Night work at Gatwick
Jamie,
Sure thing, we're carrying out major works to completely reconstruct the holding area at Alpha. Some of the plant will obstruct the protected approach surfaces for the main runway so we've created a temporary threshold and aiming point (additional PAPI units and lighting) further down the runway. When this is in use, we can't use the ILS because it would direct the aircraft to the old aiming point. It would be too big a job for this temporary set-up to create another ILS installation. The downside is that the weather is more restrictive for this operation, no CAT III - just visual approaches from RADAR vectors, as you say.
We need to have a gap in the traffic when we're changing all the lighting over, so that we can physically inspect to make sure they're showing the correct lights and all the barriers are in place protecting the work site.
Go to the AIS website (you'll need to log in) and look for a supplement to the AIP S1/2007, which explains everything in great detail. Also look at NOTAM A0432/07 for further details of the lighting changes.
In addition to reconstructing, we're taking the opportunity to widen the access to the runway, to accommodate the A380, future-proofing the world's busiest single-runway. 34 million pax this year, aiming for 40 million by 2010. What's the next-busiest single runway???
Cheers,
The Odd One
Last edited by TheOddOne; 20th Feb 2007 at 20:11.