helicopter buzzing us

Sun 8 Aug 2010, 19:12

I agree with Paul and Philip that our pilots have to practise night flying whatever one thinks of the war(s) they are called upon to fight. But to have a Merlin helicopter (which is large) whoop over your house a 1.00 am at a height of 50 ft. (MoD information) is quite scary and there was a heart- stopping moment when I thought it was going to hit the chimney. Some neighbours rushed outside to see what was happening. I still think that these manoeuvres should finish at midnight over built-up areas. In all fairness I should add my husband slept through the lot!

Ann Harper

Tue 13 Jul 2010, 18:34

I agree with Philip you may have lost some sleep but today 3 more british soldiers lost their lifes . Lets hope no more are lost.

Tue 13 Jul 2010, 15:56

Pumas and Merlins from RAF Benson use a crescent shaped area between Benson and Brize as a Night Vision Goggles training area. Field 32 at Banbury Hill Farm is just one of several landing sites.

Most of these flights / landings were usually over by midnight, so I cannot see what the fuss is about. NIMBYism in Charlbury! Surely not!

Admire the skill of the guys who fly these machines in hostile environments e.g. Charlbury as well as Afghanistan! We need to be more supportive of our military, but more questioning of the politicians who send them into combat in the first place.

Mon 28 Jun 2010, 15:32

Yes, Chris, it didn’t make sense. I should have said 'I'm so looking forward to having no more sleepless nights'. That's what sleep deprivation does to you, and in the excitement of getting the letter from the MOD and no more buzzing!

I wrote a thank you email to David Cameron, and heard back from Natasha this morning. A copy of this letter is going to be printed out for David to see!

Simon, I do hope that David Cameron is influential, as he’s our Prime Minister, and our local MP! Not much use if he’s isn’t? He’s one hell of a big job to do now - repairing the financial mess that Blair/Brown and those bankers have left us in. I’ve complete faith in Dave!

I agree with you, about the need for pit holes – to be filled in! I don’t hold much hope here, with all these budgets being cut. If only we had more control over what our Council taxes pays for? Like stop printing those glossy magazines that nobody reads. This money could then be used on the roads. Perhaps we should start another post regarding this? Maybe, us locals should rally around and fill them in ourselves? Any volunteers?

Mon 28 Jun 2010, 14:48

Crikey! Since that Cameron chap seems to be so influential, maybe he could put his paws in the pork barrel and get our roads repaired properly as well?

Mon 28 Jun 2010, 08:53

Charlotte - I'm not sure you meant this?....

"I'm so looking forward to another sleepless night."

Sat 26 Jun 2010, 16:34

I have already received one request today, for a copy of this letter from the MOD. It would be my pleasure, but do please email me your personal email address, as there's no option for me to attach any docs, via this website. I'm so looking forward to another sleepless night. Hasn’t it been a lovely summer’s day?

Sat 26 Jun 2010, 12:25

I've received some good news, in a two page letter from MOD, Whitehall, London today - with explanations on what and why.

The good news is that they will now not be training on this farmer's land (in Charlbury) after 9pm. Hip hip hoorah!

Thanks farmer giles, whoever you are?

I can now sleep like sleeping beauty, with a pea under my mattress!

If you would like to see the letter – please email me?

Fri 25 Jun 2010, 13:53

They're fabulous. Hope to put them up late this weekend.

Fri 25 Jun 2010, 12:08

Dear Alan, you are sweet. Can't see why anyone would complain about flying over Charlbury at 10am. It's the 10pm - 1.30am, that's the problem! Look forward to seeing the photos!I bet they look great.

Fri 25 Jun 2010, 09:33

If anyone would like to complain about the helicopter over Charlbury on Wednesday morning around 10am it was me.

I apologise for any inconvenience coursed however I was a last fight put on by work for me to take some photographs of Charlbury before I move away.

I have sent the photographs to Richard for the forum photos so I hope most of you will be able to find your houses.

