I should have asked the CFI on the day, but everyone was very busy and I was running late, so here goes...
After returning from the local training area where we'd been practising steep turns, the a/g radio opererator told us there'd been a complaint of low flying from a 'well known' local in a nearby village. He'd supplied the reg. and description of the aircraft and had estimated our height at '800 to 1000ft'
. The 'complaint' had been neatly logged in a book kept under the desk, and my instructor and the CFI proceeded to have a laugh about what some people will do to cause trouble. Nothing more was said.
I know for a fact that we'd initially been flying at 3000ft AMSL (although, I admit lo losing a little altitude on some of the turns
) We never went below 2500 ft, and we were squarking mode C at all times, so no case to be answered, but it begs the question:- What happens to these 'informal complaints'? Is there a legal requirement for the airfield to keep a record? Are they passed on the the CAA? What about the local authorities (who dictate when we can fly and would no doubt love to close us down)?
I'm sure nothing will come of this, but I suppose it could cause trouble in a less clear cut situation. As P1, it's the instructor who has his name in the book, and he doesn't seem bothered, but it'd probably bother me a bit.