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Old 12th Apr 2016, 16:48
  #25 (permalink)  
WHBM
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: London UK
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You might (or might not) be interested to know that I spent some time in the BAe146 simulator at Hatfield in 1992 with the FAA looking at the possibility of making 7 degree approaches into London City (also Aspen, Colorado and Casper, Wyoming).

We successfully proved that a 7 degree slope was only just possible if absolutely everything was done in a perfect fashion and there was absolutely no room for error. In order to cater for an average crew in an average aircraft on an average day, 5.5 degrees was eventually decided upon by those in power.
Maybe not commonly known is that London City opened, and operated for some years, with a 7 degree glideslope, when operations were principally with the Dash 7. Harry Gee had flown the trial Brymon Dash 7 onto Heron Quay, where Canary Wharf now is, to demonstrate this 7 degree approach, and it all went on from there (here it is if you've never seen it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANRlDw3nB9Y ). It was subsequently determined, as prospects of larger and different types came along (the Dash 7 had unhelpfully gone out of production just as LCY opened), that the slope could be reduced to 5.5, which was done. It's all determined by the surrounding obstacles, in particular an agreed bridge over the Thames just to the east of the runway not in the end being built.


Is LCY a Commander Only landing for Cityjet ? What about Florence ?
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