AGREED: That the Minutes of the meeting held on 27 June 2006 be approved as a correct record and signed.

3. MATTERS ARISING

The Sukhoi

The Committee were told that the Sukhoi was still in Spain and it was too late for it to return to Headcorn aerodrome this year. The Sukhoi had returned briefly to the aerodrome earlier in the year but had returned to Spain.

David Parker recorded his thanks to Miranda Kelly for the research carried out on the status of the Ashford Borough Council planning application, the proposed expansion of operations and the lion cages. As Peter Sizer told the committee at the last meeting the BPA had undertaken a risk assessment and found no reason to ask HPC to alter their system of operation. The cages and the area as a whole would require inspection once the development was completed. It was accepted that parachuting was a dangerous occupation, there were a number of existing hazards for example railway lines, overhead cables etc. and the view was that a few more lion cages would not add significantly to the dangers. The Parachute Club would be contacting Parkside Leisure to advise them that adding roofs to the cages would be prudent.

The Planning Application for evening flying was due to go to the Planning Committee at Maidstone Borough Council on Thursday 12 October 2006. The application had previously been objected to by a resident of Shenley Caravan Park, however, this related to alterations to the wording of the application that had been requested by Maidstone Borough Council, so the decision had been deferred. It was hoped that permission would be granted for two years’ evening flying. Jamie Freeman told the Committee that one evening flight had already taken place between 19.45 and 20.15, a period covered by existing planning permission, which had resulted in no complaints.

The Weald of Kent Preservation Society had objected to the planning application but had not consulted Jamie Freeman to obtain details of the reasons for the application which was to provide special safety training for pilots, to improve pilots’ qualifications and ability to return to the aerodrome after dark when necessary. Jamie Freeman thanked Smarden village for their support.

The Public Rights of Way Officer from Kent County Council had objected to the application on the grounds that the footpath could be used at night. Jamie Freeman had replied to the letter and copies of the correspondence were circulated

Jamie Freeman told the Committee that he would be discussing the planning application for turbo-prop aircraft with Liz Fisher and Anna Bloomfield once the evening flying application had been determined. MBC were holding the application in abeyance until other factors were in place e.g. sound tests. The Committee were told that a PC12 turbo prop aircraft carrying a VIP who was attending the English Ladies Open at Chart Hills, had landed at Headcorn aerodrome the previous week using special "one-off" permission. It had been very quiet and efficient. The PC12 was a smaller aircraft than the Let and no complaints had been received about it. A number of planes currently using the airfield were much louder than the PC12. The plan would be to replace the noisier aircraft with quieter aircraft. Quieter aircraft would be operating with the same weight limits as currently allowed. This would prevent a big business operation, however a service of this nature would be very useful for businesses and executives attending meetings across the country.

Concerns were expressed about Headcorn Aerodrome becoming another Gatwick. To allay any fears Jamie Freeman told the Committee that jet engined aircraft were not permitted by the CAA to land on grass, additionally as the runway is grass a scheduled business service cannot be developed because of reliability issues. The Committee was also told that the 5700kg weight restriction and the length of runway further restricted the aerodrome.

4. CORRESPONDENCE

Jamie Freeman explained that he recently had a number of aircraft undertaking D As (Display Authorisations) for based and non-based aircraft, and his usual way of doing this was to have one aircraft in the overhead and one holding off. On this occasion the aircraft were holding off to the south over Biddenden. Unfortunately one aircraft (now banned from the field) had continued to do aerobatics over Biddenden village and 3 telephone complaints had been received in short succession. JPAF had personally spoken to each complainant, apologised, explained what had happened and said it would not happen again. In fact having two aircraft in the air at the same time had been an historic approach as originally acrobatic aircraft took a long time to reach the required height so he had always had one over the field and one climbing. However, the more modern aircraft could climb much more quickly than the earlier ones and he would now have a ruling that only one aircraft would be permitted up at one time to undertake DA tests.

The Committee were told that the 50^th Anniversary Celebration of the Tiger Club which was held on 9 September 2006 had been very successful. A number of interesting aircraft had flown into the field, some on their way to Lydd airshow. These included a Sea Vixen, Mustangs and a Spitfire. There had also been a fly-by. No complaints had been received. Lyn Selby asked if this display should have had planning permission. She was advised that planning permission was not required as it was not a display or show.

The day of the Flying Proms had turned out to be extremely wet. It had been decided that the Flying Proms next year would take place on 28 July 2007. A planning application for this would be going into Maidstone Borough Council Planning Department shortly. It was hoped that if better weather prevailed that the aerodrome would be able to undertake the parachute drops and the Balloon Glow which we had still to do. Lyn Selby said that people had enjoyed the Proms and this was confirmed by other Committee members.

5. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

The website with defamatory comments about Headcorn aerodrome had been very quiet in the last six months. However, on checking at the conclusion of the meeting, it was seen that a new article had been added which contained many factual inaccuracies.

6. DATE OF NEXT MEETING

6 March 2007 - apologies from Jenefer Gibson in advance of the meeting.