Michael O'Brien took the chair. (In the unavoidable absence of Elaine Jackson Chris Beney took the minutes)

SUMMARY OF MINUTES

These minutes are quite long and so a brief summary is attempted here:

1. Cabair undertook to purchase and fly with one silencer before 25th Dec 2000 and to try to assess the reduction in disturbance.
2. Other amelioration measures will be looked at at the next meeting, as will some other matters there was not time for.
3. Responding to numerous expression of dissatisfaction about complaints logging and enforcement, Mr Houlder will take these on board and undertook to act and produce a document before the next meeting.
4. The 'half a day respite wherever practicable' principle was supported.
5. The community representatives preferred the full northern circuit going up the A41/M1 and so far as practicable well south of Munden House and to the north of Netherwylde Farm. (coloured A3 map tabled). This gave nuisance to the absolute minimum numbers of people. Most of North Bushey would be better off. Central Bushey would be spared the recently imposed all-day-long noise. Southern Radlett would still have the helicopter circuits as would Letchmore Heath. Cabair and ATC were very unhappy with this route and after discussion it was decided not to implement it now but to use the second best route tabled by the community representatives (black and white A4 map tabled) with minor changes. This involves three flight bands over Radlett and it was emphasised that strict control over the rotation of these bands was essential.
6. The DETR draft consultation paper response was endorsed by the committee with a few changes.

ITEM 1. APOLOGIES:

Peter Roberts, Neil Payne.

ITEM 2. MINUTES OF LAST MEETING AND MATTERS ARISING:

Approved as tabled subject to Michael nor Robin Jefferis in 5.4

Arising: Item 8. Letter to Minister. It was not clear whose action nor the nature of that action.

ITEM 3. Record of 13th July Meeting.

This was tabled and noted.

ITEM 4. Silencers and Quiet aircraft, progress and plans.

John Houlder reported on an Edinburgh meeting where the matters were raised with the CAA chairman and Ogilvie of AOPA as well as E D Dean, the CAA General Aviation man. John Houlder will ask the CAA to introduce voluntary a UK version of German approval.

Hugh Jones reported on his contacts with Skycraft (it seems no one from Elstree has even now contacted them). It is fitted to 60 glider tugs. Only 4 or 5 new bellows are sold each year (at £20 or so) so their life seems reasonable. CSE says 3dB, Skycraft say 5dB. Silencers are only part, we need quiet propellers and quiet aircraft. Would Cabair please replace their aircraft, G-WARS is for sale, start there?

Andy Granger said that G-WARS may well be a sale and leaseback one and would probably be re-leased. They cannot give a commitment to replace aircraft. But Cabair does undertake to purchase and trial a silencer between now and 25th December. ACTION CABAIR. They may rotate the silencer to other aircraft. If it turns out well they will fit to all their aircraft.

Hugh Jones welcomed the silencer initiative. If the aircraft will not be replaced could a propeller replacement take place?

Andy Granger said Cabair may well have a programme of replacement in the next five years. Katanas are being looked at, a bigger model than used before. He had not noticed this model as especially quiet. The four blade propeller is not yet CAA approved.

James Clappison was in favour of silencers and welcomed Cabair's statement hoping it will lead to progress.

Silencers cost about £1500 each plus fitting.

James Clappison asked how the benefit will be assessed. Cabair looked to assess from complaints. Michael O'Brien thought a direct comparison with one flight after another. Chris Beney felt both methods were needed, as extracting from complaints was a far from certain process. John Houlder is happy to contact people to ask them to listen-out and report back.

Audrey Holland had had the use of a decibel meter from Hertsmere to check the difference in levels in N and S circuits, the results had not arrived in time for the meeting.

Some items from the tabled aide memoire 'Reducing community impact of circuit flights' were AGREED to take at the next meeting: Explore optimum heights, less flights, quiet times. No specific actions were apportioned but a paper from a member or members on the first of these and perhaps the others, would be helpful. As a base for optimum heights Andy Granger (actually later in the meeting) said that LSF pilots climb to 1000ft above aerodrome datum and stay there, only varying plus or minus 50 to 70 feet from that when in circuit.

