Proposed Seaplane Operation Areas on Medway - madness!

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tony_lavelle

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Peel Ports have issued a consultation document in response to a request from a seaplane operator who wants two large zones designated for him in the lower Medway, just where many of us sail. The idea is that the pilot requests permission to land or take off from Medway VTS, who then broadcast a warning on Ch 74. Presumably we are then supposed to all make ourselves scarce. This could play havoc with regattas and many users of small boats won't or can't maintain a listening watch on Ch 74 anyway. We have one month to respond (presumably until 4 March), after which the proposal get accepted!

Please visit the Peel Ports website and read the Consultation Document (http://peelports.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Seaplane-Consultation-Document.pdf) or go to www.msba.org.uk.

You should make your views known to Capt Ian Cark at harbour.master@peelports.com and please copy your correspondence to webmaster@msba.org.uk.
 
There is no mention of any exclusion zone and the plane can only land if safe to do so. There was a small sea plane buzzing around and landing in that sort of area last year. Is this not Peel Ports taking control of the situation? I can remember a Sea Plane marker near Otterham creek in the late 80s. http://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/airfield-finder/medway-marine/
 
Whilst not fully supportive, the proposed areas are outside the main shipping channels used by many but not all small craft . If all were to use the main channel I see the main problem being for sailing craft especially those tacking and racing. Not forgetting the jet skiers of course.
 
Birds might be an issue, particularly their more easterly proposal.

I wonder if passengers would embark/disembark. Doesn't sound like it as they make it clear that they will not be acting as an aerodrome. In which case, how much traffic are they expecting?

Saw a seaplane do some 'touch and go' circuits just to the east of the Swale a few years ago. Think it was on the flats off Seasalter rather than the main channel.

Sea planes and small craft work ok together in some Canadian harbours. Had one land close to me, but didn't find it unsafe or annoying. However, I can see the problem with 20 Sonatas rounding their mark, only to be told to scatter due to an impending sea plane. Might not be popular.
 
This seems rather brief for a consultation document. It talks about 'a' seaplane and that it should be considered a vessel when on the water. What sort of vessel? is it restricted in its ability to maneuver? No mention of frequency of operations or within whose Air traffic Control the seaplane would operate - More information required.

Is it normal to listen on ch74 when in the Medway? surely ch16 would be better with hand off to 74?
 
I don't actually feel qualified to make an informed judgement. Perhaps it would have been helpful if Peel Ports had included typical flight procedures that would be carried out prior to any seaplane landing (landing seems to me to be more dangerous to other craft than taking off).
In the absence of such knowledge I would speculate that any pilot wishing to enjoy a quiet evening at home later on would make a low level pass along a landing area to assess it for wave height, debris and any other obstructions before making a final approach. As such, perhaps the danger to others is actually not that great. On the other hand, a seaplane landing area could be viewed in the same light as a runway on land where people are free to roam on it at will ! All the same, I can't imagine for one moment that a pilot would make a straight-in approach on the assumption that the space is clear.
Perhaps the analogy made with Canada is a tad unfair - floatplanes have operated there since the early days of flight, there tends to be plenty of space and I would think that both communities are well used to each other. But here we're talking about a fresh start.
I don't believe that a seaplane pilot wishing to land can ask the HM to order surface craft to clear the area.
Initially it seemed to me that Half Acre would be a better option than Long Reach, being far less busy with other craft, but Pye-end's point about bird-life is well made and is very relevant. The whole of the Swale/Medway area teems with bird life all year round, and as he said Half Acre Creek is part of the area that is particularly busy with them. I imagine that the RSPB could have a lot to say about the proposal (so I just sent the local group a heads-up).
I wonder who has kicked this off? A small single-engine floatplane was operating out of different areas of the Medway last year. Maybe it's based at Rochester Airport, perhaps a flying school there or somewhere else nearby (Southend? Headcorn?) is hoping to offer floatplane training?
 
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Boz said:
This seems rather brief for a consultation document. It talks about 'a' seaplane and that it should be considered a vessel when on the water. What sort of vessel? is it restricted in its ability to maneuver?
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Fortunately covered in COLREGS.

