Spitfire over Greenham Common 5 mins ago!

When I lived in Farnborough I could hear Concorde depart LHR if the wind was from the East, thats something like 22 miles.
Where I live now we have a farm strip, used infrequently by microlights, its attracted some noise complaints. These have been made to the council, but its obvious from the times and descriptions of type that any air movements in the area are attributed to the strip, when they obviously were aircraft just transiting through.
When sitting in said council office to discuss the complaints withe a council officer they exclaimed on hearing a engine noise outside “there’s one now, microlights are noisy”. It was the grass being mown just outside the window.
Incidentally I as a lad lived near Greenham when it was fully active with B47, KC97 and the odd B58, WB50, C124, C133 etc they were fantastic, especially the B47 stream take off’s that would wipe out best part of a school lesson with noise and smoke.

Richard

When I lived in Farnborough I could hear Concorde depart LHR if the wind was from the East, thats something like 22 miles.
Where I live now we have a farm strip, used infrequently by microlights, its attracted some noise complaints. These have been made to the council, but its obvious from the times and descriptions of type that any air movements in the area are attributed to the strip, when they obviously were aircraft just transiting through.
When sitting in said council office to discuss the complaints withe a council officer they exclaimed on hearing a engine noise outside “there’s one now, microlights are noisy”. It was the grass being mown just outside the window.

Richard

Unexpected Pleasures

Just wanted to add here that while sailing off Toronto this past weekend, we heard the sound of piston engines and looked up to see the unmistakable silhouette of a Lancaster heading west, toward Hamilton.
Hadn’t seen one in the air since the early 1960s! What a pleasant surprise!

At Popham I have heard people wondering whether we get noise complaints yet you can hardly hear them ask over the niose of the traffic on the A303.

It makes me laugh when I hear people complain about commercial aircraft noise today. It is nothing compared to the racket you get living near a busy main road or a railway. There was something to complain about years ago. As I have mentioned previously I have stood on top of the flat I was living in in Edinburgh in the mid seventies and heard a Trident taking off seven or eight miles away.

I am not sure if anyone at Popham knew there is a loose arrangement for pilots from WW to practice over Greenham. Certainly there are some complaints lodged against Popham for this. I appreciate many pilots do use WW in order to fully use the limits of their DA which they, of course, cannot do outside a designtaed area without possibly infringing the 500 ft rule. I also know that you are an inpartial party in this and so mean no criticism to you but we all have to be increasingly careful about this sort of thing. I don’t know anyone at Popham that regularly uses the same line feature. Practice displays are flown on streches of railway line, road or other line features to keep noise complaints to a minimum. Using the old runway at Greenham just because it is an old runway is not that clever.

At Popham I have heard people wondering whether we get noise complaints yet you can hardly hear them ask over the niose of the traffic on the A303.

The ‘booking’ is for safety only, to avoid airborne conflict and minimise noise.

I do not imagine the pilots think they have a particular right to go anywhere, but Greenham has a number of advantages, being substantially uninhabited, and offering a good height ceiling.

The proximity of Heathrow precludes practice to the east, so they have to look more to the south and west, north being near Booker and offering just 2,500 ft anyway.

Many practices are flown overhead WW as pilots are cleared with DA’s down to 100 feet. They do not, I believe , simply seek to take their noise to someone else’s parish and if Popham were actually copping a lot of flak for their activities I imagine they ( flyers) would do something about it. Having said that, I remain an impartial observer and speak on nobody’s behalf. My impression is that they are reasonable individuals, and would seek an amicable solution should a real problem be seen to exist.

I did! Of course, this was a complaint made about someone flying about over what is now open land, rather than using an airfield. Anyway, I wrote in reply pointing out that airshows are hugely popular, pilots need to practice somewhere, that he should be grateful for all the free and impressive shows, and that I and others are actually pleased to see and hear the aeroplane in question.

Good, just down the road from you is Brimpton. Several years ago a guy turned up and announced he was going to have the place shut down. It was all down to the aircraft noise. Except it was found out that he had tried to get the local stock car track close and failed so he had just moved his target. As someone who flies locally we are under constant pressure.

I was a little dismayed at the attitude mentioned by Propstrike about White Waltham pilots “booking” the area. What absolute tosh. Don’t they realise that it is Popham that gets the noise complaints?

Do all you can to give a positive vibe to aviation. You cannot underestimate the pressure light aviation is under.

MH

I too regularly appreciate the aeros over Greenham Common – the sights & sounds are a joy to behold even in Speen (NW Newbury) where I live.

The other day (27/07) I was treated to the Seafire 17 flying over my house – 5 days later I was sitting in said a/c at Culdrose talking to Jon BT the pilot – happy days!

It’s not just me then, Nick! The only disappointment is that, every time I ride around the Common on my bike, with camera at the ready, there’s never an aeroplane to be seen! And I missed the P51 on Sunday because my study window is north facing – he must have sneaked in from the east or the south!