ITEM 5a. Summary of complaints in relation to trials.

Please note: Item 8 was taken with this item (5a) as it appeared expedient to do so.

Chris Beney Spoke to the yellow sheet dated 22 September. He also updated it for further complaints forms from July 12th to 31st.

In relation to new circuits he had looked at complaints for July 12th to September 17th by location of the complainant:
July 12th to 31st 'Colne Valley' 16, Radlett 36, Bushey 31 [14 north, 16 central]
Aug 5th to Sep 17th 'Colne Valley' 3, Radlett 30, Bushey 37 [5 north, 31 central]
The Radlett 30 include ones from a mail drop which also produced a batch of letters to John Houlder.
(these figures were a quick count and are approximate)

The log forms were now much clearer to read with the new layout but there were some matters of concern about complaints recording and the arising actions needed as a result:
1. Many complaints had not been logged at all.
2. Many complainants felt they had been cut-off. This was largely because of the new procedure introduced by John Houlder last year (without consultation) but resulted in incorrect recording of complaint and in irritation and lack of confidence.
3. Some log forms failed to record what the complaint was, by either mis-stating it or putting down the ATC response instead of the complaint itself.
4. Complaints needing action often failed to have any action logged.
5. Consideration should be given to providing some analysis of these complaints within the aerodrome.

Michael Colne reminded the aerodrome that most people were not in the Royal Observer Corps and needed courtesy and attention. Stuart Nagler noted the number of people who said they failed to get through and overall felt the complaints may be double the figures given. He felt that enforcement procedures should be clearer and asked for a paper from the aerodrome on how they will control and enforce. Hugh Jones looked to the Aerodrome to provide some monitoring in the field. Technological aids such as recording machines with loudspeakers allowing ATC to pick up and speak where appropriate and practicable were discussed, as were the problems of analysis and feedback from audio tapes.

Cabair said they were reliant on the Aerodrome for completing the disciplinary chain of events, they need names from the aerodrome management then Cabair can apply the procedure laid down in their memo of 15th August (the 'grey' paper circulated with the agenda of the EACC). James Clappison asked about repetitive offenders. Cabair said they were not willing to start fining people.

It was AGREED that the process should be made clearer and that John Houlder has taken on board the above matters and will undertake to act and produce a document before the next meeting ACTION John Houlder.

ITEM 5b ('c' in error on the agenda) The way forward: routes, spread, times.

Routes:

There had been some confusion following a meeting on 9th August, one of the routes off the yellow sheet had been assumed agreed and was implemented (circuit B probably). That was sorted out. Andy Granger stated that LSF will fly any circuit that is safe and usable.

Hugh Jones reminded the meeting that for the two years when circuit B, between Radlett and Letchmore Heath, was supposed to have been flown it hadn't seemed possible to keep to it.

A north and south circuit proposal based on community discussion was tabled (A3 coloured sheet) with an A4 sheet of explanation (note the route referred to as 'X' in the explanatory sheet is the northern one on the coloured sheet). Careful adherence to that northern route would avoid Munden House, Hill Farm, and Netherwylde Farm as well as avoiding the all-day noise recently imposed on Central Bushey. Most, though not all, of North Bushey would gain too.

A discussion took place and various issues were raised. LSF (Tony Creese) had said the route was flyable. But there are safety issues related to visual navigation and to a significant part of the route falling outside the Air Traffic Control Zone of the aerodrome.
The result should not be a repeat of the serious disruption in the Colne Valley and (later) in North Radlett when a far north circuit was tried in July, because the new proposal was routed further from sensitive areas (as far away as the old more southerly route was from Radlett) and would no longer be all-day.
Fiona Turner would like to see some built-in spread but there are only limited opportunities for scatter on this circuit.