Alan

Fri 25 Jun 2010, 00:13

Wasn’t it nice to have a good night’s sleep with no buzzing helicopters last night! I woke up with the birds this morning feeling a lot better, enabling me to go to work today.

Just thought that I should update you all that I spoke to Natasha at the West Oxfordshire Conservatory Association, in Witney, yesterday and she was very helpful.

She asked me to email her a letter, to send to David Cameron, detailing all. I did. She said that she would get David to speak to the MOD, Whitehall.

I have heard another story today, from a friend of mine that a friend of hers wrote to David, with some trouble she was experiencing recently. And, within a week, it was sorted. That just goes to show- what a good bloke he is. And, he’s our Prime Minister and our local MP. I’m very impressed and that’s why I voted for him.

So, hopefully we Charlbury residents will have many more- buzz free nights to come. I have tried my best anyway!

Hey, just realized – it’s after midnight and there’s no buzzing. Hip hip hooray! I can sleep, snug as a bug in a rug! No need for barrage balloons! It was suggested by Tom, up the road, that I should a big one shaped as a cake, over my Pudding Cottage! Maybe I will one day!

Anyway, I hope you’re all sleeping well?

Sweet dreams, with the swallows to wake you sweetly in the morning, just after our summer solstice, with more sunny days to come.

Wed 23 Jun 2010, 09:32

I have just rung the MOD and they tell me that the only person who can redirect this helicopter buzzing – is our local MP. I have just left a voice message at the West Oxfordshire Conservatory Association.

I have had no sleep again and am feeling very ill, as a consequence. I have had to contact my doctor and sign off work tonight. If I loose both jobs, I loose my house. This is serious.

I’m now too ill to drive, or to do anything. It has ruined my day and could ruin my life. As you can tell, I’m now deliriously exhausted, scared and stressed.

Please Dave, you’re a good chap – please just tell those RAF Benson guys to fly else where, even if it’s just for a month or two – to give us a good night sleep.

There are plenty of other green belt areas in Oxfordshire to night flight train.

Amen
.

Wed 23 Jun 2010, 08:30

Roger, Roger - where can we get these ballons? Love to have some over my domain!

Wed 23 Jun 2010, 07:05

Sounds like Charlbury could do with some barrage balloons ,that'll stop the buggers.

Wed 23 Jun 2010, 02:41

I’ve just had confirmation from Thames Valley Police, that they have checked the history for their air support dept, and they were not dispatched to anything in the Oxfordshire area on 17th June in early hours.

It was the MOD. Police helicopters only have one rotary buzzing blades and MOD ones have two. I have spoken to the MOD roughly an hour ago, as I was kept awake yet again by these low flying pumas. The MOD officer on duty has all the details - to send to the Low Flying complaints cell. They are open at 9am on the same number, as Anne very kindly shared below.

I have two witnesses, who over the phone- could hear the helicopters buzzing. One was a recorded message and is willing to testify, as a witness.

I’m sure you lovely people that have had sleepless nights, want this to stop, as I do.

Looking forward to a good night’s sleep and sweet dreams.

Sat 19 Jun 2010, 13:14

The helicopter on 17 June was a police helicopter, I could see its light as it was hovering. I can't see the military ones from my house.
Don't complain to the MOD about that one :-)

Thu 17 Jun 2010, 23:43

I was woken at 1.00 am this morning by what sounded like an entire fleet of helicopters overhead. It was so loud that I nearly switched on the radio to see who we were going to war with. I then couldn't get back to sleep until nearly 3.00 am. Several neighbours were disturbed too. If helicopters need to practise night flying it's dark by 10.00 or 10.30 pm so why disturb honest citizens in the early hours.

Anyone wishing to complain should ring 0207 218 6020.

Wed 16 Jun 2010, 15:19

Maybe they will come on one of the training flights at ' no extra cost '

If it helps then they can land on my front patch at 2am though there wouldn't be much room for the stalls !!

