FOOT AND MOUTH - CLOSURE OF GRASS STRIPS

[unclearthur]

I've heard a rumour that flying may be restricted as a result of the foot and mouth issue. The military have already grounded their fleets with all military training areas and grass airfields now closed. Does anyone have any more news on this?

[Genghis the Engineer]

I'm told that the army isn't grounded, but is required to wash down any helo that's done a field landing, before the next sortie.

G

[Skylark4]

The BGA have notified all gliding clubs that cross country flights are banned. I understand that the incubation period is 12 weeks so that puts us well into the ,so called, soaring season before we can go away from the airfield.

Mike W

[IanSeager]

Check http://62.232.68.182/nav/nav.htm for TRAs as a result.
Ian

[muhdzailan]

The hands foot and mouth(HFMD) is a harmful disease that could affect children.One of the symptoms of this disease are high fever and rashes.All places affected by the HFMD virus should be sprayed in order to get rid of the virus.

[Genghis the Engineer]

It concentrates the mind doesn't it.

We worry about the state of GA, and the risk to the occupants and a few third parties of an accident. Frankly, short of crashing a 747 onto the middle of London, nothing aviation could suffer compares to the problems suffered by farming at the moment.

G

[BusyB]

Muhdzailan, I may be wrong but I think you're confusing two totally separate diseases?

[Cahlibahn]

muhdzailan The problem here is foot & mouth. Hand, foot and mouth disease in humans (Enteroviral Vesicular Stomatitis with Exanthem) is completely different to foot and mouth in livestock.

HFM disease is usually a minor illness with only a few days of fever and relatively mild symptoms.

They do happen to be both RNA genome (positive strand) viruses within the overall classification group picornaviridae. But the cattle one is a totally different disease.

[SOHCAHTOA]

Phew, big words like that really turn me on
:)

[Genghis the Engineer]

The following is being put out by the British Microlight Association at the moment, and I'm reliably assured that the other main sport flying associations are giving similar advice...

(1) All flying from farmland should cease immediately (this is a request from them at present, not an order, but it would be unwise of any pilot to disregard it).

(2) In the event of an outlanding on farmland, before moving the aircraft or flying off, contact the farmer and take advice. They may well require the aircraft to be disinfected before it is removed.

(3) All known infection sites are to be avoided by at least 2nm radius and 1500ft, these are all listed in NOTAMS at http://www.ais.org.uk/

CAA General Aviation Department are currently looking into the issue, and deciding if they need to put any formal advice out, in the meantime concerned BMAA members can contact the MAFF "Foot and Mouth Helpline" on 0845-426153.

G

[Cahlibahn]

It seems odd that all the TRAs stop at 1500' AMSL (according to the NOTAM). Holsworthy, for instance, is almost 700' AMSL so the TRA only extends to about 800' agl

Weird!

[arrow2]

Just a question really - just wondering why the farmers involved cannot get insurance cover against this disease and need to seek Govt compensation instead. Anyone??

A2

[Genghis the Engineer]

They can, but there hadn't been an outbreak in the UK for 20 years, and a bad outbreak for 34 years. Farmers are struggling badly enough anyway, and most elected not to have this insurance.

I'm not a farmer, they were talking about this on Radio 4 this morning.

G

[chipped prop]

It is sad that our farming community has been hit by foot and mouth just after the floods have been causing havok.Many people percieve most aviators are the rich and wealhty playing with thier toys we know differently.The press and others also put farmers in different catagories,This is in much the same way some farmers are prone to dress up in red wearing long boots jump on the back of some mare and flogg her hot rump with a riding crop out in the middle of an open field in order to get better service, some may say this is a reasonable pursuit but please note i am writing and having a dig about fox hunting not another kind of enjoyable activity.Many farmers allow farm strips to operate from their land they are decent guys and are aware as well as us that the possibilities of foot and mouth being spread by aircraft movements is difficult to establish but it is stopped because of the implications of this terrible outbreak.People get out of landed aircraft and walk off fields which may spread this contamination so lets all hope just like many farmers are hoping things dont get worse.

[Cahlibahn]

I see that Brimpton and Henstridge are closed. Any other closures known about yet - not that the wx looks helpful tomorrow but you never know....

