Enduring, not enjoying, VIP flights

I WRITE in response to your correspondent JE Massey (RAF Northolt – a Defence, Gazette letters, September 2).

Thousands of Hillingdon people are facing one of the most serious problems that residents can face. This is the increasing number of low flying private VIP jets taking off and landing using Northolt Airport facilities – powerful , polluting, and noisy which pose well-documented threats to living conditions and personal health.

Private flights now outnumber RAF operations and this will be allowed to increase.

The number of RAF aircraft movements are small. It is private VIP-laden jets (where a few people on each flight are disturbing thousands of Hillingdon residents) which are not small – MOD statistics available show that between Jan and April 2014 there were 3,694 civilian flight movements for Northolt airport.

When the total flight movements increases to 12,000 a year and residents are facing problems associated with Heathrow and London City Airport how many residents will, as JE Massey thinks, ‘enjoy’ the day in day out dismal conditions?

J E Massey’s mention of deviations from flight paths is only one of the important questions relating to operations of the private VIP flights – where are the borough planning regulations for the private company sharing Northolt Airport with the RAF?

After the judicial review (January 2015) who is responsible for the safety of civilian aircraft – the MOD or CAA? Anyone?

As for the outstanding support our community has always willingly given to the MOD’s RAF and medical operations perhaps this has now become misplaced as the MOD allow thousands of low flying private commercial VIP jets to roar over schools, community centres, homes and workplaces. Who was consulted?

Spearheading a campaign for the relocation of this private company to a suitable site should be coordinated by our representatives. The borough should start professional data collection of noise and pollution levels and investigate safety issues to prevent the misery residents experience near Heathrow and City Airport happening here soon.

If you are affected by noise and pollution and worried about safety issues relating to commercial operations at Northolt Airport register your views with the borough Environment Protection Unit and with Boris Johnson who must take this matter forward. on the visit by residents to the homes of Heathrow bosses, Messrs Holland-Kaye and Gorman in rural Oxfordshire (Gazette, September 9).

Situated as they are, far removed from the sights and sounds of the airport and the threat of the evictions that they would seek to impose upon others.

To use the old navel saying: “pull the boat up Jack I’m alright.”

At the same time they fail to offer local residents even the basic reassurance that might go some way to allay their anxieties.

Local residents have become accustomed to the commercial ill manners of Mr Holland-Kaye in not replying to their correspondence.

Could I through the columns of your paper put the following points to him?

1. Would Heathrow Ltd give an undertaking that no one to be evicted would be any worse off than if the expansion of Heathrow had not occurred?

2. That whatever their existing interest is they would be offered like for like.

3. That compensation should be paid for unusual disturbance and distress?

4. That any payment should be paid in full before anyone is required to vacate their home?