Constant Plane movements.

Mon 31 May 2021, 19:07

Christine and others,

Have a look at flightradar24.com, the fee version works fine for quick spotting.

Mon 31 May 2021, 11:38

It looks as if Wilderness is definitely going ahead. Perhaps time for those who expect Charlbury to be "a sleepy, quiet place" to investigate a holiday somewhere really quiet for the time that it lasts. 

Looking forward to discovering some of what will be on offer later this week.  

Sun 30 May 2021, 15:38

The light aircraft noise doesn’t worry me but it I do agree with Wendy that there does seem to have been an increase in small planes over the town.  I don’t know if this is just getting back to pre COVID levels and I have simply got use to them not being there?

Sun 30 May 2021, 07:59

Doesn’t sound very spooky to me Malcolm, and “IAAP” ;-) I think you’re thinking of Fairford. 

Sun 30 May 2021, 04:49

On the issue of B52 bombers… We spotted one some weeks back flying very low and slow just a couple of hundred yards north of where we were with the Canid collection on Hundley Way. It just .. looked.. out of the ordinary, and I remarked to my SO that…

Long post - click to read full text

Sat 29 May 2021, 20:44

It is very easy to poke fun at someone hoping for a bit of peace and quiet - and there is plenty of noise from the town and the surrounding countryside that is reasonable and/or inevitable and needs to be accepted.  But that does not excuse all unsociable and unnecessary noise from those who aren't interested in considering the interests of others.  It would not surprise me at all if some aircraft noise came into that category.

Sat 29 May 2021, 20:23

Wonderful evening of Jazz on the Playing Close!  

Sat 29 May 2021, 11:29

You are right John. Also the odd fox bark... people will be complaining about that soon too!

Sat 29 May 2021, 10:57

Also the crow of the cockerels Karl.  JH

Fri 28 May 2021, 22:44

A sleepy quiet place? Who told you that? The opposite i would hope once everything is back to normal. 

I work from home and would have thought that the aeroplane noise was hardly noticeable. The practice for Fairford air show would take place around this area and i did rather enjoy that. I saw three B52's flying in formation back to Fairford a few months ago and that was an interesting (if not slightly chilling) site. Constant small planes buzzing over your house? It doesn't happen near me.   

Fri 28 May 2021, 21:53 (last edited on Fri 28 May 2021, 21:55)

Ever considered the noise pollution suffered by those who live in Hounslow when you go off on your holidays or business trips? Probably not!

The light aircraft over Charlbury is hardly noticeable in my opinion but I grew up near an airfield so that might be why it doesn’t bother me that much. You must live in a quaint part of Charlbury though as I only hear the light aircraft during rare windows (no pun intended) in the daytime road traffic.

Aside from the traffic, Charlbury offers a rich variety of sound... planes buzzing overhead, distant sound of trains pulling in and out of the station, ‘owzat’ from the cricket club, constant birdsong... all signs of everything getting back to some normality. Hopefully the bell ringing on Wednesday evenings will be allowed to recommence soon too!

Fri 28 May 2021, 10:49

Not that long ago we were on the flytpath to Upper Heyford, the F111 aircraft  landing make the ones from Oxford sound like gnats!!. JH

Fri 28 May 2021, 10:10

When my wife enquired yesterday about plane movements, i must admit i did not expect so many knowledgeable comments. BUT having to close a window or use a different estate agent does not in my mind fit into that category,again my thanks for all the info.

Fri 28 May 2021, 08:47

Thanks Philip, you are well informed as always. Now who is the chap that on sunny summer days decides to practice loop the loop in his very noisy little plane just above my house? I hate him.

Thu 27 May 2021, 19:26

If you think that it is busy now, wind the clock back 20 years. A large part of pilot training at Kidlington moved to the USA for better weather (and cheaper fuel).

Charlbury is NOT a joining point for Kidlington. The runway alignment places traffic elsewhere.

Flightradar24 actually shows far fewer commercial aircraft movements than 2 years ago - witness the lack of vapour trails.

Locally, you have Mr Howden's helicopter movements in and out of Cornbury and Sir Anthony Bamford's in and out of Daylesford as well as light aircraft out of Enstone and some traffic in and out of Brize Norton (although most of that does not come over Charlbury).

Charlbury is a VRP on aviation charts, but that is precisely what it says a Visual Reference Point, not a waypoint, turning point or a navigational beacon. 

We are however in a Night Vision Goggles (NVG) flying area that runs in a crescent shape from RAF Benson round the top of Oxford and Brize Norton,. This allows our military to train for wherever the politicians may choose to send them.

All this info is in the public domain. Not really any different to moving near a football stadium or Silverstone circuit and then complaining about the noise. If the noise is that bothersome, may I suggest shutting the window?

Thu 27 May 2021, 18:26

If you moved to Charlbury as a sleepy,  quite place , you obviously used the wrong Estate Agent  

Thu 27 May 2021, 14:37

We’ve been here 36 years, but would never describe Charlbury as a 'sleepy, quiet place'. We moved here from Kidlington, though, and the constant noise of aircraft doing circuits and bumps over us right up to 11pm on summer evenings was far worse than anything we get here. I might make an exception for the individual who sometimes insists on practising his aerobatics over fields near Charlbury. Now that really does get annoying.

Thu 27 May 2021, 14:02 (last edited on Thu 27 May 2021, 22:34)

Charlbury is listed on aviation charts as a Visual Reference Point (VRP). Much of the traffic we get over here will be from the commercial training schools at Oxford. 

Thu 27 May 2021, 13:47

Wendy, actually yes you are correct, Charlbury is used as waypoint as a somewhat sizable town with a river and train station going through it.

Thu 27 May 2021, 13:20

This is getting ridiculous.  Does anyone know, Is Charlbury the turn-around point for small aircraft from either Enstone or Kidlington Airports?  These small planes seem to buzz over our house constantly every day.  I thought Charlbury was supposed to be a sleepy, quiet place !!

Thu 27 May 2021, 11:15

What are the guidelines as regards flight times .                               Trying to work from home with constant noise from small aircraft from 8.00 a.m. onwards.