AMS schiphol

[AP]

I flew to Amsterdam on tuesday and flew back out on wednesday, can someone explain to me why it takes ages and ages to taxi to the runway?? Schiphol is a big airport and has lots of runways so why the long taxi times, i think the flight time to london was shorter than the taxi time to the active!!!

:confused:

[Lon More]

You answered your own question - it can be a ling way. Look at a map

[Abdel]

I think it took 15 miuntes or so to get to the new runway from pushback, and the captain did mention to the pax that it'd take time (EZY).
you're right, it is a long way, but you have the benefit of a rolling start before takeoff

[TopBunk]

The new AMS 36L/18R runway is about 2-3nm from the terminals. However, usually, it is non-stop on taxi in or out. It takes 10-15 minutes and there are usually no holding for take off. Overall, therefore, it takes no longer than the majority of larger airports across Europe.

[flapsforty]

http://www.airliners.nl/images/schiphol_banen_.jpg


AP, the taxi time to get to 38L-18R is longish anyway, can be 10 to 15 mins as TopBunk says, but is often 20 mins.
Things are made worse when 18C-36C is in use.
Or so the pilots tell us. :)

[AP]

Thank you guys!!! :ok:

[Midland 331]

Anyone recall the taxi from the old Liverpool terminal to 10/28 (? I think)?

331

[chiglet]

No, but I remember the taxy from 09/27 to the [old] terminal:ok:
I remember doing "Runway Inspections" at the 'Pool....29-32 miles:* , as opposed to 12 at Manch :rolleyes:
watp,iktch

[055166k]

That's why mainland European airports will outstrip UK airports in the years to come.....they expand and grow with demand....the downside is the sheer size of the airport.
We spend £millions on deciding whether to build a Terminal, the thought of another runway sends the Government into paroxysms of sheer terror.
Midland 331....used to be 10/28 before 09/27....just like Heathrow.....you're giving your [and my] age away; do you remember the [then] new porous runway surface at Liverpool....it gradually turned green as things grew in it?

[Midland 331]

No, but it leads me onto recalling Manchester- Heathrow:

25 mins in the air

15 mins taxiing to R38R (I think - somewhere a bit too close to Perry Oaks - or maybe the smell was the crew meals?)

10 minutes for coach.

5-10 minutes to the terminal.

:-(

331

[Golf Charlie Charlie]

Ha, well, I recall a taxi at JFK from Terminal 7 round the north and west side of the central area and then right round for a take-off on 22L.

[Midland 331]

G-CC,

Did they show a film?

:-)

BTW, do the "block 79" departures still happen from 09R at Heathrow? Always a nice surprise when you are potentially about number ten.

r

[fyrefli]

I flew to Amsterdam on tuesday and flew back out on wednesday, can someone explain to me why it takes ages and ages to taxi to the runway?? Schiphol is a big airport and has lots of runways so why the long taxi times?

I've being doing AMS-BRS and back again 16-18 times a year for three years or more...

Caveat - no, I know 50 deps + 50 arrs isn't a representative sample ;)

...But my observations (and best guess at reasoning) would be as follows:

If the wind's coming out of the NE quadrant, you're more than likely going to land on 06 because that means you end up next to the terminal. Anything else other than a strong NW and you're gonna land on 18R.

If the wind's coming out of the SW quadrant, you're more than likely going to take off on 24 because that starts next to the terminal. Anything else other than a strong SE and you're gonna take off on 36L.

In those three years (including some AMS - LTN - AMS and some AMS - LHR - AMS) we have never once used 18C/36C (this seems, when in use, to always have almost entirely KLM traffic), 27, 18L, 36R or 22/04 (which is probably for cargo?).

We've landed on 09 once, in the snow early this year - the airport was shut the next morning due to the amount of snow so perhaps 36L/18R (which is known as the Polderbaan) or the taxiways to it were o/s.

Completing the picture I think we've only once landed on 36L and if we've ever taken off on 06 I've forgotten it.

Of course the above could be complete b******s but I'll be very surprised if it doesn't work as above this Fri/Sun on my next trip (so, if MetCheck is right, lucky us will be both going out and coming back on the Polderbaan).

Cheers,

Rich.

[Dr Esteban]

Hi fyrefli!

36L/09 is not available for landing (refer to your Jepps).
In 3 yrs flying to AMS I've landed on 18R/18C/06/27/36C/36R, so I guess you have chosen to short straw!
And no, I am not a pilot with KLM. And yes, I am based at a London airport.

