Residents concerned over low-flying aircraft

GEORGE NEWS - The low altitude at which aircraft fly to and from the Denneoord Aerial Firebase during firefighting operations has been a cause for concern among some residents of Ward 18 for some time now.

Certain areas, such as Genevafontein and Denvar Park, lie along the flight path of the airplanes used in the operations.

According to Lynne Thompson, a resident of the Genevafontein Retirement Village, they sometimes fly over her house so low that "I can look the pilot in the eye!" She also expressed concern over training circuits done at low altitudes.

She was among a small group of residents who met with Everett Montague, spotter pilot and airbase manager, on Monday 1 December, when their fears were discussed.

Montague explained that the control tower at the George Airport has to clear all take-offs, departures, approaches and landings to and from the base. Their aircraft are cleared into the CTR (control zone) and instructed to fly below an altitude of 1 500ft, and to remain clear of the terminal manoeuvring/control area (TMA) of the airport.

The flight paths and best practice for the airbase were approved by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (Sacaa).

"There are times when our firefighting machines will be flying lower than 500ft above ground level. This is usually during an active fire operation or mandatory proficiency checks, and that is due to operational requirements approved by Sacaa."

Flying over Genevafontein.

Montague said the maximum speed at which an aircraft may fly in a control zone (in this case, the George Airport CRT) is 200 knots. "For approach and landing, our aircraft usually fly between 65kts and 80kts, depending on the aircraft."

He assured everyone that they comply with stringent safety standards. "Our brave men and women go out fighting fires with the mindset of putting the community first. We take our jobs very seriously and are not cowboys looking to make a nuisance of ourselves."

Regarding fears of a crashlandings due to birds or drones striking an aircraft, or mechanical failure, while flying over a neighbourhood, Montague said some of the firefighting aircraft (the AT802s) were specifically designed for firefighting and crop spraying and would absorb such a strike. Should there be an engine failure in the circuit area over the neighbourhood, they should still be able to glide the distance to the airbase.

He said the inception of aerial firefighting in South Africa was done through their company, Kishugu Aviation, in 1986 (at the time called Forest Fire Association (FFA), but rebranded in 2015) and the company is functioning at a level on which it is assisting Sacaa to set standards for firefighting.

Approaching Genevafontein.

The airstrip's orientation is such that departures and approaches are over the Denvar Park and Eden neighbourhoods. Image: Screengrab from Google Earth