Gatwick Obviously Not.org

The umbrella group for all areas East of Gatwick

e-newsletter No.15A


The CAA need to hear from you by 5th January …

The CAA's 'Post Implementation Review' of Departures from Gatwick Airport

You've probably not heard about this.

(This is not about the Airports Commission and their report about where to put the next runway. The deadline for responding to that Consultation is 3rd February and we will come back to you before then about it).

This 'Post Implementation Review' is a last-chance to comment on a 'Consultation' that took place in 2013 about new departure routes from Gatwick that have already been approved by the CAA (subject to the review).

If you live anywhere near the arrivals flight paths from the East (i.e. between East Grinstead and Tunbridge Wells), or north of Gatwick, this is for you.

We have spent considerable time wading through the aviation-industry jargon (they love an acronym) and defining exactly what is proposed.

It's really not nice.

There are two main issues:

  1. Those living to the East of Gatwick may get hit by a double-whammy; when given some respite from the arrivals (due to wind direction - about 30% of the time) Gatwick then intend to send the departures down a considerable part of exactly the same route, on a narrow superhighway to the East. This will mean zero respite for thousands below, whichever way the wind chooses to blow.
     
  2. Those living to the North will experience flights taking off on Easterly days then turning West (for Westerly destinations) and for those days the take-offs are Westerly then turning East for Easterly destinations.
    So, again, zero respite for those overflown.
    This is compounded by the fact (admitted by the CAA) that all the planes will not keep within the Noise Preferential Routes (which they should) hence overflying areas not previously overflown - which is very much not Government policy.

You can read our response in full here - (PDF - 2.8Mb)

Please do email Mark Swan at the CAA - mark.swan.GatwickPIR@caa.co.uk - cc'ing Mrs Anne Weston of the DfT - contactdft@dft.gsi.gov.uk - outlining your objections. Feel free to copy any of our letter for your own emails.

Or, just click below for a one-stop response:

Email your support of our position from here

Or, if that pre-formatted email does not work correctly, you can cut and paste the text below into your email:

Dear Mr Swan (Director, Airspace Policy,CAA)
(cc Mrs Anne Weston (UK Airspace Policy, DfT)

Regarding proposals to change the departure routes from Gatwick, I formally object to the:

- cancelling of the LAM Noise Preferential Route
- changes to the BGN/CLN/DVR Noise Preferential Route
- Route 4 changes to the north of airport
- effectiveness of the Consultation process
- statement that 'There is no change to existing controlled airspace'
- freedom given to Gatwick to be both Judge and Jury

I also add my full support to the detailed response sent to you on the 30th December 2014 by Martin Barraud, leader of GatwickObviouslyNot.org.

You can view a copy of that response here:
http://www.GatwickObviouslyNot.org/docs/GON_to_Gatwick_PIR.pdf

Yours sincerely

I know it's a very busy time of year for everybody, but please do take a moment to let the CAA know your views.

Martin Barraud
Leader
gatwickobviouslynot.org


December 31st 2014
 

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