Concern was expressed for the Patchetts area, and continuation to beyond Junction 5 before turning was requested to help that. John Houlder was concerned about the danger from restricted visibility. Separation of the less experienced pilots so that they used the south circuit only was apparently not practicable. John Houlder tabled an elongated route between Radlett and Letchmore Heath (A4 'landscape' sheet). But it was completely unacceptable to Central and North Bushey, giving the former all day every day flying and the latter encircling flights. South Radlett were not confident it could be flown reliably in practice as past experience had demonstrated. The area in Letchmore Heath and South Radlett affected by the escalated helicopter training would have disturbance from both types of flight.

An alternative (black and white A4 'portrait') pair of routes was then tabled, the fallback alternative to the routes on the coloured map. It has three bands of flightpath over Radlett to minimise individual nuisance and like the suggested far north route it avoids the all-day noise recently imposed on Central Bushey and gives noise reduction to most of North Bushey.

The same request to pass Junction 5 was made. The community members generally expressed a substantial preference for the far north circuit but accepted the three band spread circuit subject to their concerns about flight accuracy and monitoring being satisfactorily addressed. Chris Beney informed the committee that some instructors had the rule that they would never fly the same one of the three bands in consecutive circuits, thus ensuring fair spreading and allowing simple monitoring from the ground by the public [except for American registered aircraft].

The chairman summed up broadly as follows. The far northern route was the preferred community one. But because of operational difficulties and safety concerns there was agreement to try the three band scatter. If it fails then the far north will be looked at again.

ACTION: The aerodrome/schools agreed to draw up detailed routes, based closely on the black and white map tabled at the meeting with it probably going a bit past Junction 5. Also to devise an effective monitoring scheme. Implementation to start on or around 7th October, notices to go in two local papers covering the area.

It was AGREED that the word 'trial' was best avoided.
The route will be reviewed at the February meeting and if shown to be unsatisfactory the far north one to be looked at again. In response to a suggestion by Michael Colne it was AGREED that if there were to be another crisis a meeting of the committee should be called and there should not be unilateral changes by the aerodrome.

The southern route gets cut in its south west corner by some of the circuit aircraft and a route showing that corner moved a few hundred metres further south thus moving the line south of Bentley Priory was tabled (the A3 colour one). Subject to the aviators test flying it, it was AGREED to implement this change.

Timing. After brief discussion it was AGREED that for the time being the circuit changes would remain at 2.00 p.m. and also AGREED that this matter will be discussed at the February meeting.

ITEM 6 QUESTIONS ADDRESSED TO MR HOULDER BY THE 31st AUGUST MEETING AND HIS REPLIES (the blue papers, some circulated, some tabled).

It was AGREED that in view of the crowded agenda and that some of the matters had been discussed under other heads this item would be carried forward to February.

ITEM 7 THE DETR CONSULTATION PAPER

The members had been sent copies of the consultation document and a proposed committee response (green) paper. Cabair tabled a draft of what they planned to send to the DETR. On the committee response Michael Jefferis in particular spoke to it as did some others. It was AGREED that the green paper subject to the few amendments agreed would be sent by the secretary to the DETR.

ITEM 8 This was taken with Item 5a

ITEM 9. MATTERS RAISED BY MEMBERS IN TURN

Ron Foster: Thanked the secretary for preparing all the papers, others concurred.

Andy Granger: Was concerned there were some who would like the aerodrome to close. LSF wants to work together and co-operate, but only on the basis that others are not seeking closure.

Hugh Jones: He is pleased to co-operate but only on the basis that Cabair are serious in trying to reduce noise impact.

John Houlder: Thanked Michael O'Brien for the way he had chaired a difficult meeting, the others concurred.

The secretary was asked to provide the minutes quite soon.

ITEM 9 PLANS.

None.

NEXT MEETING.

TUESDAY 6th February 2001, 5.30 pm at the aerodrome. Neil Payne, being next alphabetically, invited to chair the meeting.
[Neil Payne has indicated that he plans to decline it because it will be his first meeting: Peter Roberts is next alphabetically]

Documents appended for all members:

Narrow circuit as tabled by John Houlder
Response as sent to DETR
Cabair's tabled draft response.

Additional appended documents for those not present:

A3 coloured map, A4 upright map, and sheet 'Proposed changes....'
Aide memoire: Reducing community impact of circuit flights.