Hello Blues & Two's , I'll try and help you with Heathrow if i can.
Basically , since Queens Buildings were closed after 9/11 , you are only left with three choices if you have kids in tow.
1. The ex-Heathrow visitor Center is located next to the Renaissance Hotel at the far Eastern end of the Northern Perimeter Road which is signposted still.Despite the unit now housing a training centre , the authorities still allow you to park in front of it which gives you a view of the landings or take-offs on 27R and ....... thats pretty much it although you do see some taxying traffic.The parking costs are still £5 for all day or about £1 an hour.BEWARE.....except for a Mcdonalds behind the training centre on the other side of the A4 there are no amenities.
2. For 27L you can either park in the Hatton Cross underground station car park (£5) which gets you underneath them if they are landing , or park in Myrtle Avenue or one of the side roads in that area where there is an open grassed area where you can sit and get a side on view of landings or a rear view of take-offs depending on runway orientation.It's free to park but once again , no amenities at either spot although there is a BP garage nearby where you can use a loo or get an expensive sandwich.
3. If the wind is from the East , forget it , theres nowhere i'm aware of to watch landings or take-offs at 09L or 09R.
4. Remember runways change sides at 1500hrs every day and sometimes more than once if particular operating conditions dictate.
5. Having been to LHR yesterday , they were using 27R to land in the morning and 27L after 1500hrs....so if you are thinking Saturday or Sunday , go to position 1 about 1300 hrs and you should get two hours of landings and an hour of take-offs before the dark sets in as well as a reasonable spread of operators colour-schemes ; particularly Saturdays.
