Madonna trying to buy compton abbas! [Archive]

distaff_beancounter

9th Jun 2002, 20:03

I have just phoned a friend who reads the Sunday Express. So this is just the highlights, that I hope I have got correct.

Apparantly Julian Bream (the guitarist) who also lives near Compton Abbas, is supporting Madonna's proposed purchase. Madonna claims that there is an aerobatic team, similar to the Red Arrows, based at Compton Abbas!

As I am someone who has lived in the country for most of my life, this reminds me of the typical townie who moves to the country & then trys to alter everything, to accord to their fairytale version of "real countryside"

SO, they complain about cockerels crowing, cows mooing, combine harvesters making dust when working, tractors putting mud on the road, bulls doing what bulls like doing with cows (in full view of the kids), even the dawn chorus of wild birds waking them up.

So .... it is presumably a logical conclusion to close down the local airfield. Presumably Compton Abbas it is not suitable for her executive jet, & she won't care about annoying the neighbours with her helicopter going in & out of her country estate.

Madonna has presumably not even considered those people, of limited financial means (compared to her $XX millions) who enjoy a legal & harmless hobby, flying from Compton Abbas. :(

Lost_luggage34

9th Jun 2002, 20:06

Very well put - all the points made with much eloquence and a tad of humour.

bingoboy

9th Jun 2002, 20:08

£800k doesn't sound like a lot . Maybe a couple of grand from each Compton member.

Perhaps us aviators should start a National Airfield Trust with the aim of keeping open airfields.

meslag

9th Jun 2002, 20:20

Well the reporter pitched up when we were there the other day. Have not seen the artical... were there any photos? as he took a sneaky one and said it was for his "own personal referance".
The aero team there is not jet powered.
I can imagine that if she were successful, that her estate would become even more noisy as it became the new "display centre" for the displaced aircraft.
Couple of thousand from each member? hmm

Keef

9th Jun 2002, 20:29

That's agreed, then.

If she buys and closes CA, we meet every Saturday for aerial display over her house?

2Donkeys

9th Jun 2002, 20:49

Well that should provide the Express with enough meat to support a follow-up article...

...and not necessarily one that favours the pro-aviation viewpoint, no matter how tongue-in-cheek the intent.

:rolleyes:

I don't suppose we know whether or not the story of an offer having been made is true do we? Surely a few basic facts would be easy to verify?

AerBabe

9th Jun 2002, 20:53

Was thinking along the same lines Keef... Let's have a fly-in to have a look at her pad from the air. Wonder what it looks like at night! :cool:

Wing Commander Fowler

9th Jun 2002, 20:58

Indeed Keef - good plan. Would also like to suggest the following:

Compton Abbas and any other field within striking range should instruct all members to avail themselves of the perfectly legal option to fly around and around her house at 501'. At least we can make her life hell for the few months or so that it takes the current owner of Compton Abbas to negotiate the price up to say ten million.

Furthermore all private ex mil jet operators must be requested to overfly at 501' and then go vertical right over her boudoire so maximising the footprint

Finally, we must all have regular meets outside her house (just like cnd did in the 80's at Greenham common) and play our ghetto blasters at full blast - preferably utilising her own shoit music which by now she must surely be fed up with.......

Where does she come from buying a house near an airfield and then complaining?? Oh that's a common practice mind now I come to think of it.

By the way had to laugh when the journalist involved in that article decided to compare the "yackers" to the Arrows..... hehe get a life boy!!!

Wet Power

10th Jun 2002, 09:16

Or sell Compton Abbas for as much as you can get for it and then open up Compton Abbas Mk 2 in a field just down the road and continue flying!

Not really serious - best plan is for all cross countries/aero sessions to fly over her pad at 501' until she gets the message and b*****s off back stateside.

englishal

10th Jun 2002, 09:38

Anyone got the Lat / Long of her pad? I want to enter it into my GPS as its just become a new favourite turning point of mine...

EA:eek:

dde0apb

10th Jun 2002, 10:23

I know some of the postings above were tongue in cheek, but isn't making more noise counterprductive? It only needs Madonna and Julian Trout - or was it bream - to complain even more, and one of the eloquent Sunday papers will pick it up again, and start a campaign against all small airfields.

We shouldn't forget that the anti-airfield lobby is rather better organised than we are....

distaff_beancounter

10th Jun 2002, 10:26

In the 18th century, the landed gentry, employed the likes of Lancelot "Capability" Brown, to redesign the land around their country seats, into the "English" or "natural" style of landscape gardening.

