Fun fare problems at East Midlands Airport
31.08.08
East Midlands Airport had to shut part of its runway after a giant fairground ride was put up at neighbouring Donington Park racetrack, the Evening Telegraph reports. The airport had to close 400m of the runway for 10 hours and divert two large cargo planes because of the hazard.
The incident came to light at a hearing into the racing circuit's premises licence, which allows it to stage entertainment and sell alcohol. During June's MotoGP motorcycle race at the circuit, the airport was concerned about a fairground ride and seven eight-metre high telegraph poles put up ‘in close proximity to the runway’ and infringing on airspace. As a result of these obstacles, the airport could not continue normal operations. The airport was forced to issue a notice to pilots to this effect and to declare a reduced runway length.
East Midlands Airport general manager Neil Robinson said Donington failed to notify the airport about the erection of structures such as the ride, telegraph poles, TV broadcast platforms and lighting columns. He also raised issues over mobile phone masts, which can interfere with landing systems, lighting, which can encourage birds, and pyrotechnics (fireworks) and lasers, which can distract pilots.
Mr Robinson told the hearing: ‘A systematic management failure at the premises has led to a number of instances where the safe operation of aircraft could have been endangered.’ He said that track bosses must, under the terms of the licensing conditions, give at least 28 days' written notice to the airport and wait for confirmation before installing structures. But that was not being done, he said.
The three-man North West Leicestershire District Council panel decided Donington Park could keep its liquor and entertainment licence, but imposed tougher conditions, forcing it to comply with police and airport requests. Under the new conditions, the park will now have to hire an event safety coordinator for each gathering of 20,000 or more people and submit an ‘aerodrome safeguarding plan’ to the airport before major events.
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