Mill Hill (June 26) has been in regular use for 40 years, not 14, with no injuries related to model aircraft.
The incident that caused airport staff to call the police was a glider being flown out over the valley.
I was on Mill Hill flying my own model glider at the time. There were no full-size aircraft around and, if there had been, the pilot would have acted appropriately.
The flight-path over the hill itself is an odd one for pilots to choose because they should be safety-conscious.
There are several ways to approach the runway at Shoreham airport yet some irresponsible pilots choose to fly over a spot where models are flown.
Recently, when I was on Mill Hill, a full-size aircraft flew at well under the 50-feet height restriction imposed on modellers.
More recently, I heard someone quoting air law at Mill Hill too, stating that no aircraft may fly within 500 feet vertically of any group of people.
I am aware the aircraft was approaching the airport to land and therefore must have been low but the reported incident was ridiculous.
I find it odd no reporter was sent to speak to the modellers - many of whom know a fair amount of air law - and took into account only the view of the airport and police.
-Sean Hamerton (disgruntled model flyer), hamerton@ntlworld.com
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