|
RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS
SUBMITTED Questions are listed under the type headings below, you can go straight to a question type, or page-down to read all of them.
Q. Will old noisy aircraft be banned or restricted as at other UK
Airports? Q. What is the policy for ageing planes which, apart from high noise
element, appear to emit heavy aviation fuel vapour that descends over our houses
and gardens? Are these to be barred as at other airports? A. All aircraft operating at London Manston Airport meet current
international standards. As the standards become more stringent the aircraft in
question will either have to comply or be withdrawn from service. Q. What assessment has been made regarding amount of asbestos that
maybe in old buildings adjacent to aprons, prior to demolition? A. The MOD has provided what is believed to be a comprehensive record
of the asbestos content of all buildings included in the sale of the airfield
site to the Wiggins Group. Q. Will provision be made for an emergency ambulance service? A. The provision of a public emergency service at the Airport is not
in our remit. .We do, however, provide our facilities, free of charge, to the
Emergency Services when they respond to an actual emergency in the area. Q. If foreign aircraft bring their own loaders with them (re report
that one was injured at Manston), how will this help the employment situation in
Thanet? A. Local labour is being used. The crew of the aircraft is responsible
for confirming that the load has been secured properly and the aircraft is
properly balanced before departure. Therefore the crew includes a Loadmaster who
is responsible for overseeing these aspects of loading. There is always a change
of flight crew between arriving and departing flights and it was the Loadmaster
of the outbound flight and an engineer from the airline who were injured in the
unfortunate accident. Q. How many jobs at Manston have been given to local residents that
are directly employed by Wiggins? How many jobs have been given to others not
residents of Thanet at time of employment, directly employed by Wiggins? A. A total of 26 people have been employed from outside Thanet and
indeed the county of Kent. This group principally comprises specialist members
of our Air Traffic Control and Rescue and Fire Fighting Departments. It was
conditional to the granting of our civil licence that these specifically
qualified people were in place at Day 1. We are now training and developing
Thanet people in these disciplines as part of our declared commitment to the
local community. Additionally there are a total of 14 people who, whilst not
from Thanet, are from nearby settlements such as Sandwich. Ash. Dover and Herne
Bay. Q. A great deal of air traffic comes from areas that have endemic
diseases. What protection is given to safeguard local ground teams from
infection? Are ground crews immunised to safeguard local community from disease? A. The Airport has set up an arrangement with a local surgery to
provide our personnel with the appropriate immunisation. Q. Will any environmental assessment be carried out to predict effect
of large scale expansion i.e. property blight, noise, pollution. If not, why
not? A. A large number of surveys relating to such matters as noise. air
pollution, sound insulation for dwellings and a green travel strategy will be
commissions by Wiggins and published locally as part of a rolling programme over
the next two years. The requirements for and scope of the reports are set out in
paras. 2 -11 of Schedule 2 in the Section 106 Agreement. Q. Understand that take off direction can be dictated by wind
direction. Of late seems that on windless days there is an increase in take offs
over Ramsgate. Is this a temporary measure? A. The direction of take off is dictated by the surface wind as
measured at the airfield. The airfield is the most exposed part of Thanet and
the wind as measured at the airfield is always higher than is apparent in the
more adjacent local residential areas. Q. Why can't planes that fly so low over Ramsgate houses frightening
children, come in over the sea across fields and from the other direction, or
circle to come in, instead of directly across Ramsgate? A. An aircraft must land into wind or as close to it as possible.
Therefore. the direction of the approach is dictated by this. A large aircraft
is not very manoeuvrable particularly in the very final stages of flight where
its aerodynamic characteristics are compromised by the requirement to lower the
undercarriage and to lower flaps to reduce the airspeed to landing speed.
Consequently. a long and straight in approach provides a safe environment in
which to accomplish all this. The type that you suggest would not unfortunately
meet the criteria associated with a safe and controlled approach. Q. How close will any aircraft landing at, or taking off from, the
expanded airport, fly to Deal and Walmer, and at what height? A. The main airways beacon associated with the complex flight paths in
the south east of England is about 2 miles south west of Walmer. The majority of
commercial aircraft using Manston join and leave the busy airways system at this
beacon. Aircraft will normally be between 5000-6000 ft above ground level at
this point. Q. I am in correspondence with Alastair Robertson concerning safe
routeing of aircraft. My contention is that aircraft from the East should turn
onto finals when still well out to sea and similarly on take off to the East,
aircraft should continue on a straight course until well over the sea before
commencing climbing turns. It is well understood that take off and landing are
most critical phases of flight, and Mr Robertson appears to agree with my views.