This sometimes involved raising the odd villege, if it spoilt thier view. The more responsible gentry, did then built model villages, out of sight of the big house, to accommodate the displaced peasants.

As Madonna seems so keen to espose the life of the English gentry, perhaps she will build a replacement "model" airfield, in order to accommodate the displaced peasants .... sorry!.... I mean the displaced pilots & aircraft.

aerobatics

10th Jun 2002, 10:39

Madonna s house is 1 1/2 miles on the final app of RW 26.... not a lot anyone can do about noise on that one. ( The estate is in the ATZ).

Julian Beams house is about 4 miles north of the field in an area where few aircraft fly.

There has been no complaint from the Madonna estate as yet... guess this is Julian Beam trying to get the big guns of Madonna to help him, and of course the Express needing a story.

When the reporter turned up, the official comment was " no comment as it was the first that the field had heard of the noise complaint or of Julian Beam". Most of what was written was just made up ....

distaff_beancounter

10th Jun 2002, 11:16

aerobatics From your information, it seems that this is the usual problem, of someone buying a house next to an airfield, & THEN complaining about the aircraft.

If they were not told about the airfield by the vendor, or his agent, then they should sue them, not try to close down the airfield.

If you have the info, could you please tell us all:-
When did flying start at Compton Abbas (I assumed that it was PRE Second World War) ?
When did Julian Bream move to the area?
When did Madonna move to the area?

aerobatics

10th Jun 2002, 11:29

Not sure of the date that the club started, but I do know flying has been going on at the field since the 1960s.

Never heard of Mr Julian Bream before , so no details on him... the Express stated he had been there for 30 odd years... but that could be rubbish . ( there is no evidence that he has ever complained before).

Maddona bought the Estate last year some time.

The funny thing is that few aircraft fly over to have a look at the place as the estate is on Finals, difficult to have a look in the windows at 800 foot in landing config.

The Display line that the team uses is to the north of the field, and never over flys her house or that of Julian Breams........ hummmm

Fly Stimulator

10th Jun 2002, 11:30

Madonna's house is 1 1/2 miles on the final app of RW 26....

Near the interestingly-named 'Cross Dyke' then?

sharpshot

10th Jun 2002, 11:51

:( This all sounds a bit nefarious - especially as it seems based on the speculation of a Sunday paper.

However, not having read it, it is hard to comment.

If there is any element of truth though - will she be putting in a bid for Boscombe too :D :D !

If this is based on Mr. Bream's dislike of aerial noise and he is 4 n.m. north, is he part of a small hamlet that could legitimatley be avoided. Let's face it, there are enough notes in UK AIP for major airfields and Pooley's etc for smaller airfields laying out preferential noise routeings and local restrictions.

However - a singular:mad:character objecting should not be given the time of day.:eek:

P.S. If they are trying to do their damndest, my night rating is very valid. so book me a slot!!

And what about poor old Pershore - that used to have cracking good runways and then they bury foot & mouth carcasses and now a totally unwanted Asylum Hotel is to be built - what a waste of the great British infrastructure.

Nopax,thanx

10th Jun 2002, 12:34

I'm with Wet power on this one......let her have the place; the money I'm sure will come in handy to any airfield owner in these trying times; then move the aircraft to somewhere local....I don't have a Pooleys or any suchlike reference handy, but I guess there's a few other airfields in the vicinity that would welcome a few extra residents.

I supported the campaign to keep Compton Abbas open back in the eighties (then it was the local council trying to shut it down) as it was such a brilliant place - very friendly people, and a lovely location - just near Salisbury, where nopax made his entry into this world so many years ago............

:cool:

Whirlybird

10th Jun 2002, 12:49

I'm not sure that I believe a word of this.

Let me give you an example of what some of the less reputable newspapers will do if they want a story. A couple of years ago, a friend of mine decided to have a party on May Day. One of the guests was Susie Straw, Jack Straw's sister. The Daily Mail reported that Susie was leading pagan type dances around a maypole at midnight while her brother was doing important government work etc etc etc. They made the whole thing up, because it sounded good. I know, I was there. We all had a good laugh about it the following week. But you see what I mean?

distaff_beancounter

10th Jun 2002, 13:04

Whirlybird I am beginning to come around to your view, now that my "Press Secretary" :D , has brought me in a copy of the actual article. It looks like "what shall we put on page 15 on a quiet news weekend?".

