SALISBURY PLAIN TRAINING AREA
NEWS SHEET FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER 2006
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

TRAINING:  Up until the afternoon of Thursday 7th December the Plain will be heavily loaded with an armoured regiment battle group on Tesex.  This will involve fast jet acivity as outlined on page 3 of the newsletter and the use of heavy armoured vehicles, including tanks, driving without lights on the Imber Ranges, around Copehill Down and in the centre.  The following week sees the last major exercise of the year running across all areas until Thursday 14th December – this will involve tanks and warrior vehicles but will not cause any disturbance on the Plain.  Thereafter the training area will be very quiet until the middle of January.   
 
ARTILLERY FIRING FROM SALISBURY PLAIN (WEST):
Nil

LATE FIRING DAYS ON SALISBURY PLAIN (WEST):  
Nil  

HEAT FIRING DAYS ON SALIBURY PLAIN (WEST):   
 Nil

ARTILLERY LIVE FIRING DAYS FROM AREAS  7 & 8
12

ARTILLERY FIRING FROM SALISBURY PLAIN (EAST):
Nil   

LATE FIRING FROM SALISBURY PLAIN (EAST):
Nil

LATE FIRING DAYS LARKHILL/WESTDOWN RANGES:
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 14

NON FIRING DAYS ON LARKHILL/WESTDOWN DANGER AREA
2, 16 to 31 inclusive

NON FIRING DAYS BULFORD RANGES
9, 10, 16 to 31 inclusive  

NON FIRING DAYS ON WARMINSTER RANGES
2, 3,  16 to 31 inclusive

 HELICOPTER NIGHT FLYING:  Night flying will normally take place Mondays - Thursdays inclusive over parts of the training area dependent on the weather and the availability of range space.  In some cases the aircraft will show no lights but will operate under strict area control.
AIR ACTIVITIES:  Dates and timings given below are those listed at the time of printing but may be altered due to aircraft serviceability or weather conditions.
AIRCRAFT TRIALS:  Aircraft may conduct trials over Larkhill Range on each Wed and Fri from 1200 - 1700 hrs which could involve circuits to the East crossing the Avon Valley.   
PARACHUTING:  Parachute dropping is scheduled to take place on EVERLEIGH and FOX COVERT DZs during normal working hours on most weekdays.  Outside working hours and at weekends the dates and approximate times are:
                           
                                          PARACHUTING

FOX COVERT DZ                IMBER DZ                              EVERLEIGH DZ
          (C130)                           (C130)                                                (C130)
  02.  0800 - 1800                 NIL NOTIFIED                           05.  0001 – 2359                                                                  
  07.  0800 - 2359                                                                      06.  0001 – 2359
  08.  0001 - 2359                                                                      09.  0001 – 2359                                                                  
  12.  0001 - 0830                                                                      10.  0001 – 2359                                                                  
         1800 - 2359                                                                      11.  0001 – 2359
  13.  0001 - 2359
                                              STRIP LANDINGS
                                                                     
       KEEVIL                                  UPAVON                          DEPTFORD DOWN                            
            (C130/C17)                                   (C130)                                       (C130)  
          NIL NOTIFIED                     11.  1030 - 1230                           NIL NOTIFIED
                                                         12.  1830 - 2230
                                                         14.  1300 - 1945
                                                         18.  0930 - 1130
          ­
FAST JET ACTIVITY (FGA)

                                                     04.  AM   SPTA (C&W)                  
                                                     05.  AM   SPTA (C&W)                                         
                                                     07.  AM   SPTA (E & C)

Due to unforeseen changes there is always a possibility that there could be firing on other of the days listed. This is particularly so now operational training is being conducted to meet many and varied exigencies. The public should be careful to check that Red Flags are not flying before they enter the range. It is the time of the year when we change late night firing times. From March through to October the Tue, Thurs and Sat night firing times will revert back to 2330hrs.

WARMINSTER/IMBER OPEN
1.  Notice is given that only the roads from:
            a.  Warminster to Gore Cross via Imber, and
            b.  Bratton to Heytesbury via Imber
will be open to the public from 1200 hrs Fri 22nd December 2006 through to 0800 hrs 2nd January 2007.
2.  Please bear in mind that only the metalled road will be open , all other tracks, stone tracks and Southern Range Road and Imber Village remain closed (Out of Bounds) in accordance with the Imber Ranges Bylaws.  Any movement off the aforesaid roads on the Imber Ranges is forbidden, trespassers are liable to prosecution.
3.  Red Flags are only flown at the vedette post when live firing is taking place on the ranges.  The absence of red flags does NOT imply that the roads are automatically open to the public, times for which are notified in the Press and displayed on the entrance notice boards.
4.  The roads identified above are not maintained to public road standards, if traversing the training area drivers should do so with extreme caution.

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS

The Commandant wishes all those in receipt of this News Sheet, those that read it on Parish Notice Boards, and those that read the copied version in their Parish Newsletters; and their families a very happy and enjoyable Christmas and a successful and satisfying 2007.