[Genghis the Engineer]

Clench Common, London Colney, and Croughton are all closed for the duration.

G

[Spoonbill]

Just like to commend you guys for the responsible attitude you're taking.
I hope it doesnt interfere with your pursuits for an unreasonable amount of time - your efforts are appreciated by the entire farming community.
Just for info:
F & M comes in 7 different forms - all as virulent as each other.
Vaccinations are available, but they are very expensive, only cover one type of the disease at once, and you cannot potect against more than one strain at once.
F & M loves cold, wet weather but will die off in the heat.
Insurance cover is available, but again it is very expensive, and only covers the cost price of the animal at purchase - not production costs and profits.
An animal with F & M can recover - but will suffer imensely in the process, and will physically never be the same again.
The height of restricted areas will depend upon location, the higher the amsl of the farm etc, the lower the height of the TRA above ground level.
Many farmers, hauliers and some butchers will never recover from this, compensation from the government will not keep the farms running as cash flow is king.
We hold our collective breath and wait.
Thanks again.

[Code Blue]

F&M is a major tragedy for farmers.

I remember the last major outbreak in Cheshire/Shropshire. There was a farmer who had taken 20+years to breed a dairy herd. No amount of money could compensate him for his life's work. After they set fire to the last of the carcasses he shot himself.

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[email protected]

[WorkingHard]

I am indeed very sorry for the plight of farmers in these troubled times, my family are farmers so it is heartfealt. Never the less let us be very clear that insurance, including loss of profits, is available and as has been suggested elsewhere it is at the option of the farmer that he uses insurance or not. If not then the poor old taxpayer is expected to bail our farming once again Why cannot farming like nearly every other industry stand alone without a hand very deep in the pocket of the taxpayer? I do not in any way criticise any farmer for taking anything to which he is entitled. If he(/she) does not then they most emphatically should. What is at fault is the system which will have to be addressed before it bankrupts European farming.

[Zlin526]

How about we stick to the thread here? This is the private flying forum, talking about the effect of F&M on aviation, not how hard done by farmers are. Lets talk about flying, not farming (unless anyone wants to talk about the flying farmers association or agricultural aviation. Now that's flying!)

Toodle pip..

[Genghis the Engineer]

On the subject, why is Kidlington still operating? The fields just North of the runway have had "No Entry / F&M Infected" signs up for almost a week. [I don't fly there, but do drive past it most days.]

I really would like to know what's going on there.

G

[Cahlibahn]

Are you sure there is an infected farm there? Most of the farms in my neck of the woods have notices up but there is hardly any livestock in the area let alone any notified outbreaks. I can't see any TRAs in the 51 50N 001 19W vicinity. I think it is likely to be simply the farmer taking sensible precautions.

[Ripline]

Cahlibahn, that sounds about right - as far as I am aware the closest confirmed outbreak to Oxford at the moment is Chesterton near Bicester.

Full sympathy for farmers at this time - us hot-air pilots are heavily dependant on their goodwill for our activities and you'll no doubt also be aware of the cessation of our flying together with that of gliding and the other field-to-field arial sports. I assume our near continental friends are under similar restrictions? Anyone know?

[FNG]

Hey Zlin, my instructor always used to tell me that my landings were agricultural. Is that on thread? http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/tongue.gif :)

[This message has been edited by FNG (edited 07 March 2001).]

[stiknruda]

Heh Zlin - you wouldn't be for sale perchance? Or rather, you wouldn't be selling your toy?

Stik

[Genghis the Engineer]

I've nothing against sensible precautions - but surely the sign should say "foot and mouth precautions", not "foot and mouth infected area", which is what it does?

G

[DOC.400]

ZLIN
-don't be so narrow minded. I always beleive that pilots are a broad minded bunch able to discuss many topics, F & M and farming being two
AS ever, another fascinating and informative thread. Keep it up!

[SteveR]

Headcorn/Lashenden is also closed for the duration


Steve R

[rightstuffer]

Just how does an aircraft landing on a grass strip cause contamination? Unless it has rolled from an infected piece of grass and landed on another farm with livestock in the field it is hard to understand how it can be any worse than cars driving down the local roads. Is there a bit of overreaction creeping in here?

