PROPOSED ZIP WIRE - LOW FLYING AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
LOW FLYING AIRCRAFT
Hi Everyone,
Today I’ll be addressing the issue of low flying aircraft. Firstly a few disclaimers:
I am not a pilot so speak with no authority about flying (however my wife has held a private pilots license, no really, she did).
The safety of our Armed and Emergency Service aircrews was (and still is) at the forefront of our minds when planning the Zip Wire. As a former serviceman who took part in training in this area I in no way want to endanger serviceman training to defend our country and this is precisely why they were one of the first organisations I consulted.
As we’ve always said the safety of our staff and customers will override any other consideration.
With the above said, one of the first organisations that we contacted in our planning process was the MoD. We have provided them with charts of the predicted path of the Zip Wires charts indicating the heights the wires will be above the ground and where the start and finish points are (including heights above the ground of structures in those locations).
The MoD have asked that certain design elements be taken in to account and asked that the relevant authorities be notified if the project moves forward so that navigational charts can be updated and information bulletins be posted to local airports and more generally to inform those organisations with which flight plans will be lodged with.
UPDATED APRIL 2021:
MoD have asked for a single infra-red light to mark the highest point of the zip wire ensuring that they and the emergence services will be able to identify where the zip wire is while at the same time causing no unnecessary light pollution.
The planning permission granted, the local rescue helicopter crews will know the routes, heights and positions of the wires as well as, if not better than, anyone else in the area.
As for recreational flights I am sure that anyone planning to fly in this valley will do their research prior to taking off be that from a local airport (which will be well aware of the Zip Wires) or if they are jumping off a local mountain I’m sure they will have seen the signs for the Zip Wire on their way into the valley.
There are plenty of places around the country where power lines span valleys or rivers which the MoD and Emergency Services have access to in total safety and there is no reason why the same cannot happen here.