18 (e)
A seaplane on the water shall, in general, keep well clear of all vessels and avoid impeding their navigation. In circumstances, however, where risk of collision exists, she shall comply with the Rules of this part.

Can't remember what the advice in Canada was about seaplanes trying to land - this just talks about what happens when on the water. Not sure if Peel could/would issue any bylaws on this issue. Might be worth seeking clarification on this.
 
Reading the proposal carefully, some points should be stressed.
1. Any aircraft must contact Medway VTS before take off for permission to proceed.
2. The aircraft must contact Medway VTS on Channel 74 before making an approach.
3. A landing place is then agreed with the comment "When safe to do so". So the resposibility is on the pilot.
4. The duty officer at Medway VTS will broadcast to other river users. It does not say which channel(s), so 16 is likely.
5. The reverse system is in place for take off.

So the movement and landing/take off are controlled and the resposibility of making sure it is safe is the pilot's responsibiity. It also seems that it is only a sole privately owned aircraft, not a flight school, so it will probably be infrequently used. Perhaps it should be sensible if some restrictions should be applied like no weekend landings or during regattas as those sections of the river are busier.

Generally I cannot see why the river should not be shared withus sailors, mobos, waterskiers, jet skiers, fishermen, kyakers, etc.
 
I tend to be of the live and let live view of life and see no fundamental reason for excluding seaplanes any more than for excluding yachts. In view of he sightings of such craft in recent years, I suspect that Fulmarjeddo is on the right track with his suggestion that Peel Ports have seen the same and are seeking to discharge their statutory duty "to regulate and manage all types of operations within the (area) under their jurisdiction".

As for the racing fleets, in this H&S obsessed era no race officer fires a starting gun without a written and signed risk assessment to hand which will have to address these seaplane operation areas. not much of a problem, imho, for the Half Acre Creek area, but will require some thought for the Long Reach area for any race wanting to get out into the Thames from the clubs upriver as avoiding it completely is hardly practicable.

I assume any club organising a race through Sheerness informs Peel Ports and requires the fleet to keep a listening watch on the port control frequency, but I'm not a member of any Medway club. For the rest of us, a listening watch on the Port Control frequency, while transiting the area they control is a matter of both courtesy and good practice - I certainly adhere to it.

I will be leaving comment to Peel Ports on this proposal to the Medway clubs and sailors.
 
Concerto said:
It is most likely that the sea plane marker was for the Short Sunderlandflying boat that was at Chatham Dockyard in 1988.

http://www.kenthistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=6365.0
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I watched this land from my mooring at Hoo Ness Trots. It looked to me that it landed at the E end of Gillingham reach and then came up towards Chatham. When it reached the dockyard entrance a ship was emerging so it scooted back till the ship had gone past then made its way upriver.
 
tony_lavelle said:
Can you please check this link as it appears broken. I would very much like confirmation that there was a seaplane operatiosn area in Half Acre Creek (near Otterham Creek) in the past. It may still be valid but unknown to current Peel Ports staff.
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I have attached the pdf docuemtn for the consulation in the temporary list of NtM. See http://www.crossingthethamesestuary.com/page9.html and select the temporary list and scrolls down.
 
I had a long call from Capt Ian Clark of Peel Ports this morning followed by an email. He has asked me to post his response here:

"Below is the reply that I put together for people that have made comments.

"We have had considerable feed back about this matter, and it seems that I have perhaps not laid out the situation clearly in my notice.

"We are not proposing any new operation, seaplanes have operated from the Medway almost since the invention of flight. This particular seaplane, which is a private aircraft used for leisure, is one of only 5 seaplanes registered in the whole of the UK.

"The aircraft in question has been operating on the Medway for at least the last three years without incident or indeed comment from anybody. As the port authority we are obliged to keep the port open for anybody who wants to make use of the waters, provided there are no safety or legal concerns. There is no question of us either 'allowing' or 'licencing' this operation. We only have power to regulate it.

"This consultation is merely about putting a restriction on where the aircraft can operate so that water users can be aware of where there is the small possibility that they may encounter a seaplane. For your information, there is no requirement for a surface vessel to give way to a seaplane that is landing or taking off. The legal obligation is on the aircraft commander to ensure that his landing area is clear and it is safe for him to land there.

"I hope this answers your concerns."
 
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