HerneBayMatters.com - NoNightFlights Blog

Yup, another night of misery for Ramsgate, as you'll see from the comments below. Here's a number of things for you all to think about:

There will be a public meeting of KIACC (the Consultative Committee for the airport) on Tuesday 11th October. This is usually held in the passenger lounge at Manston. Time to be confirmed. [Correction: the KIACC meeting is Friday 21st October, time TBA. I was cruelly misled!]
PLEASE could you check through the piss-poor replies you've had to earlier complaints for late Tuesday nights/early Wednesday mornings - I think we may have an unofficial timetable operating. Use the comments on this post to enter the date, time, and operator/aircraft details.
A new contact within TDC for you is Madeline Homer, on madeline.homer@thanet.gov.uk - Ms Homer has taken on Brian White's role in Regeneration, and reported to the recent Airport Working Party that:
- the S106 is voluntary (wrong)
- the current monitoring gives no cause for concern (judge for yourselves)

(1) low flying flight at ten past midnight tonight coming over augusta road, ramsgate

(2) Large plane just landed at Manston at 12.05 a.m. Think blue and yellow livery, including 4 letters beginning A .T. ?. ?. Woke us up!

(3) I've sent 2 complaints to the airport and KIACC this week re the planes coming in at midnight at 2:50 am. Admittedly the latter two were this evening but aside from the standard automatic responses I've not heard anything from Manston. Is there a contact at Thanet council we can also direct complaints to? Very awake now at this ungodly hour!

(4) Yet again I find my family being woken during the night. Twice!

In your capacity as the airport spokesman can I ask how it is that flights are operating at these times despite there supposed to be an agreement in place that flights do not operate at night.

Obviously by now I understand that when TDC refers to a fines regime it actually means that the operator does what it wants and TDC says "fine", however, please indulge me and arrange for the usual standard letter setting out that there is no penalty for the operator and the excuses why. Perhaps, as in the case of my complaint re the 3:50am flight, this letter could again come from the environmental protection manager just to cap the ridiculousness of the situation.

I have copied in my councillor so that they are aware of my complaint.

Update on Oct 5, 2011 at 23:27 by

HBM

Keep them coming, folks...

(5) Dear All,

I would like to make you all aware that this morning my family and myself where woken at 03.00 hours and then roused from a fitful sleep again at 04.30 by aircraft taking off from Manston in a Westerly direction.

I do not fully understand 106 or who regulates this airport and its owners all I know is that it is these early hour flights disturb my family by waking us all, this takes its toll on all of us during the day. Long-term ??

I will also share with you any response that I receive from the airport or it owners.

(6) Another one came over low after that - must have been 2 or 3am - woke me up. Hope to see everyone at the public meeting.

(7) In addition to the testimonies on NoNightFlights, I would like to add mine:

I can testify that a large plane passed over Priory Road, Ramsgate, just after midnight last night; I was still awake after coming back home from a long day's work in London.

In addition, I was awoken suddenly in the middle of the night while dreaming; it was a very unsettling experience and, today, my concentration for work is affected.

I would like to know why, as residents of Thanet, we are not kept informed by the council of what is happening with Manston Airport, and, in particular, of the issue of night flights: I could not find any related current information on the TC website, and have never received any letter or flyer by post on the topic (In contrast, I remember being informed of the construction of a wind farm at sea in Broadstairs). Instead, I have to rely on unofficial websites such as the NoNightFlights one.

A few months ago, I wrote to Laura Sandys asking as to why we are not kept informed of progress (either way), but got no answer.

I have no hope of a positive outcome for this issue in this society where political decisions are money-driven and I do not understand the vision the TC has for the future of Thanet (inductry or tourisnm?); all I am asking is to be kept informed of any approval for night flights and how many will take place, so that I (and other residents) can make a decision as to whether it is still worth living in Ramsgate.

My current job is located in London, and I would see no more reason to carry-on commuting if it is to come back to a noisy polluted town.

In advance, I thank you for your attention and I hope to hear from you.

(8) And another one at 03:00, which woke me up. It beggars belief that any sane politician could be in favour of permitting an expansion of activities which expose their own electorate to sleep deprivation.

(9) I would just like to share with you all the bog standard letter that I have now received on three occasions when I have raised complaints to Infratil at Manston airport.

It does not matter how the taking off and landing off aircraft is dressed up in noise data, new engine plane data or noise envelope data the truth is that unless you live four perhaps five miles away it will have an effect on sleep and people’s lives.

Each time an aircraft takes off I am woke up and spent the next couple of hours trying to get back to sleep, this does not help me the following day when I am trying to work !

When I move to this location I was content with the level of night flights and how they were suppose to be controlled and monitored however the proposed changes that the airport would like to make to the quantity of flights is blighting the area without even being approved.