From the above postings, it appears that Madonna's stately pile is on finals for RW 26. As this runway is the usual one in use, most of the movements over her house will be aircraft coming into land, with low throttle settings, so presumably little noise.

Perhaps someone should point out to her, that if she does away with flying at Compton Abbas, then there will be no contraints of an ATZ, to prevent fixed-wings & helis from circling over her house at 501ft & taking photographs.

So really, the airfield is doing her a favour by being there, & preventing press intrusion (such as the Sunday Express?). :)

englishal

10th Jun 2002, 13:05

then move the aircraft to somewhere local

You're welcome to set up an airfield in the field behind my house, at the mo I have to drive 40 miles to go flying, and I'd be more than happy to jump over my fence to get airbourne!:D

(The likes of Madonna and whoeverheis don't know how lucky they are;) )

Cheers
EA

Aussie Andy

10th Jun 2002, 15:01

So assuming last post is correct, best not to stir up the hornet's nest - typical of the right wing tabloids - and playing into their dirty hands!

unwiseowl

10th Jun 2002, 16:59

It's inconcievable that she didn't know about the airfield before she bought the pad. Yes, she probably wants the shelter of the ATZ and the use of the airfield (and, I know Compton can't take a GIV)!

Delta Wun-Wun

10th Jun 2002, 17:19

"Quick look here page 9..........Oh ...sorry.....thought I had found a newspaper story with an element of truth in it....It`s only an advert" :D :D

aerobatics

10th Jun 2002, 17:38

Sharpshot Quote

"If this is based on Mr. Bream's dislike of aerial noise and he is 4 n.m. north, is he part of a small hamlet that could legitimatley be avoided...."

Compton does have a noise abaitment program. The club does spend a lot of time working with the very few locals who dont like aviation. Local villages are avoided and his village is one of them......

On the day that the reporter said that he was interviewing Mr Bream...... the weather was on the deck and there was no flying going on at all...... funny how he was being dive bombed.

I'm with Whirleybird, and think that the paper is making it all up..just for the story.

ustillflyin

10th Jun 2002, 17:49

Let Her buy the field at a highly inflated price... then purchase the property acoss the street from her and build a new airport NEXT DOOR!:D :D

t'aint natural

10th Jun 2002, 20:28

C'mon, people... get real. Let's take this step by step.
You're aviatiors, right? So you know from your own experience that every story on aviation in every tabloid newspaper in the UK is always wrong, right?
I'll let you into a secret - almost every story on almost every subject in almost every newspaper is equally wrong almost all the time.
This one is wrong, too. They made it up. It's bollocks. But hell, who's gonna sue?
Let's have less of this charitable belief in the scribblings of scoundrels - especially when you use it as a basis on which to fly off the handle.

Keef

10th Jun 2002, 23:32

Yes, t'ain't - you're right, of course.

I suspect we all knew that all along. But nothing's more enjoyable than a nice wind-up. Nobody knows whether the folks writing are real pilots (anyone know any of those?) or members of the AEF trying to spread misunderstanding.

As it says below,
"As these are anonymous forums the origins of the contributions may be opposite to what may be apparent. In fact the press may use it, or the unscrupulous, to elicit certain reactions."

Southern Cross

11th Jun 2002, 09:41

Well, now it is on page 3 of The Sun. So it must be true.

Who has control?

11th Jun 2002, 10:12

Perhaps she thinks she is trying to buy the Complete ABBA's back catalogue? :)

FlyingForFun

11th Jun 2002, 10:19

It's on Page 3 of The Sun? You must have a different edition to me - Page 3 just has a "Wake me up at 6.30am" cut-out for the footy tomorrow in my edition. :confused:

FFF
----------------

distaff_beancounter

11th Jun 2002, 12:21

Well Southern Cross, I think that you are brave to admit, on PPRuNe, to reading The Sun

I had to send the office junior out, in heavy disguise, to buy me a copy. And no, I could not find anything about Compton Abbas in it. Mind you, I could not find any news, at all, in it. :D

Southern Cross

11th Jun 2002, 13:05

Ah, I was just testing to see if anyone was paying attention. Its on page 7 next to today's "page3.com" offering. To the right of the main feature, in case anyone becomes a little blinded.

