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CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY FIGURES OF AIRCRAFT MOVEMENTS AT MANSTON

Every time an aircraft takes-off or lands, it creates what is known as an air movement. 

The number of air movements per year is a way of quantifying activity at an airfield.

When the civilianisation of Manston was discussed, Thanet Council were asked to accept that the airfield had, had significant civilian usage for more than ten years. 

Figures supplied by the MoD in support of this claim, showed an average of 55,000 air movements per annum between 1994 and 1999.

Thanet District Council did not request a breakdown of the figures which were supplied by the MoD, and sought no further figures in support of the application. 

On the basis of the figures supplied, Thanet District Council issued a Certificate of Lawfulness for the use of the airfield and buildings for COMMERCIAL civilian use.

The CAA keep records of air traffic at all UK airports. 

This table summarises the CAA figures for Air Transport Movements at Manston between 1978 and 1999. 

Air Transport movements are landings or take-offs of aircraft engaged in the transport of passengers, cargo or mail on COMMERCIAL terms.

It is clear that Manston has seen little COMMERCIAL use. 

The vast majority of the average 55,000 air movements per year, referred to by the MoD, were generated by light aircraft from the flying training school. 

These are classed by the CAA as RECREATIONAL movements.

The light aircraft are able to operate on circuits which do not cross residential areas. 

In addition, the noise levels created by these planes are not as high as those of large passenger or freight planes. 

For these reasons a given level of recreational aviation may cause far less disturbance than an equivalent level of commercial activity.

Thanet Council have allowed the MoD to use levels of activity, primarily attributable to recreational aviation, to justify a Certificate of Lawfulness for commercial aviation.

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