London Heathrow: Air Traffic Control & Navigational Aids

[News Guru]

Heathrow runway trial takes off tomorrow

A trail of mixed use of both Heathrow runways that could slash flight delays will get underway tomorrow. The first of a two-part operational freedom trial will test new measures aimed at delivering benefits to passengers, the local community, and the environment. It will be carried out over winter, with a second trail next summer.

The aim of the change is to improve take-off and landing times, reducing aircraft delays where planes are often forced to circle the skies due to limited landing availability, or where busy terminals mean that planes are often late departing the airport resulting in flights regularly leaving after 23:00, despite an earlier scheduled take off time.

The first trial will run from November 1 to February 29, and the second from July 1, to September 30. A spokesman for BAA said: ‘The trial will look at whether new procedures can be used to bring benefits to the local community through less late-running flights; to passengers, by providing a more punctual service; and to the environment, by reducing aircraft stacking times and reducing emissions. This trial will not mean an increase in the number of flights operating in to or out of Heathrow.’

Once the trial is over the CAA will review the data collected, and a full government consultation with local communities will take place next year before any final decision is made on the permanent use of the procedures.

Source

 

[Aviador]

Rules are to be relaxed next month allowing mixed mode traffic to use Heathrow airport. At present one of the airports two runways is used for departing aircraft and the second runway is used for arriving aircraft. From next month the airport will be able to use both runways for arriving and departing aircraft simultaneously. This will effectively increase Heathrow's capacity from around 87 movements per hour to around 108 movements an hour. In passenger terms this will allow Heathrow to increase it's passenger numbers by around 17 million per year.

 

[masere]

Watching news reports today about queues at immigration and I saw that the revolving red radar dish atop the concrete tower had STOPPED!!! :shok: :shok: Every time I've ever seen it it has been going round and round. I thought it never stopped! Has it broken?

 

[News Guru]

Heathrow battle continues after trial proves 'inconclusive'

A controversial trial at Heathrow designed to reduce delays has proved inconclusive, according to a recent aviation report.

The Operational Freedoms trial, which allowed the airport to land planes on both runways if delays were building up during winter 2011 and summer 2012, did not make a difference to the running of the airport according to a report released last week.

The report from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) read: “It is extremely difficult to reach any strong conclusions on the benefit or otherwise of the trial.”

Read more: http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news ... nclusive_/[

 

[Aviador]

AN interesting Heathrow airport publication on how SIDS work. (Standard Instrument Departures)

 

[Aviador]

The DfT's Urgent Summer Slot Consultation

The Department for Transport launched a fast-track consultation to relax slot usage rules for this summer. It lets hub carriers like BA and Virgin consolidate schedules early if geopolitical airspace closures cause chaos, without losing their historic slot rights.

Is this a sensible, proactive move, or a convenient excuse for legacy airlines to trim less profitable flights while protecting their LHR monopolies?

#LHR #Slots

 

[mullion]

Personally I think it is a good idea as otherwise it could be chaos

 

[Aviador]

Personally I think it is a good idea as otherwise it could be chaos

Hard to argue with that. Preventing a repeat of past summer meltdowns is a win for everyone. But do you think the DfT would be this accommodating if it were low-cost carriers asking for slot flexibility at Stansted, Manchester, or is this a benefit that only really gets extended to the legacy hub operators at Heathrow?

 

[Seasider]

It should apply to all airlines where there are slot constraints.

 

[mullion]

Heathrow is a bit different to most other airports in UK as the mix is different, MAN, LGW and MAN all have a large mix of Long haul and european whilst STN, BHX are big on the european low cost.

 

[Aviador]

Heathrow is a bit different to most other airports in UK as the mix is different, MAN, LGW and MAN all have a large mix of Long haul and european whilst STN, BHX are big on the european low cost.

That’s a crucial distinction, spot on. Heathrow is a massive hub ecosystem where the short-haul and long-haul networks are completely co-dependent.

But that traffic mix is exactly why the DfT's temporary summer slot relaxation is so interesting across the board. At Heathrow, if BA cuts a multi-daily domestic or European shuttle, it breaks the connection feed for their long-haul flights.

On the flip side, look at Manchester or Gatwick, because their European traffic is heavily point-to-point leisure rather than hub feed, do you think they have a lot more flexibility to prune duplicate frequencies this summer without hurting their long-haul routes?

 

[mullion]

Sorry I will have a look at this later as I have to go out shortly

 

[Aviador]

Sorry I will have a look at this later as I have to go out shortly

No apologies required.

 

[mullion]

The difference wth LHR and other airport slots is only LHR that have to be bought