Oh dear. I should have kept my big trap shut. Here come Oozalum Airways again to blast jet fuel over the picknickers on our beach every five minutes!Update: Here's what Wikipedia says about Oasis Hong Kong Airlines, the people responsible for this particular lump of aluminium. They're a budget, long haul airline (yep, it's a long way from Manston to, er, Manston) based in Hong Kong. They currently own three 747s, with another three due for delivery. In the UK they fly out of Gatwick, which is where they should stay if you ask me.
Oasis was founded by the Reverend Raymond Lee and his lovely wife Priscilla in 2005. There's a background interview with him here. According to the Rev:
I was born into a wealthy business family in Hong Kong. But I never seriously contemplated a career in business. If anything, I was appalled by the strains in familial relations that had been wrought by the love of money. I decided, instead, to serve mankind.
If the word ‘spiritual’ is properly understood to mean ‘bringing enormous benefit to people in all walks of life’, I’m a deeply spiritual man!
Yeah right. Tell that to the people who can't hear themselves pray in St George's on a Sunday, Rev.
37 comments:
If you look out your mansion window you will see there are very few people on the beach.
Not surprising with that thing blasting their eardrums every five minutes.
It's been empty all morning, before the arrival of our friend. Like the photo, was it taken this morning?
Yes, just before the sun started shining, only to be blotted out again by our 400 tonne mate.
By the way, what was all that hooting from the ferry earlier?
A yacht in the way again, most probably on deck watching the plane go over.
It is a bit distracting to say the least. I don't think people would mind so much if it was actually flying to Hong Kong from Manston, but alas it's not. What's so frustrating is that we've got the worst of both worlds - an airport with no destinations apart from itself!
No destinations, have alook at
http://daisy.kia-m.com/index.asp
Press the tomorrow tab.
'SAIL BEFORE STEAM'
Ex Mariner.
So two whole flights to Alicante tomorrow then. Which will be taking off and leaving. Not circling every five minutes for the best part of three hours. And they won't be 747s either.
Speaking as a hand-loomed hemp wearing creative type, I'd be much happier to see my taxes invested in expanding the port. It's environmentally friendlier, we can help save the planet by building wind farms there, it's a contributor to, rather than a detractor from, the town's amenities.
Anyway, must dash now as I'm off to handcuff myself to a Boeing.
Re: SAIL BEFORE STEAM - it's a little known fact that Port Ramsgate actually operates on an AGE BEFORE BEAUTY basis, given the archaic nature of TransEuropa's fleet.
A port more environmentally friendly? Not been to Dover recently have you.
I hear the port traffic was up 25% in July which is great news. I suspect that we're importing more Polish goods through there. It would also explain the increasing number of lorries parking along the Western Undercliff which is not such good news.
Wow! I think it's time you reeled in your line ECR - the topic has certainly woken everyone up again.
I used to love the Western Undercliff but it's been ruined by the access road and the lorries. Horrible tarmac.
I would like to write about the lorries that are filling the spaces at the westcliff for the Thanet Gazette (or Gazunder as you folks know us!). They are even dumping trailers off there and someone told me drivers are doing disgusting things on our beaches. If there is someone who is willing to talk to me about this problem that would be great. I am on 578992.Thanks.
Ah, Ms Kathy Bailes! Am I right in thinking you're almost single-handedly responsible for every piece of editorial matter in the local papers? Sometimes it seems like that! (And I mean than in an admiring-your-enormous-output kind of way, not in any pejorative sense).
I've personally heard tales of lorry drivers taking trucker dumps in and around the port area, which is pretty revolting. And you wouldn't want to take a swig from some of half full bottles of Lucozade you sometimes find around there.
Anyone else got any horror stories?
In that case I am keeping well away from the lucozade (which has no alcohol content anyway)! Urghh!
I don't think it was the alcohol content ECR was worried about - for once
I see according to Westgate's Wriggle McBiggles we should all stop c0mmenting about the aircraft noise. He is the only one who understands anything about aircraft and the local noise abatement confitions, and we should all shut up. And that includes the labour Group on TDC. That man is suck an arrogant w**ker.
oops - meant "such" -h0nest
As if anyone this side of the island would let themselves be dictated to by HIM
The Tory fly-boys are giving Cllr Green a bit of flack on his blog, so I'd urge anyone with Ramsgate's interests at heart to get over there and support him.
What happened to the Manston Airport Group protesters. Did they lose interest and just fade away?
I think they faded away because back then there wernt any of these training flights which the council has secretly agreed to.
Bring back MAG - all is forgiven - we could set up a camp along the perimeter fence just like our brothers and sisters at Heathrow
No you couldn't Swampy, as most of the green protesters have flown away to far distant lands for their holidays or "gap years".OK for them to do it but nobody else.
"Tony", what is your answer to those who argue that their peace is being disturbed by these training flights? And how many jobs do you KNOW are being sustained by those flights?
Anon 12:27 ask ECR
Eh?
Sorry ECR it is your blog, just thought you'd like to answer Anon 12:37, (why anon.How do you tell one anon. from another?), instead of me repeating myself.
Tony, you seem to have all the answers, as long as it includes the words ' shut up & go away'!
Why don't you answer 12.37 Anon, instead of palming it off on to someone else?
Anon (another one) 1:12 where have said "shut up & go away? I,m quite willing to answer 1237, but do want to seem to intrude on ECR's site, he knows my views and 1237 has only to go through archives to see them.
"Tony", I am Anon 1237; I'll identify myself as such in future, for the sake of clarity. I have asked you two straightforward questions, replying to which should not prove too taxing. I'm afraid I haven't the time or the inclination to ferret through archives to try to find your previously aired views – assuming they even cover what I have raised.
You have challenged what appears to be the majority thinking on here - quite pointedly - and it seems reasonable that you explain yourself in the way I have asked.
ANON1237
OK anon 1237 here goes. Firstly I have not challenged anyones opinion
on here. Everyone has a right to their views.I just like to put the alternative view, and that is the flights do not annoy me, the airport is being used for what it was created for, aircraft. I do not know how many jobs are being sustained, but all the time aircraft are using the airport it must keep people employed.
What I really dislike people saying is "the people of Ramsgate" are anti-airport or anti-training flights without actually asking the residents. I've lived under the flight path for five years and nobody has yet come to the door to ask our opinion. To ECR's credit he has set up a petition to see how many people are against, which is more than some councillors are bothered to find out.
As far as my viewpoint on this is concerned please bear in mind that I'm not against jobs for Thanet, of course not, that would be too silly for words. And I'm not against the airport per se.
What I am against, though, is a 400 tonne lump of jet-propelled aluminium roaring a few feet over my roof every five minutes, for three or four hours at a time, on a Saturday or Sunday, with no proper regulation in place. For goodness sake, if Manston were even half clever at PR, they might at least forewarn us of these abominable training flights by, for example, publishing the times in advance on their website. That would at least give me time to bugger off somewhere else for the day, and allow some of the more fractious readers of this blog time to lubricate their SAM collection.
Some people, like me, are more sensitive to this kind of intrusion, others, including Tony, aren't bothered. It's all a question of being able to accommodate both viewpoints, surely? Tony seems to be a reasonable chap with reasonable concerns. Hopefully he feels my concerns are reasonable too. If only the council would accept the need to have a reasonable debate on this subject.
A very good idea about advanced warning, why not put it to KIA and let us know their response?
Might just do that, although they're not that great at handling sensitive issues in my experience.
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