Long Mynd - bottom landing.

[David Broughton]

email from the committee:

The bottom landing field is now under ownership of the National Trust.
The good news is that they have issued us with a License to continue to use the field subject to the following conditions;
1. The field must only be used for Emergency Landings.
Pilots are requested to avoid planned top to bottom flights and to side land if unable to top land.


2. The field is out of bods to us during the months of May, June & July.
The NT purchased the field specifically to create a meadow to grow different varieties of flora to harvest & export the seedlings to other baron land they own, and also to attract varying species of fauna. Their scientist advised these 3 months are critical to achieve this objective.


3. The licence will be reviewed for renewal on an annual basis subject to our compliance of these conditions.
The field is now included on the NT warden’s patrol schedule and they are likely to be active in the area on flying days to monitor our usage of the btm field and to observe the extent of our impact to the flora & fauna.

So in essence the NT is giving us bugger all! In an emergency it is every pilot's duty to land wherever he can as safely as possible & they are saying we can't use their bottom field EVEN FOR AN EMERGENCY in the main part of the flying season - MAY/JUN/JULY. I don't know why we even bothered talking to them.

PS. To call this agreement a "licence" is just farcical.

[Ian Alexander Morrissey]

I agree with Dave. A poor offer from the National Trust. A bit upsetting really.

[kevin williams]

I know this outcome isn’t perfect. The NT own the field so they call the shots. They were under no obligation to allow us to use their field at all. At the start of our discussions the NT were not keen to allow us access but after 12 months of building a relationship with them we now have their permission with this licence. This is why we talk to them!!! They’re a significant landowner across the whole of the UK on which paraglyding takes place.
As time goes on we hope to improve the conditions of the license. We can only do this if we ( all club members) build a good rapport with the local officials & wardens of the NT.

Also, the NT own the bottom part of the field which borders up to our top launch field. They were planning to erect a boundary fence across the field. If this happened it would caus an hazard to us launching particularly on windier days when we launch further on down the hill.
Again, through our discussions with them we were able to pursuade them not to erect the fence.
So, Once again, this is why we talk to them....... it’s for the benefit of the club.... unfortunately a point lost by some members!!!!!

[David Broughton]

As a NT member I reckon I own part of the bottom landing so I'll land there if I feel the need.

As I have said elsewhere we used to land in the field between the current (so called) bottom landing field and the lane that runs up to the farmhouse. Is this also a precious wild flower meadow or is it outside the NT jurisdiction?

There is also a field a bit to the south that is suitable for landing - has that been explored?

The NT has got too far up itself in recent times in my opinion. Considering stopping my Direct Debit!

[Graeme Baird]

Exactly how many fields have The National Front, sorry Trust bought? I have occasionally landed in the field to the south, which has a power line running along the eastern edge - its that field now owned by them?

[Justin Davies]

Hi,
Out of interest, have other adjacent fields been reconsidered in more recent years? I know they have in the past but, as like our current bottom landing field, fields change hands and some landowners are more accommodating than others.
One field in particular is the one next to ours on the north side. It’s bigger and only ever seems to accommodate sheep.
It’s probably all been covered but I thought worth a shot.

Justin

[Richard Jerman]

Thanks for your questions, I think it's best for Kevin to answer them as he has been dealing with it first hand.

Thanks,

Rich.