Originally Posted by
KelvinD
Musket90: I realise the piano keys for 09R are irrelevant to a 27L departure. I was using them as an indication of how far down the runway this aircraft was getting off the ground. I have watched literally dozens of 787 departures on this runway, with more than a few this day. You get a feel for roughly where an aircraft is going to be so you can get the camera ready. The United flight took me by surprise at where he was when I took the photos. By contrast, an hour earlier the Qantas Perth bound 787 departed and that one was at approx the same height as the United but 300 yards before the piano keys, well before the end of the runway.
Not concerned, just surprised. As I said, no screaming school children & definitely no plummeting!
Cheers
You can always contact the CAA or AAIB. I understand a few departure performance mistakes / mis-loads have only been uncovered by concerns from the ground being followed up by relevant authorities.
That said a 787 mate of mine reckon an engine failure on 07L departure would pass over the M25 and reservoirs at a height both entirely legal and completely terrifying.