RESIDENTS have expressed their concerns over changes to flight levels above Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome.

The Standard understands the airfield, in Hackman’s Lane, Purleigh, has had approval from the Civil Aviation Authority to fly planes above the airfield as low as 200 feet.

The airfield has been granted a long term exemption from the regular 500ft limit, for display purposes. This means until March 31, 2018, particular aircraft in non-aerobatic flight, such as flyovers, will be able to fly lower than usually allowed.

The exemption has been renewed by the CAA and will allow display pilots to practice their flights during the 30 day period ahead of an event day at the aerodrome. Outside of approved display or display-practice flights, the regular 500 foot limit remains.

Residents are concerned about the impact this may have on their quality of life, particularly with the potential increase in the number of flights expected to be approved this evening.

One resident said: “It affects all of us who live in the vicinity of the airfield. I certainly do not have a problem with the site itself.

“I think it is a fantastic part of the region’s heritage and something we should all take great pride in. I have not complained before about it because of that. However the reduction in flight levels, I worry, is going to make living around here unbearable.

“When the floor was at 500ft, it was loud anyway.

“There were times during display days where you could not hear yourself think.

“Now the talk is it could be as low as 200 feet which is frightening.

“On top of that, there is the application which would see 8,000 flights instead of the couple of hundred they have at the moment.

“I just worry it is going to be too much.

“It is such a big increase in terms of the level of disruption it will cause, both because of the numbers and levels of flights.”

Ian Flint, Chief Executive at the airfield, said: “We always take into account any concerns brought to us and have assessed them and do not believe this will have an impact. This is not a change to our activity and has been in place in previous years. These occasional flights are highly regulated and the stringently checked exemptions  would not be granted if the CAA did not have full confidence in our operating procedures.”