All residents want is some consideration (From Knutsford Guardian)

All residents want is some consideration

11:40am Tuesday 30th June 2009

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I WOULD like to take issue with some of the comments made by Chris Bailey in the Knutsford Guardian (June 17.

He says where he lives in Lilac Avenue means he is a resident living right under the flight path.

Lilac Avenue is not right under the flight path at a point where it endures the most significant noise impact. The aircraft are a lot higher at that point.

Keepers Close (where I live) is right under the flight path and at a point where the aircraft are very low.

Everyone knows that planes take off over Knutsford when the wind is from the west and land over Knutsford when it is from the east. I don’t recall anyone ever querying that so we really don’t need a long-winded explanation of it.

He says that because both runways face in the same direction, located close together and are parallel it makes little or no difference to residents which of the two runways the airport is using.

There is a rather significant fact missing from that description of the runways – the end of Runway 2 is much nearer Knutsford.

They are indeed parallel but they do not start and stop at exactly the same position. As a pilot I’m rather surprised that Mr Bailey doesn’t seem to have noticed that from his (somewhat lofty) position in the air.

Why does Mr Bailey think Manchester Airport switches to Runway 1 whenever possible?

For the fun of it? And why does it go to the trouble of informing residents via email and the local paper when this cannot happen? Because it make a difference!

Well, if you truly live right under the flight path (as opposed to think you do) it does and anyone who does will tell you – it makes a huge difference to our lives when Runway 2 is in operation.

If you don’t think so, you are not bearing the brunt of it.

His analogy with planes crossing over Zizzi for the primary (left) runway and the wine bar for the second (right) runway is bizarre as it completely proves my point. It’s not the same place!

Planes flying over the restaurants are low, no doubt about it. So how much lower does he think they are when they get to the other side of Knutsford?

As for the reader who suggests everyone should move if they don’t like living under the flight path I will say this.

I need to live in Knutsford and I can’t move to anywhere else in Knutsford because my property has been devalued to the point where I can’t afford to live anywhere else in Knutsford.

Obviously the airport is not going away.

All residents want is a bit of consideration around the use of Runway 2 and if Runway 1 (or primary or left or whatever) is really going to be closed for eight months next year – how about those really affected getting to enjoy some of the benefits from money dished out to aircraft breaking the noise limits – as opposed to community projects, which have nothing to do with the misery of August under the flight path.

JANE CROSSEN Keepers Close, Knutsford

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