Typical - these moaners buy a house next to an airfield then whine when planes use it.

I’ve watched both the videos on YouTube and all they show is a plane in the air with the sky as the background. They could have been shot anywhere. At no point do they give a clear view of houses with the plane clearly flying overhead.

The Air Park is good for the town long may it be in Booker.

I think they should do more aerobatics, how about giving us a display with a Spitfire?

Save the aerodrome!

Have you read Ivor’s blog today? Click on the “Opinion” link on the menu on the left then click on “Readers Blogs”.

I think the boys from the recent Red Bull air race may have been based at Booker. There was an awful lot of stunt practising going on last week.

Loved it.

Correct Ivor the videos do not prove any specific location so I doubt much will come of it. Also it is hard to judge the distance - the videos are very shaky and are clearly on a high zoom.

recording aircraft performing manoeuvres close to her home

The retired furniture company owner said: "I was amazed that they would do it directly over the house.

So was it over your house or close to it?

If the plane was outside the 500ft zone then she should be campaigning to get that changed - good luck!

Just how the hell would she have coped during WWII with planes scrambling at full speed?!!

lodged by Mrs Pratt, one of the organisers of the Wycombe Air Park Action Group.

Obviously an ulterior motive at work here. Stand by to start receiving any number of these petty complaints to try and build up their case. I agree the aircraft could do their stunts over the open fields but it’s hardly cause to close the airfield. Perhaps these Pratts could try living near an RAF base with fighter jets taking off – they might just find they have things easy.

Re Elmos remarks about the Red Bull planes - these were indeed amazing to watch, however, not a good idea for them to practice their aerobatics over the M40 motorway and distract drivers !!!

aerial acrobatics = aerobatics?

Well, to me it looks close enough to her house to cause distress. If the lady wanted a personal aerobatic display I'm sure she would arrange her own. Over the past two weeks there have been a lot of planes over Sydenham making a real nuisance of themselves. There were a lot of complaints made to the CAA, I do not know of one local resident who actually enjoyed it. Do these piolts think everyone on the ground is looking up and saying 'wow, isn't he good!'. If you could read their lips it would be more like 'clear off!' If I was to take the exhaust off my car and drive around carelessly and causting distress to the public, I would be arrested in no time. Aircraft seem to be a law unto themselves, especially those who do it as a hobby rather than commercial aircraft. I'm all for organised air displays like Duxford and Farnborough, but just like firework displays, it's the ones that just don't know when to stop or have to do their own little thing, that spoils it for everyone. Hopefully aircraft noise will become as regulated as any other noise as I would appreciate being able to sit in my garden in peace and quiet too, and I am nowhere near an airield. The pilots of these planes are not that difficult to track, just get the G number from the plane, go to the CAA website and find the G data search and you will then have their name and address. Put that into the BT online directory and you could even get their phone number. Worked for me twice, rang them up and haven't seen or heard them over here since. A personal visit works wonders too. Rich boys and their toys eh, I bet if you had put any of them in a Spitfire during WWII, they would have wet their pants!

the air park has been there long before the houses. shut up and move.

Re the comments of Terminator, Oxfordshire on 12:11pm (above)

If I was to take the exhaust off my car and drive around carelessly and causting distress to the public, I would be arrested in no time

Not in Castlefield you wouldn’t!

Well, to me it looks close enough to her house to cause distress.

But you can’t see her house in the videos! These videos could have been shot anywhere with the planes at any height. The film does not even show any local landmarks so they could have been taken in another country for all that we know.

I do not know of one local resident who actually enjoyed it

I have realised recently how nice the aeroplanes are so yes, I am a resident who enjoys their presence.

Save the aerodrome!

Have you read Ivor’s blog today? Click on the “Opinion” link on the menu on the left then click on “Readers Blogs”.

Terminator wrote:
Well, to me it looks close enough to her house to cause distress. If the lady wanted a personal aerobatic display I'm sure she would arrange her own. Over the past two weeks there have been a lot of planes over Sydenham making a real nuisance of themselves. There were a lot of complaints made to the CAA, I do not know of one local resident who actually enjoyed it. Do these piolts think everyone on the ground is looking up and saying 'wow, isn't he good!'. If you could read their lips it would be more like 'clear off!' If I was to take the exhaust off my car and drive around carelessly and causting distress to the public, I would be arrested in no time. Aircraft seem to be a law unto themselves, especially those who do it as a hobby rather than commercial aircraft. I'm all for organised air displays like Duxford and Farnborough, but just like firework displays, it's the ones that just don't know when to stop or have to do their own little thing, that spoils it for everyone. Hopefully aircraft noise will become as regulated as any other noise as I would appreciate being able to sit in my garden in peace and quiet too, and I am nowhere near an airield. The pilots of these planes are not that difficult to track, just get the G number from the plane, go to the CAA website and find the G data search and you will then have their name and address. Put that into the BT online directory and you could even get their phone number. Worked for me twice, rang them up and haven't seen or heard them over here since. A personal visit works wonders too. Rich boys and their toys eh, I bet if you had put any of them in a Spitfire during WWII, they would have wet their pants!