However, aircraft engaged in low level turns continue to over-fly my home in
Broadstairs, most recently on 4th September. Why is this? A. I am sorry that you are still experiencing this situation; our
efforts have obviously not been totally acceptable. I am in the process of
writing to all the airlines using the Airport re- emphasising and reinforcing
the requirement to fly over the sea rather than inhabited coastal areas. Q. Why cannot the angle of approach be increased especially over
Ramsgate, and be in line with Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted? Increasing the
angle of approach would allow aircraft on approach to use less power so reducing
noise level. A. The standard internationally recognised civil aviation glidepath is
3° .There are a small number of exceptions to this authorised because of
limitations imposed by obstacles. The only exception in the UK is London City
Airport. Certainly Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted Airports all operate a 3°
glidepath. Apart from the fact that it would be a departure from international
standards, all aircraft using the proposed higher glidepath would have to be
re-certified accordingly and the Civil Aviation Authority would have to give
their approval. A previous informal discussion with them on this point indicates
that this would not be forthcoming. Q. Is there a map I could see that shows flight paths around the area?
Are they very wide paths (eg a mile wide, or a few hundred metres, or in
between)? Many flights follow exactly the same path. Is there a navigation
beacon somewhere that controls this? If so, where is it located? Does the
weather have a major effect on the directions that planes land and take off? If
so, what are the main directions used when the wind is (a) in the west and (b)
in the east? Is the flight path simply reversed? A. To answer fully your questions in writing would probably generate
more questions than it would answer. I would therefore like to suggest that you
visit the Airport for a briefing to cover these and ensuing aspects. Q. Is it the intention of TDC to allow LMA to expand to the size of
stansted within next S/6yrs? A. The Council is committed to support the sustainable development of
Manston Airport, but whether it will ever reach the capacity of Stansted
Airport, and if so, in what timescale is "crystal ball gazing". What
can be said is that should the Airport approach the throughput of Stansted, a
number of major development such as for example a new passenger terminal could
be required, and such developments would be likely to require an application for
planning permission. The Council will be able to approve or reject any such
application based on review of environmental considerations against the economic
benefits such a development would have for the area. If approval were being
contemplated, the Council could impose appropriate conditions on the
development, some of which would have due regard to the environmental impact
envisaged. Q. Object to way Wiggins have continued to make part of airport scrap
metal yard. Originally told it was only 6 planes. A. The aircraft currently being dismantled are the last three of the
eight aircraft that we inherited with the Airport. We are equally as anxious as
local residents to stop this activity but it we do not dismantle the aircraft,
they will remain in their present position to blight the landscape for the
foreseeable future. It may be worth mentioning that the Airport does not own
these aircraft and we derive no financial benefit from this activity. Q. Have Wiggins any contracts at all for passenger-carrying airlines
to be based at and to fly from Manston? Q. I am not alone among residents in E. Kent in hoping that passenger
flights from Manston to Spain and other European destinations will soon become
possible. Is this wishful thinking or a positive reality? Q. When will passenger flights to European destinations commence and
are discussions taking place with holiday operators like Thomas Cook or Thomsons? A. Confidential negotiations are taking place with a number of
airlines and tour operators, both British and European, with a view to ensuring
that Manston becomes an import point of arrival and departure for European and
Transatlantic passenger traffic in the coming years. Q. Will there be a ban on all night flights between 10pm and 6am
except in event of emergencies? Q. Appears to be difference of opinion regarding night flight
intentions. Can this be clarified and the truth publicised once and for all. Q. What will be the night-flying regulations of the enlarged airport?
How will these be enforced? A. The position can be summarised as follows: there can be no regular
night flying between the hours of 2300 and 0700 unless it is in accordance with
a published night flying policy in respect of which due consultation has taken
place. The only exceptions to this are emergency relief flights, inbound
transatlantic flights between 0600 and 0700 and outbound European flights
between 0600 and 0700. The word "regular" is carefully defined in the Section 106
Agreement and the position is set out in full in paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 of
that Agreement. Q. What agreements have TDC put in place with Wiggins to protect
residents against noise and pollution if expansion plans allowed to proceed. Q. Air contamination occurs when planes park at Smugglers Leap or
Minster end of runway -smell of aviation fuel in gardens forces residents
indoors. If expansion proceeds what is going to be done about air contamination
and preventing it reaching lower ends of historic village of Minster? Q. Airport plans are an asset Thanet cannot afford to push aside, but
quality of life of those living under flightpath should not be pushed aside
either. Elimination of vapourised fuel showers and excessive take off noise
could make a difference. Q. The draft Section 106 Agreement as published for the public
consultation, contained provision for pollution monitoring -results of which
would be given to TDC and MACC on a monthly basis. What regulations exist for
determining what is deemed to be "excessive pollution", and what
provision does the amended 106 Agreement contain for dealing with any
contravention? A. The Government has required local councils under the Environment
Act to review air quality within their area and make a public statement as
regards air quality in general and in regard to a number of specific pollutants.
