The division currently being caused in the Kempsey community surrounding the future direction of the Kempsey Airport is most disturbing and has the potential to have long lasting damage to parts of the community.
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Everyone should do some research on the important issues and the possible impact it may have on their friends, family and the community before making any judgement. Everybody is entitled to an opinion and should be respected for entering the debate.
The suggestion the airport be closed or sold is incorrect and ill-informed and has been perpetuated through a program of misinformation by a select few who have a deemed interest in supporting the introduction of repetitive pilot circuit training.
I don't believe there was ever a problem with commercial flights into Kempsey and it was unfortunate they stopped operating as the operators were well regulated and employed experienced pilots.
The airport has been in situ for a very long time and of course residents choosing to live near the airport would expect some noise.
However, Kempsey Airport was never built or designed to be used for large scale commercial pilot training.
The opportunity has long since passed for any such activity to be feasible at the Kempsey Airport.
Council approved the encroachment of homes, schools, nursing homes and small farm holdings, but these should never have been permitted if a commercial flight training facility was intended to be installed.
The considerable financial investment of millions of dollars made by residents living in the surrounding areas for decades prior to any commercially owned flying school was proposed should not be trivialised. These people have invested their lives into this town and many don't have the resources or ability to just pack up and leave.
To call for them "to get over it or move" is totally sole destroying.
The proposal for a flying school to conduct repetitive pilot circuit training of a type the world health organisation has already condemned as being harmful to residents in the vicinity of their base is well documented and cannot be ignored.
The added potential pollution of valuable agricultural farmland is also unacceptable.
I served with the RAAF for more than 25 years and lived on airbases in Australia and overseas with jets buzzing my home day and night, but I have never experienced such low flying tactics over residential areas as displayed by some of the trainee pilots.
Residents of Sherwood, Aldavilla, Yarraville, Euroka, Dongdinalong, and surrounding areas should not be seen as "whingers" as many have suggested. This is not a noisy train passing your home six times a day, but a trainee piloted aircraft passing very low over your home up to every 90 seconds on a circuit.
The residents expressing their views to restrict airport movement to general aviation want to protect the valley's future and care for the Macleay.
There have been 93 incidents/crashes of the same aircraft type used for training around the world since 2003.
Council has approved them to operate out of Kempsey Airport day and night 7 days a week, 364 days a year from 7 am to 10 pm, every public holiday, except Christmas day.
Rest assured, you will hear, see and feel their negative impact. Is this what the community really want? I would be surprised if they said yes.
Terry Batham, Aldavilla.
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