[300hrWannaB]

I want to fly from grass. I'm not stupid or senseless. Therefore my machine MUST be scrupulously clean AND be sprayed with disinfectant. Yes, I'll even take the spats off, and avoid grass strip to grass strip trips.

A simple question.

What concentration of disinfectant should I use in my spray dispenser?

[Genghis the Engineer]

http://www.maff.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/fmd/disinfectant.htm

Tells you everything that you should need to know.

G

[PilotsPal]

Thanks for that Genghis - I was in the process of composing something concerning the type of disinfectants to be used when you beat me to it.

DO NOT THINK THAT ORDINARY DOMESTIC DISINFECTANTS ARE SUITABLE - THEY'RE NOT.

Only approved products made up in the correct dilutions should be used for F&M disinfection purposes. These are very powerful (and expensive) products which are in extremely short supply in some parts of the country.

Please don't go flying whilst this disease remains active - if any form of aircraft landed on any of my family members' land at the moment, I have no doubt it would end up in flames.

[PilotOfficer]

Can someone (aviator, farmer, aviating farmer, farming aviator, or even Zlin526 http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/tongue.gif) explain why a height exclusion zone is warranted?

Is this vius airborne? If so, how will height restrictions prevent its spread bearing in mind the general air mass movement over the whole country, and the spread by birds?

Can't say I've heard any discussion on that particular aspect of the subject in the media.



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[Cahlibahn]

I think that the general consesus is that the TRAs are there to keep out those members of the press who might wish to charter a helicopter and snap some nasty pictures of affected farms.

The virus is certainly capable of being airborne. The 1981 outbreak on the IoW is believed to have 'blown in' from Brittany

[PilotOfficer]

Might have guessed the French would have something to do with it! :)

Thanks for the info.

[A and C]

Pilots pal dont you think that setting fire to aircraft is a bit over the top after all you dont know its origin and most airfields have no contact with livestock.

I can see the point in not flying from farms but licenced airfields should not be a problem.

[Genghis the Engineer]

I've lost the reference, but I read somewhere that it can spread 60km overland by wind and 300km over sea by wind. So, presumably they want us out of the boundary layer where it is likely to be.

Personally I'm flying between my airfield and the next one, about 6 miles away - with main roads and arable land in between. Anything longer can wait. My circuits are wonderful at the moment, and my air display practice is going well.

G

[PilotsPal]

A and C

Whatever you might think, do not underestimate the lengths to which farmers will go to protect their livestock and their family's livelihood. I know of farmers right now who are shooting all stray dogs, cats and foxes found on their land without a moment's hesitation.

It is perfectly possible for a light aircraft unknowingly to fly over a pig unit where the disease is in course of incubation - pigs being the greatest producers of the virus. If an aircraft should have the misfortune of an engine failure and is obliged to make a forced landing on the most convenient piece of land in sight, given present circumstances few livestock farmers are going to view the pilot's pride and joy as anything other than yet another potential source of infection.

Incidentally, I wonder how many licenced airfields do not have agricultural livestock within a couple of miles?

[Acker Demick]

Time to get a sense of proportion guys! I am happy to stay out of the (200+) foot and mouth exclusion zones, and to refrain from using farm strips, for the duration, but the implied suggestion in some previous posts that we should otherwise curtail flying is just plain ludicrous. How can an aircraft passing 1500ft above farm land represent a significant transmission risk? If the disease can be transported by the wind anyway, the presence of an aircraft in the airmass is going to make d@mn-all difference. Passing cars, or even trains, must pose at least as great a hazard, and are frequently MUCH closer to livestock. In any case, it appears that nearly all the transmission in practice has been animal to animal. My view is - stay away from the infected farms, stay off farm strips, and then enjoy your flying with a clear conscience.

AD

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If God had meant us to fly he would have given us more money

[A and C]

I have always made sure to comply with all the F&M restrictions and fully support all the actions that the MAFF have taken but the news that farmers are likely to destroy property at will is at odds with what i know of most of the farming comunity.
If an individual takes such aciton then i trust he will encounter the full weight of the law.