Heathrow CTR
 

Will be re-classified as class D airspace wef 18 Sep 2014. Mode S transponders will be mandatory for traffic requesting transit.
Part of the zone close to Heathrow airport will require PPR for transit.

About time. The whole idea of class A to the ground anywhere was just wrong.

Can only hope they adopt the same changes around Amsterdam......

God help us.....

Ooh Goody, Ockham-Bov VFR...

How exactly? Unless it has changed in the last two years, I never had any trouble getting VFR transits across Schiphol.

I think you're missing the point I'm trying to make. You might be able to get a VFR Transit via the Schiphol CTR but to get to it, you need to be under 1500 feet to avoid the Class A airspace around it unless you gain an SVFR clearance. Personally speaking, reducing the range of altitudes between which GA aircraft can operate is hardly conducive to safety. Think about it - Dutch Airspace guidelines say you have to fly at least 1000 feet above built up areas yet the highest altitude to fly is 1500 feet. By allowing the reclassification of (eg) Schiphol TMA1 from Class A to Class D Airspace, at least VFR traffic have the option to ask for a transit at a higher altitude, currently Class A means NO, irrespective of the utilisation of said airspace; concerning SVFR, I have only been granted such a clearance once....

edit: looking at the Dutch AIP, I find it incredible that the Dutch actually recommend that, due to inadvertent infringements, VFR pilots flying under the TMA 1 should fly at 1200 or 1300 feet, thus restricting the available airspace further still...

And let's not forget the Mode S debacle which had us all switching off our transponders when near Schiphol a few years ago :ok:

heathrow class d
 

So why is it being reclassified?

Isn't it because of European rules?
Special VFR under Europe is defined as a VFR flight, and you cannot have VFR flight in Class A Airspace. Therefore the airspace must be re-classified to one that allows VFR flight. Class D selected as being the one most suitable for the existing Special VFR procedures to continue with minimal change.:ok:

Reading this might help.

Why not Class B, like in the States?

The document linked to in the post above yours explains all that.

FWIW: I heard a rumour that Brussels CTR will became class D very soon, whereas it always was class C. Reason is rumoured to be that ATC are unable to cope with the obligation to separate VFR traffic (lots of low-flying helicopters around) from IFR (mostly airliners).

Was this already in place in the past week or so?

I do transits through the Heathrow CTR pretty frequently, maybe one a week. I did two transits last Sunday, one direct Fairoaks to WOD NDB and the other Beaconsfield-BUR NDB-Ascot-Fairoaks. Historically, it's always been SVFR in my experience.

The direct Fairoaks to WOD I received a transit clearance and NOT an SVFR clearance which confused me. I was corrected as I read back "Cleared SVFR direct WOD NDB not above 1,500'" but I was specifically corrected to a transit, not SVFR, by the ATCO.

On the other occasion, I received cleared transit Beaconsfield-BUR not above 1,500 then SVFR not above 1,000 after BUR, to maintain separation from the IFR traffic on LHR approaches/departures, and I assume that using SVFR not above 1,000' avoids the 1,000' rule.

It does but the 500 foot rule still does apply.

From now on you should expect a VFR (weather dependent) clearance between BUR-ASCOT not above 1200ft in order for you to be able to comply with the 1000ft rule

Similarly, the London Heliport Local Flying Area maximum altitude is now raised to 1300 feet QNH.

That one was always a gotcha at 1000 feet, although pilots were exempt from the 1,000 foot rule inside, it wasn't possible to achieve that altitude without busting the rule just outside, in the descent..