Most World war II pilots were young men who had very little training! So it doesn't matter who you are facing the germans would have been terrifing but their sense of patriotism was stronger!

I look up at the aircraft to see whats up there! I don't look to see if they're being a nuisence or listen for the noise to complain!
We don't hear of anybody complaining that they have a railway outside the back of their house complaining about the trains!

Mr Mutley, maybe you could try living in an earthquake refugee camp for a few weeks and all your little problems might seem insignificant too. What kind of stupid comment is that, she is not exactly near the airfield and as long as the planes take off and land over the designated flight path, then noise is kept to a specific area. It's when these idiots who think everyone loves aircraft, and should be honoured to have them fly over their house, start making a racket over residential areas that gets on peoples' nerves.

Well, it seems like you lot appreciate aircraft noise and traffic more than most. I would love to know what kind of noise YOU would consider a disturbance where you live, that you would consider complaining about?

Re the comments of Terminator, Oxfordshire on 12:30pm

I would love to know what kind of noise YOU would consider a disturbance

How about the noise of football supporters going to the match and subsequently cheering when a goal is scored or the nuisance of having cars parked across your drive on match days.

The aerodrome and the slight noise it creates is trivial compared to what some people have to put up with.

Save the aerodrome!

Have you read Ivor’s blog today? Click on the “Opinion” link on the menu on the left then click on “Readers Blogs”.

Do you live near a football ground then Ivor?

Could have one of those 'speaking boxes' fitted on the chimney pot with a sensor set at 500 feet with an appropriate pre-recorded message.

I'd have some suggestions.

That's only just over 150 metres in proper units.

Was it as noisy as the 'Chepping Chopper'?

No whisper mode, you see.

Do you live near a football ground then Ivor?

Unbelievable.....How can people complain when they choose which house to buy and where!People pay alot of money to see shows like this....

I can't see the problem. It says that the video's were recorded on the 24th & 29th of July. Both of them are weekdays when a majority of people are at work.
Yes they look low but again no landmarks to tie up the footage. If it was at the weekend then i may have some concerns about the noise but to be honest the kids who play in the road are louder than that.
oh well each to there own keep up the bickering!

Is that really a pic of Ms Pratt? She doesn't look 63!!
I'd have though with all the stress of the planes she'd be grey and haggered looking.

Careful Ivor, you've already changed your mind once...
http://www.bucksfree
press.co.uk/search/d
isplay.var.2411408.0
.air_park_campaigner
s_welcome_stadium_pr
oposal.php

Someone has been doing there research!

Ivor did an Immelman turn or a 'split S'...

Unused new-fangled washing machine money spent on flying lessons?

Sadly, no-one seems to be paying much attention.
Many shift workers live in the High Wycombe area so that the noise criteria regarding time of day or day of week is hardly relevant if you have an angry bee in your ear for 3 hours at a time.
I can also assure all who question the proximity of the aircraft to the house in question, that the concern is valid. While we who live in the area all tolerate or even enjoy aircraft movement (yes, we all knew where we bought our houses), and agree with the Air Park management that control is good and that 98% of flights are well regulated, we have to question the CAA's decision to allow such aerobatic nonsense so close to a residential area. Also, while some of us enjoy such displays, and pay to go and watch them, we would prefer not to have them inflicted upon us for practise toward a non-local event sponsoring a product which has been proscribed in some countries, and in some classified as a medicament. There's a whole lot of unpopulated sea out there, where no-one will be disturbed.
As for proximity itself, not to put too fine a point on it, if a plane falls on you from 500 feet you're going to be just as dead as if it fell from 32,000, but if it just happens to be overhead for three hours as opposed to a second there is rather more likelihood.
When I contacted WDC, I was informed that complaints about aircraft noise could not be dealt with by their Environmental Health department, any other noise - yes.

manuiabeach, High Wycombe on 2:20pm:
Sadly, no-one seems to be paying much attention.

