Our members come from a wide area, stretching right across Northern Ireland and Ireland. We're very aware of the value of community amongst our club members, but also the positive impact we as a club can have on the wider community.
Our club supports the Brain Tumour Charity through the Christine O'Carroll Research Fund. The Christine O’Carroll Research Fund supports research into Stage 4 Brain Tumours, the most serious type, with the lowest survival rates. The Brain Tumour Charity is the UK's largest dedicated brain tumour charity, committed to fighting brain tumours on all fronts.
They fund pioneering research to increase survival and improve treatment options and raise awareness of the symptoms and effects of brain tumours to get earlier diagnosis and to help families cope with everything that the diagnosis of a brain tumour brings. They also provide support for everyone affected so that they can live as full a life as possible, with the best quality of life.
The Charity funds and promotes the UK-wide HeadSmart campaign, raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of brain tumours in children and young people to make earlier diagnosis a reality. Earlier diagnosis will reduce long term disabilities and save lives. In just three years, HeadSmart has reduced average diagnosis time from 9.1 weeks to 6.5 weeks.
Pilots from our club support Skywatch Northern Ireland
Sky Watch NI is an airborne observation charity which has been operating in Northern Ireland since 2009. Through an MOU with the Police Service of Northern Ireland, Sky Watch NI carry out aerial searches for vulnerable, missing people e.g. people with Alzheimer’s, children lost in sand dunes, people at risk of committing suicide and the families of those who have committed suicide.
Skywatch also assist the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) through their MOU, by attending fires where fire fighters, wildlife and the environment need protection, to observe and report to the NIFRS personnel on the ground. The charity is registered and run on a similar basis to the lifeboats. Pilots and aircrew give their time and aircraft free of charge, therefore running costs are low. Funds generated in Northern Ireland benefit local people in Northern Ireland. The Skywatch organisation helps everyone who is in need of our services and is cross-community and non-political
Modern microlights like those which operate from Kernan are highly efficient and powerful, but incredibly quiet aircraft. The aircraft which operate from our site emit little more noise than a car driving past on the public road. However, we include in our operating guides for pilots specific procedures which are designed to minimise the impact of our operations on the local community. This includes sticking to defined routes when taking off and landing (which we call a circuit), not making turns during take off until above 500ft, and not overflying some noise sensitive areas nearby the airfield.
Sometimes however, a pilot may be forced to break these guidelines to maintain a safe flight: for instance, if they experience a sudden gust of wind during landing, and decide to "go around". These however are rare events, and only occur when absolutely nessecary.
A copy of our published noise abatement procedures as given to pilots are published below.
Kernan Valley Flying Club
56 Mullahead Road
Tandragee, BT62 2LA
