YES WE CAN: monitor

Yes we can: the story so far… Infratil need Manston to be very busy; night flights are a bad thing; and the daytime flight paths must be designed to be as people-friendly as possible. So what happens next? Step aboard the time machine of your imagination, and gracefully swoop into the future…

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Better monitoring needs better radar

Altitude thickness

In the Olden Days (2005), Manston’s radar wasn’t good enough to tell them exactly where their planes were. They couldn’t tell the exact height because they only had Primary Surveillance Radar.

In the Modern Age (2009) they also have Secondary Surveillance Radar (they buy a feed from the MoD) so they can now tell the height of planes as they pass over Herne Bay. And elsewhere, presumably.

But they don’t record it.

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Changes to airport master plan

Clipping: thisiskent

Thanet council’s leading group is to consider a report recommending changes to the Manston airport draft master plan. On Thursday, April 9 the Tory cabinet will discuss recommendations made by its airport working party, chaired by Cllr Bob Bayford, in response to proposals put forward by airport owners Infratil.

Proposed amendments include more specific measurable targets on the airport’s environmental goals including sustainability, becoming carbon neutral, and emission control including proposals on airline offsetting measures.

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No case for night flights

Something of the night

They must be bats, wanting to fly in the dark. Not in the squeaky, blood-sucking sense. Just a bit nutso. Re-tune your ears and minds to human frequencies and I'll explain...

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Freight over-stated

Nosey, picky

Infratil's silver-tongued spinners at Maxim PR told the world that Manston currently handled "33,000 tonnes of freight" when they trumpeted Infrapenny's MasterPlan (8th Oct 2008). Oops.

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British Airways reject Manston airport

Clipping: thisiskent

SLEEPERS can rest easy for awhile after British Airways shelved plans to fly noisy cargo planes over the area. Complaints flooded in after the airline was given the go ahead to fly 11 planes out of Kent International Airport at Manston and across Herne Bay, Tankerton and Chestfield the town between 6am and 11.30pm every day. Canterbury City Council was given just five days to respond to the proposal passed by its Thanet counterparts late last month.

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Elected and supportive

Carrying on...

Just had a call from Cllr Vince McMahan (Conservative, West Bay). He's fully behind my earlier email and is therefore quite clearly intelligent, perceptive and right-thinking. He'll be showing the email to Roger Gale this morning to keep him in the loop.

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Keep calm and carry on

"It is now public knowledge that BAWC have pulled out of their negotiations with Infratil. PLEASE don't let the issue of planes over Herne Bay drop off your radar. It is as important as ever, just temporarily less urgent..."

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Stansted 1, Manston 0

Like any business that bids for a new contract and is unsuccessful, we are obviously disappointed with this news... We are committed to attracting further freight operators to the airport and ensuring the successful return of scheduled passenger services to a range of destinations...

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Bigger than politics

Well, we went, we saw, but I'm not sure we've conquered quite yet. Everyone paid attention when we gave our speeches, no booing, no rotten tomatoes - excellent behaviour.

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Cargo flights fear for Herne Bay

Clipping: thisiskent

Residents face sleepless nights from May as night-time flights are set to soar over Herne Bay and Whitstable from May. Herne Bay town centre and Hampton Pier are on the planned flight path for 11 British Airways cargo carriers and homes in Chestfield and Blean will also be affected. BA has been given the green light for 11 freighter planes to land and take off at Kent International Airport at Manston for an 18-month trial period from 6am to 11.30pm. Canterbury city council was given just one week to respond to the proposal, passed by Thanet Council earlier this month.

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More night time flights for Manston?

Controversial plans for more night time flights Kent International Airport at Manston are being considered by the local council. The proposals, which could become a reality as early as this May, would see dozens more flights into Kent International Airport every month. The first planes would take off or land at Manston from 6am and would operate until 11.30pm.

Airport owner Infratril is currently in talks with a major European airline that wants to use the site for long haul international cargo movements. The unnamed company hopes to fly 747 aircraft into airport up to 11 times a week. The plan would require a step change to the section 106 environmental agreement that restricts the airport's operations and is likely to be met with opposition.

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The Background Story

Manston a.k.a. Kent International Airport is an ex-RAF base in north-east Kent, just west of Ramsgate. It passed from the RAF to Wiggins, then PlaneStation, owners of EUJet (a budget passenger airline). EUJet went bust, and in August 2005 the administrators sold Manston to Infratil, a New Zealand-based multi-national infrastructure investor.

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Airport growth 'flight of fancy'

Green campaigners have said plans to expand a Kent airport to handle up to six million passengers a year by 2033 are "flights of fancy". Kent Green Party has delivered a critical submission in response to Kent International Airport's plans. The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) has also said the plans, revealed on 8 October, are unrealistic.

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Airport hopes to soar above crunch

Clipping: thisiskent

Manston Airport’s owner, Infratil Airports Europe, has posted a loss of £2.2 million in their interim report for the six months of the year up to September 30. Airport chief executive Matt Clarke blamed the loss of freight and charter holiday services and the recent rise in fuel prices.

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Direct flights to USA from Manston next year

Direct flights transatlantic flights will start from Kent International Airport next year. Norfolk International Airport in Virginia is contributing half the start up costs (£400,000) with Kent County Council and a coalition of investors...

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Airport's new owners 'in for the long haul'

Steve FitzgeraldKent International Airport could be as busy as Glasgow Prestwick in five years, according to Manston’s new boss. The forecast comes just weeks after Infratil, the New Zealand investment company, bought the Thanet airport from the administrators of former owners PlaneStation for £17 million.

Infratil already owns Glasgow Prestwick which has seen a surge of growth in recent years, employing 500 people directly with a further 3,500 jobs related to the airport.

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