I'm going to jump on this one, as I have just recently moved to not very far from LHR (all be it temporarily). Living almost exactly between the airport and a major train line between Reading (and places west) and London...............guess where most of the noise comes from, and until much later than the airport curfew.
As a controller, I can tell you our noise abatement procedures for inbounds and outbounds are VERY strict. And we as controllers adhere to them to the utmost of our abilities.
Now this is where my rant is really going to start...........
O\ZON states:
its quiet obvious you've never lived underneath the flight path of an aircraft
I'll wager that the airport was there WAY before a high percentage of the current population. I put this to anybody who complains reference aircraft noise.........if you have taken even ONE trip using an airport in the South East of England, SHUT THE HELL UP! It's quite alright for you to use air transport when it suits you, yet stuff everybody else. NIMBY.......heard this one before?
Look, the pressure (for the most part) is not being put on pilots, its aimed at national/multi-national airlines/corporations
Sorry to pick on your argument again, but how many jobs are provided by the airport, and the percentage of the population who live in the area who are employed by the airport/airlines. I love putting this to the HACAN crowd. I am yet to meet one that doesn't try and change the topic when I put this to them.
Said it before, and I'll say it again......if you have used air transport for your little "Winter Sun break" or whatever, you have just lost your right to complain! And if you have moved to the area in the past 30 years, join the club.