Good job I am in Essex at the moment then :p

YOU….taking pictures of a Spit? Whatever next, surely shume mishtake? P-51 yes…but a spit…. you’ll be excommunicated from Norfolk! :diablo:

Lucky sod!

TT

I too regularly appreciate the aeros over Greenham Common – the sights & sounds are a joy to behold even in Speen (NW Newbury) where I live.

The other day (27/07) I was treated to the Seafire 17 flying over my house – 5 days later I was sitting in said a/c at Culdrose talking to Jon BT the pilot – happy days!

Thanks for that info and, whoever it is practicing over Greenham Common, THANK YOU!! Your artistry is much appreciatedby me at least. Aerobatic excellence sounds a good description: it looks very professional indeed.

The only downside for me is that I’m moving out of Greenham towards Hungerford shortly, so I will be missing out on future displays. Any practice areas near Kintbury at all??

Lucky B@st@rds!!!!!!;)

Luck has nothing what so ever to do with it!

_________________________________________

Those who know the most have the least to say.

Actually Hungerford Common is not bad for watching a bit of aviation activity. Apaches regularly come up from Middle Wallop and turn before heading back. Two came up recently and one of them gave a bit of an impromptu display. There are also regular flights to and from Boscombe Down, Low flying Hercs and Pumas, Lynx, Merlin, Chinook and I was fortunate enough to see a DC 3 (in I think the D Day colours) recently.

All I can say is…

Lucky B@st@rds!!!!!!;)

Thank you to the pilots!

White Waltham (25 miles ) is a hub of aerobatic excellence, with Paul Bonhomme, Alan Cassidy and many more based here.

Greenham is one of a number of sites for practice, and you would probably see SU29, Yak55, Yak52, Pitts, Extra as the primary campaigners.

Pilots ‘book’ the box at operations, and the use is rotated to minimise noise to any single location place. However, the airspace is not ‘owned’ in any sense, and if someone else turns up in his Scruggs Wundaplane to do some aeros, that is his right.

Thanks for that info and, whoever it is practicing over Greenham Common, THANK YOU!! Your artistry is much appreciatedby me at least. Aerobatic excellence sounds a good description: it looks very professional indeed.

The only downside for me is that I’m moving out of Greenham towards Hungerford shortly, so I will be missing out on future displays. Any practice areas near Kintbury at all??

White Waltham (25 miles ) is a hub of aerobatic excellence, with Paul Bonhomme, Alan Cassidy and many more based here.

Greenham is one of a number of sites for practice, and you would probably see SU29, Yak55, Yak52, Pitts, Extra as the primary campaigners.

Pilots ‘book’ the box at operations, and the use is rotated to minimise noise to any single location place. However, the airspace is not ‘owned’ in any sense, and if someone else turns up in his Scruggs Wundaplane to do some aeros, that is his right.

But you have to. It is not the many people that don’t mind that cause problems it is the odd one or two people that complain. These peopel should not be ignored they should be fought. If someone is in the Newbury Bugle moaning about flying near Greenham Common the write in and point out that there are plenty of people who appreciate the sound of an aeroplane and prefer that to another massive housing development on something that used to be an airfield.

No, TAKE notice of them and beat them at their own game.

I did! Of course, this was a complaint made about someone flying about over what is now open land, rather than using an airfield. Anyway, I wrote in reply pointing out that airshows are hugely popular, pilots need to practice somewhere, that he should be grateful for all the free and impressive shows, and that I and others are actually pleased to see and hear the aeroplane in question.

Oh, and please take no notice of the prat that’s been writing to the local paper complaining…..

But you have to. It is not the many people that don’t mind that cause problems it is the odd one or two people that complain. These peopel should not be ignored they should be fought. If someone is in the Newbury Bugle moaning about flying near Greenham Common the write in and point out that there are plenty of people who appreciate the sound of an aeroplane and prefer that to another massive housing development on something that used to be an airfield.

No, TAKE notice of them and beat them at their own game.

I flew past West Malling yesterday and there were people there that complained about aircraft noise. Bit difficult now.

Then this thing came along so I thought I would have a play with my new camera to see if it worked.

That’s the one I saw and started the thread about!!

So who is it that frequently treats me to an aerobatic show over Greenham Common (and indeed over the estate where I live), I wonder?? I’m always being told off for gazing up into the sky instead of getting on with mowing the lawn 🙁

I can never quite pick out any markings as it is silhouetted against the sky, and it usually makes off towards Hungerford. It sounds wonderfully throaty and, whoever it is, I’d like to thank them for the scores of free shows that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed over the last few years!

Oh, and please take no notice of the prat that’s been writing to the local paper complaining…..

From the horses mouth so to speek there. What was the camera ship Chris? P51?