MR Hudson is scaremongering about the amount of flights that will occur at Old Sarum (OS) airfield. General aviation (GA) in the UK is very limited and even the most popular airfields, like Compton Abbas near Shaftesbury, have nowhere near the annual number of movements he has forecast at 125,000.

Looking at the CAA statistics for GA movements, Shoreham is a popular GA destination with a long hard runway. It has a number of flying schools, an airline operating from there, a commercial helicopter business and a full air-traffic control to support the advanced commercial flight training with the associated instrument approaches. It has a large catchment area of wealthy residents in Brighton and is in reasonably clear airspace. This manages about 3,000 movements a month.

OS is a grass airfield of reasonably short length and with a large hump in it. It also has obstacles in the take-off and landing paths. These things very much limit the size of aircraft that can arrive or depart. A small twin engine aircraft is the very most one would ever see. Night flying, apart from the helicopter training, will be very limited. Single engine light aircraft very rarely fly at night as the risks associated with an engine failure are much greater.

The overlying airspace of Boscombe Down and Middle Wallop combined military air-traffic zone, and the danger area complex to the north, means light aircraft can only approach OS from the south, and then at low-level. This is one of the reasons that OS is not a popular destination. These restrictions will only get worse with the development of Boscombe Down.

Finally, where will all these twin engine executive aircraft and helicopters be visiting? People who operate expensive aircraft as a means of transport need a reason to visit - business, hotels, the seaside, shopping, to watch a team etc - Salisbury has limited attractions.

OS will always stay a sleepy little airfield.

I speak from some experience on aviation. I am a Salisbury resident, a Captain on a 747 for an international airline and I have flown many times from Old Sarum, owning a small aircraft that I keep at Compton Abbas. Mr Hudson is scaremongering, pure and simple.

Dean Hillier, Salisbury