Meet the Neighbours
A response from Group Captain Duncan Welham, Station Commander.
I would like to thank everyone who came to the very successful ‘Meet the Neighbours’ event in September; it was well attended and gave all of us the opportunity to meet in a social environment, learn more about the history of Ewelme and its links with the RAF and freely discuss matters of the day. As I highlighted on the evening, the Station feels very well supported by the residents of Ewelme and we are keen to keep our relations positive. Many of the issues raised in discussion were dealt with on the spot, but some required more forensic examination.
One such issue concerned the Tutor aircraft doing circuits over Ewelme. Having investigated this topic I am sorry to say that it is not possible to change their routing; the north/south orientation of the runway means that aircraft would have to over fly Benson village, which due to its size has a no fly zone over it. It is of interest that for Ewelme to have the same it would need to double in size. As to the noise from the aircraft themselves, the Tutor aircraft are part of a private financial arrangement and it is not therefore in our (the RAF’s) gift to modify or adapt them in order to reduce their noise levels. That said, we will continue to fly in a way that ensures that we keep any disturbance to a minimum.
Other issues raised concerned the general flying of our helicopters and in particular low flying. I explained that there is a requirement for our aircrews to practice low flying and night flying in preparation for operational deployments. We continue to provide notice of when such training is to occur and I am delighted to announce that in the near future we are to launch a new Station website that will carry all such detail.
Another hot topic was helicopters operating with under slung loads. I stated that aircraft are not permitted to fly over domestic residences or gatherings of people when carrying loads. I also highlighted the perception from the ground and the reality from the air are often at difference. Indeed, what looks ‘unsafe’ from the ground may be perfectly safe from the air. It is of little point to continue this debate in a subjective way. But in order to reassure residents that we take your concerns seriously, I have instructed that crews allow additional clearances when flying with under slung loads.
Finally, people were concerned about helicopters ‘cutting the corner’ at the western end of the village. Given the sheer volume of training, and consequently traffic, the possibility of extending the circuit is not an option. Moreover, to do so would only increase the amount of time that our aircraft spend airborne – somewhat of an own goal. Neither does it make financial sense: an additional minute of flying time for one circuit does not seem too onerous, but at £240 per minute for the Merlin, it all adds up, and quickly. Once again in the spirit of goodwill, I have reminded all our aircrew that they must fly with care and consideration for our neighbours.
I hope that these answers cover the questions and points that were raised. If they have not, or indeed, further questions come to the fore, please do not hesitate to contact our Media and Communications Office.
Group Captain Duncan Welham, Station Commander at RAF Benson