Aeroclub update

Many of you will know that the Aeroclub has been listening to the views of South Milford and Lumby residents about the problems caused by the old circuit patterns (the routes used to train new and inexperienced pilots). As many of us will testify the old circuit where planes would take off from the airfield and fly towards Lumby was causing particular problems. The Parish Council was very pleased to learn earlier this year that the Club had agreed to test a new circuit avoiding most of South Milford and avoiding Lumby altogether.

The very latest news is that the new circuit isn’t working as well as it might for certain aircraft / pilots, so they had to find a compromise that maintains the circuit turn before the village for most flights but, at the same time, provides a solution for those aircraft / pilots not able to follow the new circuit. The diagram below shows the change. It shows the continued default circuit is to turn left before South Milford. Those unable to make the turn before the village will continue with the “old” circuit between the villages, around South Milford, and then routing between South Milford and Lumby.

The Aeroclub believes the majority of ordinary daytime training and flying can be conducted, even during the summer months, by flying circuits which turn before South Milford. Most of the time club aircraft fly with just a maximum of two persons on board and are capable of turning before the villages. The latest literature sent to pilots in November emphasised that the default circuit is still to turn before the villages.