Why oppose the Stack

• South Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire are currently almost totally free of low level jet air traffic.  Once the stack get the go ahead there will be no turning back and with the planned expansion in aviation, there is no telling how busy/noisy/disruptive it will be or will become.
  
  
• The stack is for ALL Luton Airport arrivals.  Currently Luton has 15 million passengers per year, but plans to expand to 25 million per year by 2015 – an increase of 70% on current flights.
  
  
• Aircraft will fly in stacks starting at 7,000ft but can leave or cross the stack at any point to descend to airport at lower altitude.
  
  
• Definition of Day Flights is 6am to midnight – 18 hours.
  
  
• At peak times up to 25 aircraft per hour are expected to stack. This will result at times in near constant noise of varying degree & up to 60 decibels (57 is acknowledged as a nuisance by the Govt).
  
  
• Unlike Heathrow, there is no night flight ban for Luton & their night movements are growing fast.   Luton also plans to develop its transatlantic business which would mean flights at any time.
  
  
• If NATS develops the P-RNAV system, EVERY SINGLE ARRIVING AIRCRAFT will land at Luton via the stack over our homes.  This must be strongly opposed in responses.
  
  
• NATS acknowledges that the impact of such a stacking zone/hold is greater over a rural community – but says it is acting in line with government guidance to avoid populated areas – which have more background noise to absorb impact.
  
  
• Other communities who have been subject to similar NATS expansion in airspace have complained that NATS understated the impact it would have.
  
  
• The White Paper on Aviation predicts a growth in UK passenger figures to a staggering 470 million per year by 2030. There is no way that our area could be protected against the impact of such expansion. Once the stack is in place it will be subject to requirements of the increase in aviation.
  
  
• The peace & tranquillity of these villages and the surrounding countryside will be changed forever – and it could start next Spring 2009!