My last visit there was to be my last untill your email

My last visit there was to be my last until your email,
A beautiful Sunday had its peace blasted out of the skies by 4x4 arrivals wielding helis and jets from hell, as if that wasn't bad enough, they then laughingly built a fire and proceeded to burn aircraft yards from the round, the stench was awful
If there's now somebody we can call to address matters that's great,
Please note fuel containers in pic below.
Hopefully see you back there sometime, it really is a glorious spot
Regards
K

Dear Sir/Madam,

I write to enquire about any information you may have regarding the use of model aircraft on Minchinhampton Common. I work for Stroud District Council, Environmental Protection Team. We have been receiving complaints regarding noise emanating from the use of model aircraft on the Common. I am currently researching whether any clubs use the common for the use of flying model aircraft or whether it is individual enthusiasts.
I would be grateful if you could provide any information as to whether your club, any other club or if you know of any individual who uses the site.
The Council would like to have an informal discuss about the matter with any party which may use the site.
Any information that could be provided would be appreciated.

This was received by the chairman of CRCS which he forwarded to me. It is worrying as the local Environmental Protection Officer is now involved and this could end up losing the facility. I don’t know the answer as it is apparently an individual causing the problem but it could easily escalate. P, can you copy this to C ( I do not have his email address) as members of his club use the site as well and they will be disappointed if we are banned from flying there.

could be a good thing ?

I would be happy to offer contact as an individual person who uses the common, and air my displeasure of totally inconsiderate flyers.

As a silent glider flyer I would welcome the opportunity

Would that endanger anything P ?

The named individual has a complete disregard for local residents and other fliers (mostly glider fliers).

He spoiled an afternoon recently with his electric powered delta, screaming up and down the common.

J or was it A complained in writing to the Gloucester club, I believe?

He should be stopped from flying that sort of model there

It would be difficult to come up with a set of rules which would allow responsible and neighbour-friendly flying but stop the sort of thing being complained about. 'No ICs wouldn't do it, because said offender was flying an electric wing. Let's hope it doesn't come to a total ban.

I thought I'd made a good choice today, having a random day off work. It should have been ideal soaring weather on Minchinhampton common this afternoon but it was ruined to a large extent by a contingent of the GMFC pitching up with IC powered models and and screaming electric wings. Not wishing to mention names - oh, what the hell you could probably guess anyway, DH was the noisiest and most intimidating.

I realise that you don't have jurisdiction over GMFC members outside the club site, but I would be grateful if you could remind members that flying on Minch is tolerated though not strictly within the byelaws. If people continue to abuse the Council's tolerance and intimidate and infuriate everyone within a half-mile radius they will surely crack down and ban flying completely.

DH (delete as applicable) Head has no right to stop anybody flying at the site

He has in the past told several members that this and that are not allowed or only flown at certain times, all bollocks!

After your experience with him last year S lost his temper with him and mentioned one or to facts to him, he has not been seen since.

When helicopters are flown near him or he is invited to discuss benefit payments and work, or simple told to f**k off he does.

We have been receiving complaints regarding noise emanating from the use of model aircraft on the Common
It is worrying as the local Environmental Protection Officer is now involved and this could end up losing the facility. I don’t know the answer as it is apparently an individual causing the problem

A power flier on Minch overshot a landing and hit a small child, then proceeded to blame the parents for parking too close to the landing run. Several of us were expecting that to appear in the local press, but luckily it didn't.

The SCSA have permission to fly gliders including those using electric motors on the common.
These should be used so they do not make a noise, nuisance or cause danger to others using the common

Is the problem on Minchinhampton just with DH or are there other
people causing noise pollution and generally being unsociable and discourteous
and flying dangerously.

DH is a fully paid up member of the SCSA club and has been a member
on an off since 1987. If he really is a problem I suggest that the club write to him
and read him the riot act and threaten to dismiss from the Club. He would still
be insured to fly with the BMFA insurance but I'm sure we that if he does not
respond in a positive and mature way we should then dismiss him from the SCSA
and report him to the BMFA.

In schedule 2 there is no mention of model aircraft flying, so we consider the activity to be allowed on open access land. That said anyone flying on open access land still has to abide by the Air Navigation Order and if an individual is causing a noise nuisance he can be served with a noise abatement order.

I would suggest that Stephen Bartlett is informed the club occasionally uses the site for silent flight and soaring, but that there may be individual enthusiasts who also use the site.

I was flying my electric soarer on ............ when I experienced anti-social flying from one of our members DH

This consisted of low fly passes (20-30)approx. 15ft from the line of parked cars.

His flying was so off putting that I could no longer fly accurately and eventually just landed, in the middle of a thermal duration flight.

Please can someone speak to him before the anti-social flying becomes dangerous.

I would have spoken to him directly, but anecdotally he is unreasonable.

08/05/2013

this was on our blog

"The chap with the supersonic Zagi was up the common again this afternoon!!!!
One member of the public actually told him that if he didn't stop flying so low he would shove the plane up his rear!!!

Wait for the complaints chaps!!!"