Anger over ‘low’ practice flights from Doncaster airport

Angry villagers claim up to 59 low flypasts a day by jet airliners from Robin Hood Airport are blighting their lives.
Residents are concerned over low flying airlinersResidents are concerned over low flying airliners
Residents are concerned over low flying airliners

Wroot parish councillor Coun David Sanders, a former light aircraft pilot, says the figure of 59 was based on flights made by an airliner flying over the village on February 18, which is described on documents he has seen.

Coun Sanders, who sits on the noise abatement committee at the airport, based at Finningley, Doncaster, has made complaints to the airport and to the Civil Aviation authority, and says the aircraft now been have been an issue for several years.

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But they have come to a head after he saw the figures for February

Wroot councillor David Sanders who is opposed to low training flights over his village.Wroot councillor David Sanders who is opposed to low training flights over his village.
Wroot councillor David Sanders who is opposed to low training flights over his village.

He is now planning to take the issue up with the airport.

Coun Sanders said the information has been made available to the airport noise committee he sits on.

He said: “I am on the noise abatement committee at Robin Hood Airport, but they have not done anything to stop this.

“The airport is at the confluence of North Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire. They had restrictions on flying over Doncaster, but they seem to be flying over Wroot.

Wroot councillor David Sanders who is opposed to low training flights over his village.Wroot councillor David Sanders who is opposed to low training flights over his village.
Wroot councillor David Sanders who is opposed to low training flights over his village.
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“This has been going on for too long, overflying during quiet times and practicing landing.

“It is not so much a problem during the holiday season when the airport is busy, but it is a problem in the winter. It is only training flights which cause the problems. We don’t hear the normal flights.

“But the training flights come in low down the centre of the village and come in at around 2,000 feet before they turn.”

“It is intrusive. If you’ve got you windows open, you hear a booming noise of an aircraft every 10 minutes. It is like living at the end of Heathrow. When the airport is not that busy, it is interminable.”

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The aircraft which flew over the village 59 times was an Airbus jet, he said

The 62-year-old is a former light aircraft pilot himself, who had a private pilots licence and flew single engined Cessna aircraft. He has lived in the village for 35 years.

He said the test flights flew to the airport, touched their wheels on the ground, before taking off again and flying over the village again.

Robin Hood Airport defended the operation of training flights from Finningley and stressed they fit in with its planning permissions.

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Kellie Naylor, environment and community officer at Doncaster Sheffield Airport said: “All airports operate training activities and these are an important part of our operations.

“We ensure that all training flights are conducted as per our planning approvals and we work closely with our local community to ensure that we operate as a good neighbour.

“Any complaints received by the airport are dealt with directly.”

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