View Full Version : LHR Taxiways
BELHold
7th Apr 2004, 15:07
Was in LHR yesterday waiting in the queue onboard an A320 for a 27R Dep, about fifth in line when I noticed an A319 crossing onto the A5 taxiway, spool up on the taxiway then enter the runway and depart.
Just was wondering is it common practise for AC that can take A5 for Dep to get priority and effectivley bunk the queue.
Empty Cruise
7th Apr 2004, 15:23
Yes - they operate after the famous Monty Phyton principle...
"To annoy you and make things generally irritating" :{
On the serious side, it is common practice that aircraft that have an ATC slot that is about to expire are let into the queue in front of others. The slots are the "real" queue, not the physical line-up of aircraft on the ground. Only when no slot limts exist :rolleyes: does it matter when you reach the holding point.
Therefore, when slots are tight, normal practice is to line up everybody at the farthest intersection and then push "urgent" aircraft in front by having them do intersection take-offs.
Hope this was what you were looking for - brgds,
Empty
van der vart
8th Apr 2004, 17:18
so what reason would the controller give to the one at the holding point waiting?
Bealzebub
8th Apr 2004, 17:41
He doesn't have to give a reason. If he does, it would probably be "One to depart ahead on an earlier slot".
Where the heck is A5? Is that the 'old block 16' :D
Things to consider when determining the best departure order (by no means an exhaustive list, nor in any particular order):
-Slot time,
-SID,
-Type,
-Destination (possible weight, fuel load etc),
-Aircraft performance,
-Requested cruise level,
-What's coming out after it in the ten minutes,
-Where on the taxiway it would be holding (ie would it block other aircraft from parking if it didn't depart?),
-How long it's already been there at the hold,
-Vortex wake category,
-Is there a runway ispection to be done?
-Is there an aircraft waiting to cross (and how long have they been waiting there?),
-Are you taking landers as well? (you'll want to get a heavy away as the last departure before the lander),
-Airline (ie. UK carriers more likely to take 1 minute behind 757)
-Any helicopter/other low-level traffic around that might affect some routes?
You need to think about this for every a/c coming out.
Oh yeah, forgot the fact that you might know a member ofthe flight or cabin crew, or a pax on the flight! :E
What? You know everybody in British Midland!
Ah, quicker than I expected! They say the same about BA!
Jerricho
9th Apr 2004, 00:52
Gonzo - The British airline's friend! :p
Not anyone's friend, Jer, just easily bought! :E
PAXboy
9th Apr 2004, 11:33
Gonzo: Only 15 variables, some with sub-variants? What a simple job you have ... Also, you have not mentioned:
How grumpy are you?
How much longer of the shift?
Who made this foul tea?
Not to mention the Friday Afternoon Special, What happens if I press this button? :}
--------------------
"I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you any different." Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Jerricho
9th Apr 2004, 14:33
Ah, the joys of that dinky little London airport. One runway for departures, one runway for departures. Funny little taxiiways being run by some guy who was really in to his train sets as a kid. 4 hundred and whatever many thousand movements per year.
You gotta love that airport.
Jerricho.......he moves to a different country and he thinks he's found a sense of humour!!!!! :rolleyes:
PAXboy, as Jerricho can attest to, it must be simple or else I'd have no chance! I just use a Ouija board next to me and that actually determines the order.....
-I never get grumpy
-Far too long, we get relieved by C Watch! :E
-Vending machine!
Of course, it has its lighter moments. Including shouting out 'Oh my God they're all going to die!' when the CAA inspector is around!
That button? The one that says 'Crash Line'? No dea what that does. I press it from time to time. Nothing much happens. Some siren goes off, and then thirty seconds later there are quite a few red lorries driving about the airfield........ :confused:
lineboy_nz
10th Apr 2004, 04:25
that must be fun to watch. :)
Geffen
10th Apr 2004, 11:07
come on, C watch are always on time! oh wait thats right on time then ages to take over!! :)
Jerricho
10th Apr 2004, 16:33
thinks he's found a sense of humour
Nah, I didn't find it. I bought it on Ebay. You know, that place where Point 7 and I got our licences!
All jokes aside, that lighting board always bamboozled me. Then again, that's not a hard thing to do. And the whole ground bandboxed thingie............
Gonzo
10th Apr 2004, 20:12
Bandboxed GMC? Easier mate, no co-ordination!
Much more fun as well....none of this having it split when I've got two a/c and you've got two a/c! :yuk:
BELHold
10th Apr 2004, 21:05
Thanks for all the answers.
What I thought was amazing was the fact that the AC actually spooled up on the taxiway...it looked as though he was nearing VR by the time he entered the runway.
However working in BFS it still amazes me when 737s take off from Bravo.
Maybe I need to get out more!
Point Seven
11th Apr 2004, 19:43
BEL
Probably because it is quite a long line up there and the guys up front were playing the game. It is quite easy to launch someone from there and still lose time due to a long line up time then on runway power checks.
P7
BahrainLad
12th Apr 2004, 09:50
Do Birdseed a/c still get unofficial priority at London Airport?
Gonzo
12th Apr 2004, 12:35
Er, no.
Not at all.
Jerricho
12th Apr 2004, 21:37
Do Birdseed a/c still get unofficial priority at London Airport?
He-he! Not when I was there ;)
ETOPS
13th Apr 2004, 07:50
He-he! Not when I was there
We could tell!