Just to clearify. 04/22 is used for light traffic (including biz jets) up to about 737 sized aircraft. It is mainly used for aircraft using Schiphol-Oost (east).
Secondly, 18C is not exclusively for KLM a/c as you are suggesting. But if parallel runways are in use (18R/C), 18R is used for arrivals from the west and 18C for arrivals from the east. So coming from the UK, yes you will use 18R mainly.
A list of preferred runway usage is available in your Jepps (or equivalent).

Regards,
Dr.

PS whats up in Soesterberg?

[Gonzo]

Midland331, not as often now, as we have two taxiways to queue on, rather than one. Still happens though.

[fyrefli]

36L/09 is not available for landing (refer to your Jepps).

Ah - obviously more snow than I thought! ;) (And whilst I'm a pilot it's of a rather different kind of aircraft, if you check my profile :) ) Come to think of it, it would have been the other way round given the wind direction.

In 3 yrs flying to AMS I've landed on 18R/18C/06/27/36C/36R, so I guess you have chosen to short straw!

Evidently so! I don't mind - just make sure I grab a freebie FT on the way out and don't give the magazine back early on the way in :)

Secondly, 18C is not exclusively for KLM a/c as you are suggesting. But if parallel runways are in use (18R/C), 18R is used for arrivals from the west and 18C for arrivals from the east. So coming from the UK, yes you will use 18R mainly.

Ah, makes sense - thanks. I'm one of these people who always likes to know *why* :)

Just to clarify. 04/22 is used for light traffic (including biz jets) up to about 737 sized aircraft. It is mainly used for aircraft using Schiphol-Oost (east).

I was having a look around after I posted and figured that.

PS whats up in Soesterberg?

Helicopters, mainly! Closing early next year though. Keep meaning to check out the possibilities of sailplaning over there.

Cheers,

Rich.

[Tweety]

Its a bloody big airport and sometimes it is the luck ofthe draw with runways!

[Piltdown Man]

My record in taxying times is set many times over in LHR (in and out of Terminal Four), despite virtually every other landing being at AMS. Despite that, I really do appreciate the efforts that the Ground and Tower Controllers put in to getting the most out of Heathrow. But I bet BAA don't even realise what an asset the controllers they have there are. I'd also suggest that they have to put this effort in on every shift because of the way the airport has evolved. Extensions on add-ons on bolt-on on modifications. And which tit specified cul-de-sacs? Will T5 make a difference? I doubt it. IMHO, unless BAA spend a king's ransom totally redesigning the place, it will get so snarled up that the SLF may decide to go elsewhere.

[Squawk7777]

Flaps,

would you mind translating the names of the runways? :)

7 7 7 7

[Piltdown Man]

Aalsmeer (known throughout the World for its flower market), Zwanenburgh (on the departure path from Rwy 36C) and Buitenvelder are towns and villages in the immediate area around AMS. Polder and Kaag are, I believe, synonymns for low lying, reclaimed land. Baan is a road or a strip.

And for what it is worth, I have taken off from Rwy06 once in eight years.

[fyrefli]

Of course the above could be complete b******s but I'll be very surprised if it doesn't work as above this Fri/Sun on my next trip (so, if MetCheck is right, lucky us will be both going out and coming back on the Polderbaan).

If any confirmation were required that Mr Sod was still writing the rulebook, snow on Friday (800km total of queues on the roads and 40cm of the stuff east of here) meant we went out on 36C!

Bit of East in it meant coming back on 06 though - although now EZY are using Pier H that's almost as far away as the Polderbaan!

Cheers,

Rich.

[Dr Esteban]

"Kaag" is one of the lakes under the approach path to 06.

Rich is that military choppers you fly??
Used to live under the centreline rwy 27 (EHSB). Very nice during those good old days of the Americans with their noisy equipment...

Rgds,
Doc

[fyrefli]

Rich is that military choppers you fly??

No, my flying vice has been paragliders for a little over ten years. Being next to the base is just happenstance.

Unfortunately the regs make cross-country paragliding pretty much impossible here - I go back to England or elsewhere to fly (Indian Himalaya last month) - hence earlier comment about sailplaning.

Used to live under the centreline rwy 27 (EHSB). Very nice during those good old days of the Americans with their noisy equipment...

It's still pretty noisy here now! We live on Apollo, part of the estate (which I've always assumed used to be married quarters or some such, if not officially then de facto) that sits between the base and the A28, and the whirlybirds have a direct line over us to the tank ranges further to the South.

Cheers,

Rich.