Wed 16 Jun 2010, 08:00

With spending cuts planned for health and social services for children and the elderly, let alone those in between, and the damage being done to cars by holes in roads that no one can afford to fill, can we know how much it will cost to fly a helicopter plus personnel from Benson to a local primary school for an afternoon? Can one of our local Lib Dems explain what their government is up to, please?

Actually it was a Lib Dem politician who once explained that the flights use Cornbury land with the owner's permission, though I rather doubt whether they are allowed to use the landing strip at the back of the house... Obviously night exercises are needed, but isn't Lord Rotherwick offering a rather densely populated area for the purpose?

Tue 15 Jun 2010, 20:57

Benson have said that there are very sorry for the low flying helicopters at night and of a way to say sorry for the noise they are offering primary schools and fetes to have a helicopter there and they will show the kids around and give a talk. They have to practice some where and if Charlbury is a good place there cant see the problem they do it in the fields in Finstock as well.

Tue 15 Jun 2010, 14:22

It's a good job that they are allowed to practice night flights,other wise the injured troops serving world wide would not be very happy.
In the past on so many occasions i have been extracted by these buzzing helicopters from very difficult situations.
I too get woken on many occasions,but i think it is acceptable.
Having lived in Charlbury all my life,i can not recall any complantaints from any one untill now.

Tue 15 Jun 2010, 13:52

Nick,
I appreciate (or at least hope) that your comment was in jest, but hope you realise that some of the people reading these forum messages (me included) hold American passports! :-)

Tue 15 Jun 2010, 12:37

You could ask the farmer/landowner in question to withdraw their permission to use their land. The RAF can only land where they are permitted.

Tue 15 Jun 2010, 12:25

I actually wrote a letter to RAF Benson about these last year and the reply I got was basically that they have to practise somewhere. On one hand I can understand that they do a brilliant, fantastic job and need to practise at night but the amount of times I have been woken up after 11pm with them is getting silly. I live close to the field they land in and my windows vibrate everytime. I also have real trouble sleeping at night so when I do manage to sleep I find it very annoying to be woken up. It's a very difficult situation as I do understand both sides of the argument but surely something can be arranged to suit both residents and the RAF.

Fri 11 Jun 2010, 18:28

given the number of deaths from friendly fire from our american friends I think we should be particularly worried if they have stars and stripes

I thought there were rules about flights around heavily populated areas and night flying

Fri 11 Jun 2010, 10:26

This all reminds me of a comment made by the Commanding Officer at RAF Leucars some years ago, after receiving complaints about low-flying training exercises for the jets based there. "Just check that the next time you see one [of the aircraft], it doesn't have red stars on its wings", he said, or words to that effect.

Thu 10 Jun 2010, 23:04

Glad I am leaving then
So what do they have in Benson that makes them not worth offending?
I thought Charlbury would maybe protest at having helicopters going through the bedroom windows

is that why we were awake so early

Thu 10 Jun 2010, 16:54

They come here to practise their landings in the field off Banbury Hill so you get both the outward and return journey. If you're out with a camera when they come during the day you have about 15 minutes to get pictures of the Puma while it's on the ground

I am reliably informed that last night they came over so low the windows vibrated, this doesn't usually happen when they do the daytime landings although they're low enough for the crew to wave at you as they go over the garden.

They pay to use the fields for practise, as they're not allowed to practise near Benson in case they upset the residents.

Thu 10 Jun 2010, 11:52

Oh I assumed it was Mr Cameron popping home for a cup of tea?!

Wed 9 Jun 2010, 23:20

They are flights going back to Benson. I think night flights usually have to stop at 11, this week it is 0300. Actual happens about 3-4 nights a week and they go over our house at the minimum of 30m.

Wed 9 Jun 2010, 23:00

Anyone know why we are suddenly buzzed by a helicopter at night?

Very low over the town last night and tonight

Can we do anything about it?