Sir – I have a love of aircraft of all kinds and had the pleasure of working at the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) for almost 20 years.

However, even I find the sound of the small propeller driven aeroplanes that regularly fly over Abingdon and the surrounding Oxfordshire countryside to be incredibly irritating.

These aircraft are Grob Tutors that fly out of RAF Benson. They are used to provide elementary flying training and are operated under a PFI scheme on behalf of the RAF by the well-known firm of Babcock International.

Typically, there are up to three aircraft flying out of RAF Benson at any one time, in the direction of Didcot/Abingdon/Stadhampton.

Last Sunday, one of these aircraft performed two circuits over the centre of Abingdon at around 9.30am at an altitude of only about 2,500 feet.

Fifteen minutes or so later, a second Tutor also flew low over Abingdon.

The noise generated by these aircraft in level flight is relatively loud but, when they perform manoeuvres (loops or turns), the change in pitch of the engine is particularly irritating and noticeable.

I recognise that the RAF needs to carry out elementary flying training, but there is a lot of open countryside in Oxfordshire to do this in.

There is absolutely no need to perform noisy manoeuvres over the population centres such as Abingdon, especially early on a Sunday.

I would therefore urge the authorities at RAF Benson to review the profiles of these flights and to have a little bit more consideration for the people in southern Oxfordshire.

Dr Arthur Dawkins
Bostock Road
Abingdon