Once again I read about RAF Linton-on-Ouse and complaints about its use of flight paths over this area.

What I would like to know is who is making these complaints?

I live directly under the flightpath for these aircraft. Over the past two weeks I have been off work with an arm injury and, apart from one rather loud helicopter, have not been disturbed by any aircraft.

As I write, there is a Tucano flying over my house but it is making very little intrusive noise.

When I did an on-the-spot report for Radio York a few years back to prove how quiet the Tucanos were, I was actually talking to the presenter on my mobile as several flew overhead but not once was I unable to continue my conversation.

RAF Linton flies during the day. Anyone doing a nine-to-five job would not be around to hear them. They only night-fly about once every three months and always finish by midnight. They don't fly at weekends.

So who on earth is complaining about them? All I can think is that these complainants are retired people or housewives/husbands who are home all day.

The base is an asset. It brings a lot of work to the area. We need the Tucanos and trainers to train our pilots of the future. Do these people with nothing better to do than complain have no recollection of the Jet Provosts that used to fly over here? Their jet engines were far more intrusive.

For goodness sake, leave the base alone and let it get on with it's job.

If people want to complain, why don't they complain about the speed of traffic around here? This is a much more serious problem than a few daytime flying aircraft.

John Ward,

Pinfold Terrace,

Tollerton, York.

Updated: 11:19 Tuesday, December 21, 2004