View - The Municipality of Lambton Shores
View - The Municipality of Lambton Shores
View - The Municipality of Lambton Shores
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From: John & Pat Eplett [mailto:jeplett@hay.net]<br />
Sent: July-01-12 8:24 PM<br />
To: Karen Cameron<br />
Cc: Dave Maguire<br />
Subject: John Eplett 12 Erin Place- Complaint Re: Helicopter operation inside town limits <strong>of</strong> Grand Bend<br />
Dear Sirs,<br />
I’m not happy with the recent operations <strong>of</strong> a helicopter tour ride service being operated from<br />
the construction site beside the Grand Bend Community Health Services building. 20 minute<br />
tour rides are being <strong>of</strong>fered. <strong>The</strong> helicopter leaves the construction site and flies at about 300<br />
ft. above ground level running parallel to Gill rd. and heading towards the beach, then turns<br />
north, flying along the beach and then returning to the construction site. This flight path is<br />
about 600 ft. away from my house and the noise is disturbing to say the least. I realized that<br />
when I moved in to Grand Bend I would have to put up with the tourist traffic in town on the<br />
weekends and I accepted that. This new intrusion on my privacy is not welcomed.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re is a restricted airspace in effect within a 1.5 mile radius from the Grand Bend Parachute<br />
Club and this temporary “heliport” at the construction site is possibly right on the edge <strong>of</strong> this<br />
restricted airspace. I drove from the construction site to the airport and clocked it <strong>of</strong>f at 3.1<br />
kilometers, but allowing for the bend in the road (county road 81) it comes out pretty close to<br />
the 1.5 mile restricted limit.<br />
I stopped in front <strong>of</strong> the construction site to get the registration markings from the helicopter<br />
(which are C-FMVV ) and while sitting there noting the registration realized that there are no<br />
safety barriers around this site indicating helicopter operations. Also, if it’s a construction site,<br />
are there not policies in place restricting access to the public because <strong>of</strong> the nature <strong>of</strong> the<br />
business. It is a construction site. I’m sure Occupational Health & Safety Services would love to<br />
hear about this.<br />
I contacted Air Traffic Control in London Ontario and was advised that I needed to call the<br />
RCMP to file a formal complaint.<br />
I’ve called the RCMP and left a message stating I wanted to file a formal complaint.<br />
I’ve called the OPP and discussed the issue. <strong>The</strong>y advised me that they had seen an email from<br />
the tour operator to <strong>Lambton</strong> <strong>Shores</strong> requesting a permit if required, but they also stated that<br />
they had not seen any advisory from <strong>Lambton</strong> <strong>Shores</strong> to them (OPP) in regards to this request<br />
for operation.<br />
I placed a call to your bylaw <strong>of</strong>ficer and discussed this issue and as expected there are no<br />
bylaws in effect regarding this type <strong>of</strong> operation.<br />
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