Perhaps that's because in reality there is no real problem. The only evidence provided so far is a rather dubious video which doesn’t really prove anything.

The aerodrome is preferable to a football stadium.

Save the aerodrome!

Have you read Ivor’s blog today? Click on the “Opinion” link on the menu on the left then click on “Readers Blogs”.

THis silly woman, in 1993; buys a house opposite the Air Park, (and the motorway)then complains about it.

Ms Pratt should do us all a favour and move as far away as possible; as for her 'campaign', far from damaging the airfield, I think she has done far more to benefit; it's great to learn that so many people consider the airfield to be an assett to the town.

Ivor did an Immelman turn or a 'split S'...

It seems to be a vertical scissor - a very aerobatic dog fighting maneuvre...to be avoided by civillian pilots!

(Poor Ivor must be fighting Boeckle or Galland to try something so risky!)

So there was footage of an aircraft taking off, then there was footage of a zoomed in camera, of an aircraft performing aerobatics, erm, so what's she moaning about?

All i heard was the voice of some bint in the background.

Ivor wrote:

manuiabeach, High Wycombe on 2:20pm: Sadly, no-one seems to be paying much attention.

Perhaps that's because in reality there is no real problem. The only evidence provided so far is a rather dubious video which doesn’t really prove anything. The aerodrome is preferable to a football stadium. Save the aerodrome! Have you read Ivor’s blog today? Click on the “Opinion” link on the menu on the left then click on “Readers Blogs”.

Me and Ivor are together on this one. I used to moan and moan about the aircraft noise from aeroplane activity. My life was a living hell.

BUT

Now I realise that one of my properties up near Booker could be detrimentally affected by a possible football stadium I feel a little bit of happiness along with the nuisance cause by the infernal machines!

I too watched the videos and my opinion is bit divided. Mrs Pratt is clearly a lady of good upbringing and I could not imagine such a person making a fuss if the airfield was not daily torment for her. She is clearly an upholder of community spirit and acting only in the interests of other people, neighbours etc.

But after watching the videos it clearly would not hold up in any kind of enquiry or tribunal.

Not sure if some of the bloggers here need to go to specsavers but is that not a section of roof of a house that appears in one of the videos ? clearly the same part of the roof that features in the BFP pictures of lady stood in garden. How does this equate to not having any evidence of planes flying near or over the house ? The aerobatics combined with 20,000 helicopter movements and nearly 100,000 fixed wing movements per year over residential housing is not acceptable - some old folk have lived in their houses in the vicinity of the air park for a very long time indeed - long before the days of this current business for profit flying, student circuit flying and all the other money making activities being pursued by the air park at the expense of local resident's enjoyment of their homes. Lets be very clear on this - this is not nostalgic win the war stuff - this is money making activity - flying for profit literally at the expense of others including the Wycombe tax payers who subsidise the disgracefully low rent being paid by wycombe air park to WDC. The inadequately informed supporters of the air park quite possibly do not pay tax so will not be worried. Those who think opposers of the activities at the air park are a bunch of complainers should be made aware that amongst the opposers are some very well contacted, high profile individuals who do have better things to do but also value their right to enjoy their homes in peace and quiet. To those who think having off track, low flying aircraft over the house all day is an okay activity think again - it can be compared to having have a pneumatic drill operating outside your bedroom window all day every day. It is possible to be under the flight path of landing aircraft and hardly hear anything - take off is on full throttle and a very very noisy exercise. Helicopter noise is even worse - particularly when being flown by inconsiderate pilots who take no action to reduce the impact on local housing. Public should be aware that low flying activity also takes place over classes for disabled children who regularly ride ponies in an outdoor paddock - these low flying helicopters scare the animals - this could be dangerous for the children. This problem has been addressed with the air park but the children remain at risk as nothing has changed. However, it was suggested that if it was dangerous then perhaps the children should move elswhere ! Those who love the aircraft may want to consider the bigger picture going on here. There has been another incident involving a horse and low flying helicopter - conserable dama ge was done to the animal during it's panic to get away. So, those who think Wycombe air park is God's gift to Wycombe think again.

If the noise of aircraft was an issue why choose to live so close to an airfield? I note that the WAPAG has around 100 members, enough said

Ms Pratt, Unless your house is Council, Please move!!

LOL, I wondered how long it would be before the anti airfield moaners start using the "we're kiiillling our baaaabbbbbies" argument.

Incidentally, I saw the house (hope I get a gold star), you couldn't miss it with the x10 magnification of a Sony.

