----- Original Message -----
From: david joyce
Subject: Re: UK Flight Restrictions
I do not want to sound unsympathetic to the farmers in their present
crisis (which is far from the case) but I wonder what the evidence is
for the foot and mouth virus being present up to 1500ft. is. The wind
spread for virus particles at 1500ft. must extend over most of the
continent (like the radioactive particles from Chernobyl) and it is
difficult to see why foot and mouth and every other nastry virus hasn't
got the lot of us long since, if true. I would hate to do anything to
threaten the livelihood of the farming industry, but if this is based on
ill informed armchair theorising rather than science it should be
realised that it also threatens the livelihood of those who depend on
general aviation and gliding for their livelihoods. David Joyce
----- Original Message -----
From: Eddie and Sue Lindsay
Subject: UK Flight Restrictions
I just ran across the following item in the 5 March edition of AVweb's
AVflash and thought I should share it. I'm certain that most of you who
are affected by this are already aware of it, but... This is a terrible
tragedy for the UK, and I do want you to know that there are many of us
here in the US that are aware of your unfortunate
circumstances...particularly those of us who have friends and family who
are in the cattle business here in the US. -Ed Lindsay-
"FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE GROUNDS UK PILOTS...
Pilots in Great Britain are being asked to stop flying to help stem
the
flow of disease. The island is seeing a huge outbreak of Foot and
Mouth
Disease, a highly contagious infection of cloven-hoofed animals. The
disease can spread over great distances with movement of infected or
contaminated animals, people, or objects like cars and, yes,
airplanes.
Civil aviation authorities have restricted flight over 17 temporary
restricted flight areas (TRAs), so far.
...AIRBORNE CONTAMINANTS THREATEN LIVESTOCK AND LIVELIHOODS
Because the virus can be airborne at 1,500 feet and within a 2-mile
radius of the infected areas, the TRAs ban flights at those limits
for those areas. The number of TRAs remains fluid depending on where
outbreaks are identified, so Britain's Popular Flying Association is
asking pilots to check NOTAMS at <http://www.ais.org.uk/nav/nav.htm>
before flying and with ATC while airborne. Civil aviation authorities
are also asking pilots at farm strips not to fly until the outbreak
has
eased.
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