New Parachute drop zone proposed just south of Otmoor

[Nigel Hitchman]

I recieved this today, it doesnt seem to contain the full proposal, but gives enough information to see that it would be a nightmare, right in the middle of the busy north-south corridor between Brize and Benson used by many GA aircraft and gliders.

Please lets all make our feelings known to the CAA. There are already two drop zones nearby Hinton and Weston on the Green. My view is if someone wants to drop parachutists around here, they should operate from Weston on the Green inside the currrent danger area.
Edit: actually there is a third, at Chiltern park, just south of Benson!

quote:
Hi Andrew,

No I was not aware of this, but I am copying it immediately to as many local (or likely affected) pilots as I can muster, with a plea that they immediately express their concerns to the CAA.

This is an entirely inappropriate location for a Drop Zone as it is slap-bang in the middle of one of the most actively-used North-South VFR routes as well as being adjacent to at least three very active gliding sites, a much-used flying school training area and of course the intense military aerial activity of Benson/Brize.

the proposed DZ is a circle 1.5 nm in diameter, immediately to the SE of the Otmoor mast, between it and the M40. It would extend from surface to FL120.

Edit: :
the drop zone takes up the whole space from where the M40 and A40 split, upto Oakley airfield and the beckley mast. It borders the Benson MATZ stub


The organisation making the application is London Skydive Centre (http://chrisivory.wordpress.com/). It is not a parachute club or member organisation. It is a commercial venture established by Mr Christian Ivory to offer tandem drops to customers. It is the same company that proposed similarly inappropriate drop zones close to Popham airfield (and submitted a 92 page document in support of the enterprise) last summer.

Ladies, gents on the cc-list, please take a look at this, respond to the consultation by sending an e-mail to [email protected] (you may also wish to send a copy to Mr Ivory [email protected]), and pass it on to other pilots who may also be affected.


Best regards

Steve Slater

Chairman,
Vintage Aircraft Club

From: andrew harper Sent: 11 December 2012 09:17
To: Steve Slater
Subject: FW: Oxford AIAA User Group Meeting and CAA Consultation on New parachute Drop Zone

Dear Steve,

Trust you are aware of this proposal?

Most unsatisfactory position, obstructing a busy bottleneck.

Many Thanks for your good work with the VAC.

Seasons Greetings,

Andrew Harper





Dear Sir,

This Department has been approached by the London Skydive Centre, who have applied to establish a new Parachute Drop-Zone approximately 2nm to the ENE of the town of Oxford, in the vicinity of Beckley/Stanton St John. Further outline details of the proposed DZ location and operations are attached to this email.

Although the application does not meet the criteria for an Airspace Change Proposal (ACP), I would like to request your views on the considerations for your own operation that might be caused by the new DZ. If possible, please state the major factors as you see them and any mitigating actions that could assist in integrating the DZ successfully into the local airspace.

In your response to this department, could I also ask you to copy the message to the applicant at: [email protected]

Kind Regards,
Lawrence Hay
FOI(GA) CAA
01293 573528