Thursday, November 08, 2007

Flying Tonite

Here's a little reminder, ahead of tonight's Eastcliff Residents' Association meeting with Matt Clarke, boss of RAF London Kent Ramsgate Manston International Airport, of the effect the Oasis training flights are having on the Cannes of Kent.

I'll be there with my megaphone, but if you don't get a chance to come along and protest, do sign my Downing Street petition.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just got back from Cuba on Tuesday and what was the first thing to see when back at home?, our old friend Oasis overhead. A nice touch, really made me feel at home.

Richard Eastcliff said...

Everyone seems to be going to Cuba. Well, er, Dr Biggles was there only the other week. You're weren't there with him, were you?

Perhaps we should suggest to Mr Infartil that he instigates a regular service to Havana!

Anonymous said...

Can't they do their training flights there? I'm sure it would be cheaper

Anonymous said...

I had read a couple of bloggers were in Cuba at about the same time, spooky or great minds think alike?

Anonymous said...

Definitely spooky.

Richard Eastcliff said...

I doubt if Oasis would relocate their training flights to Cuba as they Havana clue!!!?!?! Geddit!!?!?

Oh dear, I think I've had one Brandy Alexander too many.

Unknown said...

Highlight of the talk was the revelation (to me anyway) that infratil is not interested in the training flights for commercial reasons (though the money helps).
Apparently they allow them to give their air traffic control something to do! Otherwise, traffic is so low that the staff would not be able to maintain their licenses.

Justin Brown said...

Cuba would be ideal for pilot training, as the wind only ever blows in one direction, there.
Should be a shear delight for newbie pilots!

Anonymous said...

And they could wear those Cuban heels flyboys like so much!

Anonymous said...

At least Matt admitted that Ramsgate was bearing the brunt of it as far as the training flights were concerned - we all made encouraging noises about wanting to fly from Manston once more options available. Infratil say they are in it "for the long term" and have obviously been spending money improving the lighting etc and repairing the runway. The more passenger flights they attract here the sooner we can get rid of the training flights - or so he said

Anonymous said...

But Millicent the moaners will then start having a winge about the passenger flights.

Anonymous said...

It would have to be going some to be doing a flight every 9 minutes and at least the flights would be going somewhere useful, not just up their own a*ses. And now we know the real reason why you're in solidarity with the air traffic controllers over there - there's so little going on the only thing that's stopping them losing their licenses is these training flights. So for one or two blokes to stay in work a town of 40,000 people has to suffer? Utter madness.

Anonymous said...

And another thing if you think 1000s of people in Ramsgate who find these flights annoying are 'whingers' we now know that the only reason they're 'whinging' is because a couple of guys up at Manston are whinging about the possibility of losing their fecking ATC licenses.

Anonymous said...

"Thousands" find it annoying do they anon. If so why is ECR struggling to to get up to 50 on the Downing Street poll? If the ATC at Manston were made redundant I suppose you would moan about having to pay them dole money out of your taxes.

Anonymous said...

Sorry forgot to put my name to the 3:05PM post. Unlike others I,m not apt to hide behind an anonymous tag.
Tony (the Ramsgate one)

Anonymous said...

I would gladly pay for a couple more blokes to be on the dole the training flights are costing Ramsgate much more in terms of putting off well heeled people with jobs who might want to live in Ramsgate, who would probabaly eventually put a whole lot more into the local economy maybe with the result that your air traffic controllers would find more gainful employment. And if they really want to be air traffic controllers and as there's obviously no gainful employment for them at Manston why don't they move to Gatwick or Heathrow?

As for the petition it hasn't been widely publicised, Anyway I would say there are only 50 or so opinion formers in Ramsgate tops. You woudldn't expect the dossers and addicts to give a monkeys would you?

Anonymous said...

Would you like to name the employers who are not coming here because of the aircraft?

Anonymous said...

Why are you so obsessed with employers I'm talking about people with jobs who may work outside Thanet but might want to live here and consequently inject money into the local economy. Those are the sorts of people who are being put off or more likely are already leaving.

Anonymous said...

To quote you Anon 9:10 PM "your air traffic controllers would find more gainful employment" by these well heeled people coming here. So I assumed they must employers.
Oh and why do you put the people of Ramsgate down by saying if they don't vote against the airport then they must be "dossers and addicts"?