HENSTRIDGE AIRFIELD CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE

Minutes of the sixteenth meeting

16th October 2013

Those Attending:

Tim Johnson (TJ) Chairman

John Howe (JH) Airfield user

Geoff Jarvis (GJ) Landowner

Tim Jolly (TJ) Marnhull PC

Nick Long (NL) Aircraft Owner

David Redwood (DR) Fifehead Magdalen

Adam Temperton (AT) Henstridge PC

Lucy Wallace (LW) SSDC

Joe Williams (JW) Airfield Operator & Secretary

Members of the Public:

Angela Barton (AB)

Susanna Cooke (SC)

Meryl Halstead (MH)

David Sekers (DS)

Apologies for absence:

Max Hoskins Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance

Tim Inglefield SSDC

Minutes of last meeting:

Agreed. JW confirmed that a page had been included on the website, which included details of the committee, including the agenda.

Open Forum:

AB Suggested that the page on the website was not very obvious. JW replied that every time there was a change to the content it is highlighted on the home page. The page, which originally started as a temporary addition pending experience with the e-mail address, is now a permanent fixture.

She also asked about the Tiger Moth training presently taking place at the airfield. GJ responded to the effect that the training, which had been approved by the area committee but not yet issued, involves only take-offs and landings at the airfield. Any aerobatics are conducted more than four miles from the field and if circuit flying is required then it takes place at another airfield.

ITEM: FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS:

PLANNING:

SSDC have now received their QCs opinion, regarding the application submitted in October 2012, and as at Monday 14th October they were asking for a meeting with Mr Steel (QC) to clarify some aspects of the advice.

ITEM: ACTIVITY SINCE THE LAST MEETING:

See Attachment 1, Table 1

ITEM: COMMENTS RECEIVED REGARDING AIRFIELD ACTIVITIES:

See Attachment 1

ITEM: FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

There will be three fly-ins and two open days planned for 2014. The annual Wessex Strut Fly-in will probably be in April, and the annual ‘Wings and Wheels’ open day will take place on Saturday 23rd August. Other dates will be announced in due course.

In addition, as usual, there will be three other events:

The airfield will host two Scout camps at which Scouts will participate in a course aimed at achieving the ‘aeronautics’ Scout badge. These camps will take place in May and September.

We will also host a family day for the children’s cancer charity CLIC at which, amongst other events and attractions, patients and siblings will be taken for a short flight in the local area. This will probably take place in July

These three additional events will involve a certain number of repetitive flights from the field and every effort will be made to minimise any inconvenience to our neighbours.

ITEM: ANY OTHER BUSINESS:

None

ITEM: NEXT MEETING:

22nd October 2014. Note the start time – 5.15pm

Attachments:

Attachment 1 – Statistics and comments.

CHAIRMAN’S ANNOUNCEMENT:

The Chairman announced to the committee that on 31st December 2013, Joe Williams will be retiring from the day to day running of the airfield.

Geoff Jarvis will be appointed a Director of EGHS Limited and will assume operational control of the airfield from 1st January 2014 onwards.

Any correspondence members of the committee or members of the public may have should be marked for Geoff's attention from 1st Jan onwards. All contact numbers and addresses will remain as now.

He asked that a vote of thanks be recorded for JW.

ATTACHMENT ONE. Statistics and comments.

SUMMARY STATISTICS:

Table 1 Movements April to September 2013:

Month

/ Fixed Wing / Helicopter / Total

April

/ 586 / 24 / 610
May / 638 / 50 / 688
June / 614 / 60 / 774
July / 642 / 48 / 690

August

/ 568 / 42 / 610

September

/ 442 / 28 / 470

Total for the period: 3842

Table 2. Annualised Movements by calendar year:

Year / Total Movements / Helicopters / Telephone calls.
2006 / 5062 (56) / 668 – 13.2% / 26 – 0.5%
2007 / 6189 (44) / 704 – 12.9% / 11 – 0.2%
2008 / 5752 (47) / 448 – 7.8% / 7 – 0.1%
2009 / 6356 (60) / 418 – 6.6% / 10 - 0.16%
2010 / 6153 (68) / 526 – 8.5% / 22 – 0.4%
2011 / 6625 (53) / 784 – 11.8% / 24 – 0.3%
2012 / 6497 (55) / 808 – 12.4% / 23 – 0.3%
2013 to date / 4710 (44) / 314 – 6.6% / 23 – 0.48%

Figures in brackets show non-flying (poor weather) days

Telephone calls 2013 to date:

Twenty-three calls received from two people, broken down as follows:

Eight of these were accepted and the pilots concerned were briefed where possible

One was recorded as ‘Doubtful’, meaning that the pilot was prepared to accept that the approach might have contravened the noise abatement protocol, but felt that it probably did not

Four were denied by the pilots, meaning that they were certain that they were flying in accordance with the noise abatement protocol

Ten were not related to activity at Henstridge.

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