SUSTAINABLE AVIATION?
The aviation industry are making considerable efforts, along with optimistic claims, towards making flying more sustainable - that is, less environmentally damaging. Their work covers a number of approaches:
The main problems with these plans are that they are either impractical, the benefit is too small or the time required is far too long - Climate Change is heading our way, some describe the challenge as far greater than Covid.
A Youtube channel called "Green Sky Thinking" explores these and related developments. Click HERE to view their series of video clips.
There is an industry Web site, Sustainable Aviation. Click HERE to see their Web site. Make of it what you will.
- Developments in hydrocarbon fuels, Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) ;
- New energy sources, including electricity and hydrogen;
- Engine design improvements;
- Airframe design improvements.
The main problems with these plans are that they are either impractical, the benefit is too small or the time required is far too long - Climate Change is heading our way, some describe the challenge as far greater than Covid.
A Youtube channel called "Green Sky Thinking" explores these and related developments. Click HERE to view their series of video clips.
There is an industry Web site, Sustainable Aviation. Click HERE to see their Web site. Make of it what you will.
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NOISE MONITORING STATION AT RUSTHALL
Our thanks go to Rusthall Parish Council for making a successful request for a noise monitoring station.
Among other things, this seems likely to be useful during the Reduced Night Noise trial. Gatwick is determined to start this as soon as circumstances allow.
Among other things, this seems likely to be useful during the Reduced Night Noise trial. Gatwick is determined to start this as soon as circumstances allow.
Here is a screen shot showing an arrivals flight overflying the station and creating a considerable noise (61dB) in doing so just before 7:30 in the morning.
The shot also shows how the proposed housing development at Ramslye is overflown by arrivals heading for Rusthall, where the number of flights during Westerly winds (historically 70% of the time) is at its peak in the arrivals swathe.
The shot also shows how the proposed housing development at Ramslye is overflown by arrivals heading for Rusthall, where the number of flights during Westerly winds (historically 70% of the time) is at its peak in the arrivals swathe.
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CONTINUING CONCERNS OVER ARRIVALS MANAGEMENT
We remain very concerned about the management of arrivals, especially during the late evening and into the night. When this is combined with concentration the effect for those on the ground can be very disturbing.
A TWAANG supporter with a young family drew our attention to the concentration of flights over Tunbridge Wells around 10:00pm on Monday 17th June. The screen image below shows the reason for her concern - and it only shows part of the evening. The lowest of these flights was about 3,400ft above ground, some others were not much higher. We note that three of the eleven flights here had infringed Gatwick's rules for good arrivals practice (the icons circled in yellow); CDO violation. No evidence of Fair and Equitable Distribution (FED) here.
A TWAANG supporter with a young family drew our attention to the concentration of flights over Tunbridge Wells around 10:00pm on Monday 17th June. The screen image below shows the reason for her concern - and it only shows part of the evening. The lowest of these flights was about 3,400ft above ground, some others were not much higher. We note that three of the eleven flights here had infringed Gatwick's rules for good arrivals practice (the icons circled in yellow); CDO violation. No evidence of Fair and Equitable Distribution (FED) here.
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EARLIER NEWS ITEMS
TUNBRIDGE WELLS SKIES UNDER FURTHER THREAT
Gatwick’s Master Plan 2018
Gatwick are planning for an additional 50,000 flights by the summer of 2025, and by 2028 to expand flights by up to 30% (over 80,000) and passenger numbers by 40%.
These proposals have serious implications for the whole area surrounding the airport. Particular issues for Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding area include:
These proposals have serious implications for the whole area surrounding the airport. Particular issues for Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding area include:
- More flights make more delays likely, causing arrivals to spill over even more into the night period than at present.
- When there are more flights it pushes arrivals Eastwards over the densely populated town. With Gatwick’s plans this would get even worse.
- Aircraft are getting quieter, but only very slowly and it is the frequency of overflights that people find most upsetting. More flights means greater frequency throughout the day.
- Attempts to distribute arrivals more widely have failed, and future air traffic management technology will create greater concentration - all the worse the more flights there are.
Gatwick’s Draft Master Plan 2018 is a sales brochure for their expansion plans, the claims made in it need to be considered with care.
You can download the Consultation document and full Plan by clicking HERE.
For those living around Gatwick and disturbed by its activities things can only get worse with Gatwick’s increasing activity, which makes it doubly important that Community Groups such as TWAANG continue to hold Gatwick to account robustly and challenge it to do all it can to mitigate the adverse effects of its activities.
The French infrastructure company Vinci has just announced that it is buying a 50.01% stake in Gatwick Airport (GAL) for £2.9 billion from the previous majority stakeholder, Global Infrastructure Partnership (GIP). The figure paid is less than had been anticipated (£6-10 billion for the whole business) so it seems that the limitations of the airport are being recognised.
The new owners talk about growing the airport and have made no mention of its environmental impact. This is a matter for concern.
You can download the Consultation document and full Plan by clicking HERE.
For those living around Gatwick and disturbed by its activities things can only get worse with Gatwick’s increasing activity, which makes it doubly important that Community Groups such as TWAANG continue to hold Gatwick to account robustly and challenge it to do all it can to mitigate the adverse effects of its activities.
The French infrastructure company Vinci has just announced that it is buying a 50.01% stake in Gatwick Airport (GAL) for £2.9 billion from the previous majority stakeholder, Global Infrastructure Partnership (GIP). The figure paid is less than had been anticipated (£6-10 billion for the whole business) so it seems that the limitations of the airport are being recognised.
The new owners talk about growing the airport and have made no mention of its environmental impact. This is a matter for concern.
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OUR REPORTS ON CONTINUOUS DESCENT APPROACHES
We have carried out several studies of Continuous Descent Approaches and the way they are carried out into Gatwick from the East:
Author: Angus Stewart
This is our report on the CDA performance at Gatwick
Author: Ed Crutchley
Author: Ed Crutchley
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