Farnborough Airport Consultation

This document is an Initial report to Churt Parish Council on the Farnborough airport, preliminary consultation by TAG Aviation Ltd. – May 25th 2008

Summary: Aircraft traffic over Churt could double.

Aircraft traffic to and from Farnborough passes directly overhead Churt. TAG, the owners of Farnborough are setting out plans that could double the daily traffic volume passing over Churt and surrounding villages and may also increase the hours of operation and type of aircraft. It is recommended that action is formed with local villages to oppose these plans and advocate a change in arrival and departure procedures to reroute traffic away from the area.

The Consultation

TAG Aviation is inviting responses to its plans to increase the aircraft traffic using Farnborough airport. This consultation is about daily traffic volumes and not directly related to the biannual Air-show.

The Government White Paper, “The Future of Air Transport” requires airports which exceed a specified number of aircraft movements to prepare Master Plans to set out their proposals to 2015 and indications for 2030. The Master Plans must set out how airports propose to make best possible use of their existing infrastructure while minimising impact on the environment.

Rushmoor Borough Council (RBC) is required to prepare a Local Development Framework, including an overall vision for the Borough (the Core Strategy) and a specific document for the airport (The Airport Area Action Plan (AAAP)). The Borough council is responsible for preparing and consulting on both of these documents. The AAAP process is due to begin later in 2008. TAG is engaging the local community ahead of preparing its Master Plan, which will inform the AAAP.

A questionnaire is available for response to the consultation and is also freely available for public response on the TAG website at www.farnboroughairportconsultation.com

Background

Farnborough Airport has been operated by TAG Aviation Ltd, since 2003. TAG became freehold owner in 2007. Traffic using the airport is largely private business related and also includes other private traffic but does not include any scheduled commercial flights at this time.

The airport provides employment for the running of the facilities and also for a number of local aviation based businesses. “It is forecast that by 2009, 2,840 jobs will be dependent on the success of the airport.”

Current Operation

In 2000 RBC granted limits on traffic movement at Farnborough (covering: number, size, type, noise, hours). The airport is now approaching these limits. (It is believed that application was made recently to swap limits on certain days of the week, where the numbers of movements are up against the maximum for that day).

Movements in 2007: 26,507. In 2008: 28,000 expected.

Hours of operation: Weekday: 7am – 10pm. Weekend: 8am – 8pm (Flying is not permitted outside of these hours)

Runway landing direction East and West (Runway 06/24)

TAG has a “Quiet Flying Programme” which aims to reduce noise levels e.g. through take-off procedures and changes to routes around noise sensitive areas.

Flight Path

Take-off and landing is in either an easterly or westerly direction on runways 06 or 24 (060 degrees and 240 degrees). The final approach path to these runways lies on these headings and climb out and descent affects the immediate area within 2-3 miles of the runway threshold.

Departing and landing aircraft are typically vectored (given direction by a Radar Controller) to/from these approach and departure paths depending on their planned route.

Flights arriving and departing from major airports typically use standard arrival and departure procedures. These procedures lay out standard route, direction and altitudes to minimise traffic controller workload and simplify communication with pilots.

Traffic arriving and departing to the south will frequently be vectored to/from a navigation beacon at Goodwood, per Farnborough standard arrival and departure routes or alternatively via Midhurst. This flight path takes aircraft directly overhead Churt (and other villages in the vicinity: Rushmoor, Beacon Hill, Hindhead, Liphook etc.)

Traffic following a navigation path directly between Goodwood and Farnborough under own navigation will pass directly overhead Churt (see attached map).

The altitude of passing traffic will typically be between a minimum safety height above local ground of c. 1,000 feet and maximum of c. 3,000 feet (to remain clear of controlled airspace above this altitude). Traffic may at times climb or descend from above this altitude before passing Churt, when given clearance by Radar controller.

Traffic passing Churt northbound will be in descent, southbound traffic will probably be in a slow cruise pending climb to en-route altitude. Fortunately this means that noise levels are significantly lower than one might otherwise expect.

The above is specific with reference to Farnborough movements and typically relates to light business jets, with some prop driven aircraft and some “medium” size jets chartered or owned by business or private users, plus helicopter traffic.

Aircraft Traffic in General

In addition to Farnborough, traffic to and from Blackbushe airport (adjacent to Farnborough) also passes overhead Churt and includes some light jets and twin prop aircraft plus a high number of light aircraft movements.

Passing light aircraft traffic from anywhere north is also likely to transit this region partly because of the location of the Midhurst and Goodwood beacons. This is in addition to other light aircraft training flights. All of these flights should be between the heights laid out above.

Occasional light aircraft movements also take place from the private landing strip at Wishanger. Churt is immediately under the circuit path for this airfield and hence the aircraft accessing the field will be significantly lower than other passing traffic at 500 – 1000 feet above local ground level.

There is an East - West traffic flow of Commercial Airline traffic. This is believed to be on the approach or departure from Gatwick and Heathrow, flying at heights greater than 3,000 feet above local ground level but low enough to make a noise impact.

Expectation set out in the Consultation Document

No specific objectives are set out in the consultation document; however a number of capacities are quoted which may be indications of expectation:

Current movement (2008): 28,000 (either on limit, or close to existing limits).

“Research by a noise expert” indicates 55,000 movements could be accommodated “without an unacceptable noise impact”…. “in accordance with government guidelines”.

National Air Traffic Services (NATS) research on behalf of TAG “demonstrated that up to 50,000 movements could be accommodated without impact on public safety”.

“Research has demonstrated that the airport could hypothetically accommodate approximately 100,000 movements p.a.”

Conclusion and Recommendation

Noise from general aircraft traffic in the vicinity of Churt and surrounding villages is already a nuisance. Approaching and departing traffic from Farnborough pass directly overhead Churt and contribute a significant portion of this traffic. ANY increase in volume, hours or size of aircraft is unacceptable and a REDUCTION should be demanded and is achievable by maintaining the current limit on movements and re-routing traffic though changed standard arrival and departure procedures.