Important: Isle of Man Fliers

[Woppa]

Hello folks,

I work in Air Traffic Control at the airport on the Isle of Man, and there has been some concern from management here about people kite surfing/landboarding/static flying on Castletown Beach (by Hango Hill). It looks possible that a ban could be looked into. Not a situation any of us would like. I've spoken to my boss and told him I have a vested interest in all this, and I will look into seeing if we can maybe form an association or something.

Not sure how it is going to work at this stage, but if anyone flies at Castletown Beach, could they PM me please, so I have some idea as to the numbers of people involved, and also let me know about people who fly there who don't frequent these forums.

 

Advice from people in the UK who have had to fight local bans would be much appreciated too.

 

Sorry about the length of the post.

 

Thanks in advance for your help

[Floatie]

Hi woppa

Never had the pleasure of flying castletown yet,but may in the future.

"Wow" a ban here! something i thought would never happen.

Seems the spoilsports are everywhere.

Please keep us informed,especially the outcome.

Tnx

[spooky]

I believe it does say some where that you can not fly a kite with in 5km (??) of a Cival Airfield?? You will have to check whether there is a hieght limit on that, ie no kites over 100m with in the 5km or just NO kites at all?

If you don't fall with in that scope then they can not ban you, as they don't own the beach, but if you do then they can as it has something to do with putting the pilots off? Though personally I woudl like to think they are concentrating on landing/take off rather than going "OoooH don't those kites look pretty"?

Only other option is to try an dwork with teh Airport Authorities, see if you can work something out depending on how much use teh airport gets and when?

Best of luck, Jon

[Woppa]

I have a meeting with the operations manager at the airport next week. There is nothing in the kite specific section of the Air Navigation Order for either the UK or the Isle of Man that can stop us, however there is the obvious 'endangering safety of an aircraft or persons therein' otherwise known as article 63 of the aforementioned statutory instrument, that I think they will try and use for a ban.

 

Just wanted help, to know whether forming some sort of organisation would help, what with more numbers carrying more weight, and all. Or what other strategies I can use to stop a ban. Suggested restrictions rather than a blanket ban, that sort of thing.

 

 

Edit: Grammar