Along with the dwindling supply of student pilots coming into flying, there is also the growing problem of dwindling airfields from which to fly from. Unfortunately the NIMBYs' appear to be winning the battle, and the larger airfields are less and less willing to provide bases for the displaced flying clubs. What can we do ?
Well the one thing that gives effect to the NIMBY cause is of course our noise, and unfortunately we appear unwilling or unable to do something about it. Without noise their argument is halved.
I think we can do something, and not only would it reduce significantly our noise footprint it would also introduce a worthwhile safety net.....At the moment we all invariably do nice wide circuits either rectangular or weaving about between villages and houses. I propose we alter our rigidly flown circuits and introduce a circuit entered at 1500' across the active runway from the dead side and enter a wide descending turn aiming to roll out on final 1/2 a mile out at say 700'.
The benefits as I see them are that:
1. Circuit height increased to 1500' reduces the niose of approaching aircraft.
2. The circuit is flown at much reduced power settings and is much more confined.
3. In the event of a power failure you're always in gliding range of the airfield, not always the case with some circuits.
4. The big change in the circuit pattern can be locally publiscised to show that efforts are being made to be good neighbours and maybe steal some of the NIMBYs' thunder.
Now I know that not everyone will agree with this idea, and that at some airfields it wouldn't be viable, but the discussion has to be worth the effort because at the end of the day something has to be done.
We have to do something, even if it does mean introducing completely new procedures. If we keep burying our heads in the dirt in the middle of the airfield, then one day when we'll pull our heads out and find yet another housing estate around us.
