Think it's only the downslope in the TDZ that is the issue and it's tendancy to extend the flare. As a crude guide, Boeing kit copes OK and Airbus & Fokker kit doesn't. There have been plenty of practice autolands by bmi 319s for 12 months now - with the focus entirely on how far down the runway the wheels make contact - but still no 'live' approaches. Like their 737s, the Jet2 757s should be OK, but obviously not at the moment. Only one diversion from LBA this evening - the Jet2 757 from ACE. Maybe CAT2 is an interim solution for them - making the landing manually presumably can help reduce the extended flare?
As for a new runway at LBA, the only thing less likely to happen is that Elvis would be at the controls to make the first landing. Re-profiling the runway undershoots, clawing back some LDA on 32 and upgrading to CAT2 on 14 would get rid of about 75% of the diversions away at a cost of about 5% of the cost of a new runway. Other monies would be better spent on road access, terminal improvements etc which I'm sure is of much more of interest to Mr Meeson and Co.
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