PS, answer YES or NO:

Do you and have you, used that 'subsidised' and commercial commodity called air transport when going on holiday?

But it saves myself, Ivor and the community of Wycombe from the inconvenience of a possible, potential stadium.

RobinsonR44, Lane End on 3:43pm
Not sure if some of the bloggers here need to go to specsavers but is that not a section of roof of a house that appears in one of the videos ?

The section of roof could be anywhere. The footage could have bee shot in the grounds of the Air Park itself! Or the plane could be a radio controlled model. The video carries no weight at all!

From looking at a map Spring Coppice, Lane End appears to be in the middle open countryside and I feel the planes are perfectly justified in their use of this open country air space.

Isn’t the shooting ground near by? If so why is the person complaining about the noise of the guns going off?

I’ve got a good mind to get in my historic race-tuned heritage motor vehicle and take a drive along Spring Coppice this evening. Then they would know what noise (and air) pollution really was!

Save the aerodrome!

Have you read Ivor’s blog today? Click on the “Opinion” link on the menu on the left then click on “Readers Blogs”.

Won't someone please think of the children!

My house backs onto the railway line in Wyc. Maybe I should start a campaign to reduce the amount of trains passing everyday. Especially the noisy "West Waste" trains that pass late at night. Anybody with me?

.... sorry my previous post at 3.57pm should read "If so why isn't the person complaining about the noise of the guns going off?"

Ivor the Engine might be.

sarge wrote:
Won't someone please think of the children! My house backs onto the railway line in Wyc. Maybe I should start a campaign to reduce the amount of trains passing everyday. Especially the noisy "West Waste" trains that pass late at night. Anybody with me?

Yeah and i'm going to complain about the road outside of my house and get it closed down, I know some wheely well contacted people who are so influential that they could close it down wheely quickly but don't because, there are some even more well contacted and influential people who want it to remain open.

Well Wayne seems to have a problem expressing himself in anything other than objectionable and inappropriate language - if a person wants to set about improving their lot then why is wayne so upset about this. It is not for him to insult and rubbish a person's point of view or criticise a person's actions. Wayne you could for a change try constructive comments instead of this low grade drivel. Anyway it is sprising Wayne has any time for this blog - thought he was too busy going to court with WDC over his parking tickets and wheel clamps. There are some good therapists in Wycombe Wayne - try one.

LOL, it's quite simple, having had to deal with the muck from the liars of Bucks CC (not WDC...yet), I've learned that the softly softly approach does not work with you people. I go for the throat and if that upsets you tough, don't start a campaign if you're going to cry about it. As for therapists, why would you know so many? and you think I have a problem, shucks!

I can't see that video holding weight, 3 roof tiles does not identify a property, and as they appear at a very similar height to the point of focus clearly a high zoom is being used, or the camera person is on a ladder.

The picture of Susan Pratt above shows her stood in a lane looking upwards at a 45 degree angle. Probably for the pose, but we'll make the assumption she is stood at the boundary of her property - then unless the property is quite large then a plane even at 500 ft is most likely not directly over the property.

I can imagine... some pilots who might fancy a little bit of practice this weekend practicing very locally to the Pratt household, all within the limits of the regulations of course!

I understood this blog was for debate.
In order to understand others' point of view, one should be able to read. Perhaps Ivor, you could find someone to read to you while you're writing. The debate is not about the airfield per se, but about a particular incident on specific dates.

By the way, the Americans didn't land on the moon either.

RobinsonR44 wrote:
Well Wayne seems to have a problem expressing himself in anything other than objectionable and inappropriate language - if a person wants to set about improving their lot then why is wayne so upset about this. It is not for him to insult and rubbish a person's point of view or criticise a person's actions. Wayne you could for a change try constructive comments instead of this low grade drivel. Anyway it is sprising Wayne has any time for this blog - thought he was too busy going to court with WDC over his parking tickets and wheel clamps. There are some good therapists in Wycombe Wayne - try one.

Whatever the arguments for or against, you chastise a correspondent for not providing 'constructive comments', only to then do exactly the opposite yourself including an Ad Hominem.

I've just watched the videos on youtube and the last one shows the plane going up into the clouds at the end. Now we've had some low cloud cover recently but it still looks like that the plane is further from the house than stated! I bet if she lived near Heathrow she would keep a tally of how many "noisy" planes have woken her up in the middle of the night!

Mrs Pratt must think she is really special if she thinks she can ban planes from flying over her house. As a Lane End resident i have never found the planes from Booker 'deplorable' or 'unbearable'.There was a spitfire flypast at the weekend in Kingshill, which was excellent, i hope they have one over Lane End soon. This lady needs to get a life.

