Campaigners release flights map
10.08.09
A new image shows flight paths of aircraft taking off from Bristol Airport. It was produced by a campaign group that is fighting the airport's expansion plans. They claim it shows how far flight paths have deviated from regular routes and the extent of the Bristol area where planes fly. But it has been described by the airport as ‘an amateur approach to a complex issue’.
Campaigners used a tracking device to monitor flights from the airport during a week in May. The device picked up radio signals broadcast by planes. Jeremy Birch, spokesman for Stop Bristol Airport Expansion (SBAE) said: ‘This data confirms beyond a doubt just how far afield planes from Bristol airport are flying. The regular flight paths have been planned to minimise flights over populated areas, but more planes travelling wide of these will cause more suffering for local residents. Plans for 10m passengers, and 13.8m by 2030 can only mean that things are going to get much worse.’
‘This image just shows data from departures in one week in May and, in fact, isn't the complete story as it's based on the radio signals we were able to pick up from one location. It also only has half the flights as no arrivals are shown. Even so it is clear that flights to and from the airport fly over many local communities. We will continue to monitor flight paths and use this to show all concerned the impacts of the airport's operations.’
Airport spokesman James Gore said: ‘The map used falls some way short of the accuracy required. No scale is provided and no indication of where the tracking device was located is given.
There is no attempt to identify individual aircraft, and clearly noise impacts will vary between, for example, light aircraft and commercial airliners.'
‘There is no indication of whether the easterly or westerly runway was in use, which would have a significant influence on the results. Finally, aircraft transiting through the airspace are not differentiated from those arriving or departing from Bristol International. Quite frankly, this is an amateur approach to a complex issue, and the results are no more valid than a 'back-of-a-fag-packet' sketch. As a result, it is impossible to draw any conclusions from this graphic.’
Bristol Airport is investing £400,000 over five years in Tracker – a system which will monitor aircraft departure noise and produce a graphic record of where aircraft using the airport fly relative to the ground.
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