Low flying helicopters.

[Cotham Marble]

from: WDBC : Noise Nuisance - Military Aircraft

What can I do if I am disturbed by military aircraft?
Complaints about noise from military aircraft should be made to any RAF station, RAF Regional Community Relations Office, or military flying unit when known. Alternatively complaints may be made to: Ministry of Defence Director of Air Staff - Complaints & Enquiries Unit Floor 5 Zone H Main Building Whitehall London SW1A 2HB E-mail lowflying@mod.uk

Military aircraft are exempt from noise pollution rules, that does not mean that the damage and nuisance, including harm to wildlife, is necessarily justifiable on "National Security" grounds. The decissions on what form of equipment that the military use, how they use it or the terms of how it should be used are rarely informed by what the electorate want - the only thing we can do is respond when we, or our environment are adversely affected.

Certainly there is no basis, not even in the face of current (dubiously commenced) conflicts, to meekly accept the status quo. It could well be argued that a 'quiet' helicopter was a more efficient machine and at £65 million a shot maybe that's what we should be asking for instead of this: Chinook blunders cost MoD 500m | UK news | The Guardian

When it comes to aircraft noise I suggest we (and the environment) are best off following the commandment "protest and survive".

CM

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Gill Catton

I live near to Brize Norton so there is quite a bit of air traffic, though I find it reassuring, I'm glad to see them and glad to see them practicing or going about their work because we need them to be skilled at what is a difficult job and if that means that I have to experiance them doing this that's fine by me. I'm just glad they're on our side!

we get quite a bit of action round here - I work on the ridgeway and the otherday had two british appaches go one either side of the hill i was on actually below me - on another occasion i could just see this weird little tube thing travelling along behind a ridge - I walked to the top to check out what it was and came face to face with an american AH1 little bird scout helicopter - the tube was a periscope above the rotor head which they were using to check out the terrain.

then you get herky birds doing simulated low level insertions , and harriers , and all sorts of jet action through the valleys.

but I agree with gill and nick - a little bit of aircraft noise is a small price to pay for practice which will help save the lives of british soilders in combat.


all this concern about a bit of aircraft noise which is at most a slight inconvenience to our daily lives, reminds me of the kipling poem "tommy"

" for its tommy this, and tommy that, and "chuck him out, the brute"
but is "saviour of his country" when the guns begin to shoot"

[Garden Carpet]

Originally Posted by eeyore

" for its tommy this, and tommy that, and "chuck him out, the brute"
but is "saviour of his country" when the guns begin to shoot"

Well said eeyore!!!

jaki

[Meta menardi]

Originally Posted by Garden Carpet

Speaking to a Snowdrop (RAF Police..cos of their white hats) is like telling one of the guard dogs!!!! We used to say one of the team could read.. and one could write... and it was usually the dog!

jaki

I felt it was an implied threat "Do you want to speak to the Police, give them your name and address?", albeit at a very low level. Since the location was near one of the ranges, we had no idea where the planes came from. As they were waiting their turn on the range, some of the jets used to do vertical full throttle climbs, the noise was at a level to cause pain and nothing else could be heard.

[Grandpaw dodge]

I have found this to be a very interesting thread, and quite rightly some of you have defended the Airforce - they very often practice over an area that resembles the foriegn parts they are eventually going to attack, but noise pollution is noise pollution - no getting away from that.
A few years ago (falklands war) we had all sorts of jets hacking across our little Island - the main problem was that their flight path took them straight through one of the most important bird reserves in the country! Oooops.

The incumbent Warden went berserk - and the training flights were stopped! at least in that area.

Have you tried the CAA they may be able to limit the times of flying in a given area - but do not hold your breath - national security comes first.
Good luck anyway
Roger

[nightshade]

Here we get the Hercules, on my airband radio you hear them say Lulsgate tower we are going below radar in 3-2-1... then two Hercules go streaking down the Avon Valley. I like aircraft and I know they are training hard to provide an efficient back up to our troops on the ground wherever they are in the world BUT police helicopters, I live at a junction of two main roads and I have them overhead more and more frequently for 5-10 minutes at a time what a pain (more so when I had to get up at 4.00 A.M.) why not just use the existing traffic cameras (the innocuous blue ones that they share) at the nearby roundabout to see "which way did they go"
I did have a Helicopter low flying several days running and phoned Lulsgate tower to ask why it was allowed so low (60 feet above roof-top) they denied all knowledge but it never happened again.

[Grandpaw dodge]

You really do have my sympathy - not a nice situation, I do feel that us public should not be subject to this kind of pollution in the name of "war" or "crime" - it just gives the authorities a licence to run roughshod over us all - bit like this Vile government. But of course that is another completely different kettle of (rotting) fish
Rog

[RAINBOWRUSSELL]

I have today sent an email to the MOD & our local MP Mr Letwin after about 1/2 an hour ago a helicopter flew over just above the tree I was sitting under then came back and did it 3 more times within minutes,scaring not only me but the sheep in the field next to us!How it managed to miss the pylons I really don't know!Got a few pics as I just happened to have my camera handy for bird pic taking...obviuosly will not post them...for security reasons....the pilot was so close he would be recognised!!!!!!!
Really angry !
We will see what happens !

[Grandpaw dodge]

Good luck with your complaint - are they from the selsey area? - I thought that had closed down??

[LynM]

The helicopters are out in force at the moment in this area. I was in Yeovil this morning and they were in and out of Westlands too, let alone Yeovilton. Maybe they are practicing for the Air Day at Yeovilton next month.