... and, Icarvs, your wings melted so I am wary of your flying expertise & advice...

Anyhow, if you try again, avoid Wycombe for obvious reasons, stick to Crete, mate.

This is all initially about a apecific event and about noise too.

Noise concerns us all and is a growing problem.

I am not sure it is taken seriously enough yet.

bea wrote:
Mrs Pratt must think she is really special if she thinks she can ban planes from flying over her house. As a Lane End resident i have never found the planes from Booker 'deplorable' or 'unbearable'.There was a spitfire flypast at the weekend in Kingshill, which was excellent, i hope they have one over Lane End soon. This lady needs to get a life.

There's a Spitfire hangared at Booker Bea.

In 58 years I have never felt compelled to write to a newspaper, but this woman, Susan Pratt, without wishing to be rude appears to be living up to her name. I feel sure that most people would just grab their binoculars and watch in awe regardless of the noise and lets face it, she moved there in the full knowledge that there was an aerodrome for small aircraft. What does she expect them to do? stay in their expensive hangars all day. I would much rather they came over Flackwell Heath as opposed to the flights out of and into Heathrow, but even that can be interesting and like her I cannot complain because they were there before I moved in. All I can say is thank God she was not living in Kent during the 2nd World War with the Battle of Britain raging above her head when she might have had something to grumble about. She needs to get a life or a large pair of ear defenders. But still, they would probably spoil her haircut and make her look intelligent, so we have to conclude that she is just another NIMBY on a swanky lawn out to spoil other peoples fun and enjoyment. Shame on her and everyone of her mindset.

Never before has the name Pratt been so apt. This woman obviously feels that no one else is entitled to have interests which in any way intefere with hers. She is clearly so unthinking that she bought a house right next to an air field when she finds planes 'deplorable'and 'unbearable'. Its people like this with their arrogant self righteous opinions who water down our culture into bland obscurity. Thank you Mrs White Middleclass.

From: Henrietta Harold

Plus ça change...

...plus ça même chose.

First of all, mate, you must face the noise, that´s the main concern here. Despite the Mrs.Pratt high profile on beauty, living under a Flying Circus can make some disturbance...I can say it for myself, for I lived on just below Concorde route!

Blaze Falconburger, HW on 4:46pm:
I can imagine... some pilots who might fancy a little bit of practice this weekend practicing very locally to the Pratt household, all within the limits of the regulations of course!

I fully agree. They should get the spitfire out of it's hangar and practice flying it at regulation distance from her house! Perhaps the wonderful sound of the Merlin engine so close to her home will make her change her mind....


Save the aerodrome!

Have you read Ivor’s blog today? Click on the “Opinion” link on the menu on the left then click on “Readers Blogs”.

The terminology used in some of these blogs conveys an image of being unhinged. Obviously some of the very defensive stuff is being written by users of the air park desperate to keep their planes flying. In order to quell the growing number of residents who are angry about the off track low level planes and helicopters all that needs to be done is for them to stick to the designated flight paths. The choice is their's they are choosing not to fly considerately - so expect complaints. NO ONE IS MENTIONING THE HELICOPTERS - noisy machines - it is not just about planes. Wayne must be very short of something to do if he spends his time looking up how long people have lived in their homes - sad, but only to be expected. To BEA - your anger and hatred is very evident but unfortunately you are so busy being hateful you have failed to make any kind of point. Try again with some intelligent remarks - perhaps we will be able to understand you.

SAD LADY MOVE HOUSES IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE PLANES?

How I spend my time is of no concern of yours and if you knew of the person who provided the information to me, you would not call them SAD, that I can assure you. Nevertheless, the factthat Mrs Pratt moved into the area knowing full well that there is an airfield, is highly relevant.

I give Mrs Pratt credit for standing up for herself (which does take guts);I'm puzzled however, that the campaign is now a mere question of flightpaths, of live and let live; your website states the following:

1.Helicopters out
2.Restrictions on 3.Circuit flying
4.Embargo on Weekend flying
5. Less Noise
(Not mentioned on the website, A 6.Sports facilities no doubt in the form of a stadium)

Were you genuingly promoting a compromise, then I would imagine there might be a degree of empathy but the underlying message from the campaign is threats of closure. The attampts at video taping the aerobatic aircraft i'm afraid displays acts of desperatism and mischief that don't bode well for your cause.

Compromise? yes, demands? I doubt many will listen.

E&OI