These pollutants include: sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide. nitrogen oxide,
particulates, etc. Q. How many complaints are there regarding noise and exhaust
pollution? A. Breakdown of complaints attached (as supplied by Alastair Robertson at the meeting on 11 September 2000) Q. There are a number of "droning" planes that fly over
Canterbury between 9.30 and 11.30pm most nights. Are these to or from Manston?
Are they perhaps a specific group of flights, eg to and from the USA ? A. The aircraft in question are not from Manston and I cannot begin to
guess where they are coming from or going to. There is an extensive airways
system that covers south east England, and sound seems to travel further at
night due to the reduction in ambient noise. Q. How many complaints have Wiggins received from residents about noise pollution? How many complaints have Wiggins received about air pollution? How many complaints have Wiggins received about low flying aircraft? A. Breakdown of complaints attached (as supplied by Alastair Robertson 11 September 2000) Q. Will there be any restrictions in respect of number of day time
flights permitted? A. A restriction in the number of day time flights is not currently
under discussion Q. If, as envisaged by TDC, there will be ten million passengers per
year by 2020, what will be the frequency of take-offs and landings? A. The answer to this is an arithmetical calculation based on a number
of assumptions. Q. How many landings and take-offs are there currently at Manston?
What is expected growth over next 3 and 5 yrs? A. On average there are about 20 landings and take offs by large
commercial aircraft each day. Many of these are training flights. Assuming that
the Airport can attract 3m passengers by the end of 2005, this figure could
increase to about 90 movements a day. Q. Rather than this type of stage-managed meeting, where answers to
pre-submitted questions are prepared in advance, is it not time, in view of
developments, that TDC arrange another public meeting? A. The meeting referred to is one of Manston Airport Consultative Committee meetings, one of which is open to the public each year. These meetings are neither called, nor managed, by the Council. Throughout the process of development of the airport since it became a civilian operation, the Council has either held public meetings to inform the public, or made copies of draft documents available for the public to comment. The Council is satisfied that the process conducted to date has been open to public review. That said, it is likely that should major changes in the current operation of the airport be proposed, the Council would continue to advise the public of any such proposals to enable Members of the Council to be aware of public views. The process could include further public meetings, if for example a major proposal for new development were put forward which would mean a step change in the development of the area, and if it was thought to be the best method of getting the issues before the widest audience. Thanet District Council SECTION 106 Q. Having heard Cllr Nicholson say some weeks ago on Radio Kent that
the Sec. 106 agreement had been "beefed up" regarding penalties and
safeguards, is it possible to have more details. A. A number of the restrictions on such matters as engine testing were
tightened as compared with the original draft and most of the fines to be
imposed have been subject to substantial increases. Q. How many local residents have written to the airport to tell them
they are in favour of the airport without any restrictions other than the 106
Agreement? A. From some 300,000 people given the opportunity to respond to the
public consultation on the original draft document, 314 responses were received.
Of those, 274 were from individuals, and 40 from Councils, associations and
other organisations. In total, 222 letters indicated that they were generally in favour of the draft 106.
Eighty-nine responses indicated that they were opposed to the agreement. Q. A recent Radio 4 programme "The new world of war: The arms
trade" drew attention to UN sanctions-breaking flights departing from
Manston with military equipment for African conflict areas. It was also stated
that sub standard aircraft may be used on such flights. The producer of the
programme says that his investigations also found that in May this year, 4
helicopters were shipped from Manston to the Democratic Republic of Congo which
is subject to a European arms embargo. He says that this is now the subject of
enquiries by the DTI and Customs. A. I have asked the BBC for a transcript of the programme which was
made without reference to the Airport. From this I will be able to better
understand the nature and context of the comments you have used in formulating
your question. Q. Underground munitions were recently removed from ex-RAF base at
Hawkinge, despite it having been previously swept. Manston Airport operators
recently stated in press that Manston was safe. Developers had said same for
Hawkinge. Technology has moved on. Will another sweep be carried out to check
prior to excavation, using modem ground radar? A. The MoD carried out a survey of the airfield site during the period
between Exchange of Contracts and Completion of the sale. Significant numbers of
minor explosive items were found and disposed of. Subsequently, as part of the
preliminary works associated with the development of the 20 acres of aprons and
taxiways, further surveys have been, and are being, carried out using more
sophisticated and penetrative equipment. |