up new avenues such as priority slots for lower-emission planes.

We must embrace eVTOLs:

• São Paulo, a city with a similar land area to London, has over 400 helipads, far more than London's limited helipad infrastructure. With the rise of eVTOLs, we need more helipad infrastructure. Imagine using the Thames as a corridor for eVTOL taxis, cutting travel times from Canary Wharf to Heathrow to mere minutes – not to mention how scenic that would be. This is already happening in San Francisco, Dubai, and Los Angeles, which plans to implement eVTOL-based air taxis for the 2028 Olympics.

We must embrace drone technology:

• When I saw Manna’s drone delivering coffee in Dublin, it felt like a glimpse into the future. Whether it’s delivering emergency medical equipment, packages, or food, drones are faster, cheaper, and quieter than most traditional transport methods. What’s not to love? By designating drone flight paths at lower altitudes (below 250 feet) while maintaining safe distances from major airports, the city can unlock drone technology’s potential without compromising safety.

Doubling down on strengths

London has always been a city of ambition and innovation. By 2030, we need a fully integrated network of eVTOL services, supersonic flight capabilities, and drones in the sky. Expansion plans for Heathrow and Gatwick should be greenlit and accelerated, while cutting-edge technologies like hydrogen-powered aircraft and autonomous air traffic control systems should be embraced and tested within the city’s skies. The Mayor needs a ‘Sky Plan’, and a person to lead it. Now is the time to push the boundaries of what’s possible. The benefits of embracing this change are enormous: more efficient travel, faster logistics, and a thriving economy.

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Community notes:

• Thank you to everyone who came to our second event on ‘Cultural capital: how London shaped the arts. In conversation with Munira Mirza’. We had a packed house at the Sekforde, photos below, and an update about our next event coming soon!

• The Sekforde is a great pub, we also held our launch event there in July. But it’s under threat because Islington Council wants to change its licensing. Please help by emailing licensing@islington.gov.uk saying you oppose the council’s planned changes to The Sekforde’s license, before the 17th of December. If you live in Islington, you should also include your address, and copy in your local councillor, whose details you can find by putting your address in here.

• Read of the week: Jim Waterson’s expose on illegal gambling on Westminster Bridge.

• Write for us: if you care about London and want to write about it, then send us your ideas! You don’t have to have written before — many of our authors haven’t.

• Join the GLP WhatsApp community here

Have a great weekend,

Joe and the GLP team