FlyingForFun

11th Jun 2002, 13:13

Nope, I still think I've got a different edition to you. Next to the lovely Jo, 23 from Leicestershire I've got an article about how Big Brother bookies have suspended betting on this week's eviction for the second week in a row.

I can't believe that Big Brother could be more important than rumours about Madonna buying Compton Abbas :confused:

Sdn Ldr Handlebar

11th Jun 2002, 15:36

Tally Ho Chaps……..Old Sdn Ldr Handlebar here again…….thought I drop in and give you young chaps the benefit of my experiences during WWII.

I remember it well……an afternoon dog fighting with the Jerries…..damn fine pilots…..wonderful aircraft…..especially that damn 109….mighty tough little blighter….more than a match for my trusty Spitfire…..anyway…..I’d taken orrf from Biggin Hill at around 14.00 and had my first encounter with Jerry about ½ an hour later…..down went two of the blighters and I was just settling in for the third when a fourth blighter came at me straight out of the sun……well what can I say…..port wing tip disappeared along with most of my rudder…..old X-Ray Charlie was flying like a wellington boot full of KY jelly and ball bearings….

I realised I had no bally chance of making it back to Biggin so decided to try for Compton Abbas……no bally compass and a ‘timiter that was going up and down like a whores draws….. ‘******’ ….I thought….this could get a little hairy…….anyway I knew Compton Abbas was to the North East of me so orrf I set….

It was at about this time that the damn engine started making more smoke than a NAAFI full of Matelots on rough shag……….not good I thought remembering that Compton Abbas is at 812ft…….well faint heart ne’re won fair maid…..so orrf I went…..straight down like a ruddy brick…..last thing that went through my mind was a vision of a bally great donger………well when I came to I realised that by chance I had stuffed the prop right into the Cerne Abbas giants willy…. http://www.uk-airfields.co.uk/giant.html

Now I can tell you it’s a pretty impressive piece of kit……..no wonder that Maradonna person wants to live there….

Oh well, must fly TTFN

Sdn Ldr Handlebar

solotk

12th Jun 2002, 12:14

At the risk of not toeing the party line here........

If it is true, has anyone from Compton Abbas bothered to invite their celebrity "loadsa clout" neighbours to a barbecue, or a flight in a Tiger etc? It's amazing how little it takes, to turn an objector into a staunch ally.

Tony

Chimbu chuckles

12th Jun 2002, 14:18

Yeah...and put a length of rubber hose(fore and aft) under the sheep skin seat cover in the front cockpit, the vibrations should get the dopy bint going right off...well it worked for me as a young bloke with girlies on back of motorbike:D

Chuckles.

aerobatics

12th Jun 2002, 17:11

Quite a lot of the staff that work on her estate have been up in the air, care of Compton abbas.

Little Rascal

15th Jun 2002, 21:20

:D

NOTAM - New intersection has just been announced... MADON... N5058.8 W 205.6 Elev approx 500ft QNH... See you there every Saturday and Sunday at 0600Z!!! ;)

distaff_beancounter

16th Jun 2002, 08:58

This morning, at 0850 BST, on BBC1 TV Breakfast - Liquid News, the Madonna buying Compton Abbas story, was illustrated with cuts between classic shots of Madonna, & film of several Hercules C130s, at what appeared to be an RAF airfield.

This was presumably meant to be an honest illustration, to justify Madonna's complaints of aircraft noise :mad:

sunnysideup

16th Jun 2002, 15:48

I assume that Compton Abbas pilots know the houses of Madonna and Julian. I'm sure that there not small.

Why doesn't someone print off a few copies of this thread and drop them into their back yards?? (Of course, from 501', at night, and not admnitting to it!!)

Or stick a Citation and an air charter outfit at the airfield. They'll start calling it there own private field then, anyway

:p

englishal

17th Jun 2002, 10:01

Could always have a word with my ATC mate at Yeovilton and get him to send a few harriers over at 200' :D ;)

FNG

17th Jun 2002, 11:41

This thread is an interesting demonstration of the dynamics of pprune. Starts with a dubious story culled from an unreliable news source, warms up with several "let's stonk her house!" posts, gains a few "but what if the press see that?" cautions, and then comes back to Earth as local knowledge indicates that the original story has a high fiction content. Goes to sleep for a while, then recycles with more "lets stonk her house" contributions, perhaps from people who didn't read the middle page? How many more circuits can the thread survive before the neighbours start complaining?