Ba 747 @ Lgw??

[crash_1983]

Landed at LGW today where i saw a BA 747 sitting with a few people around it! any idea what it was doing there? thought BA operated 777's for there long haul LGW routes?

[Flightrider]

It was specially flown in from Heathrow to be the first aircraft to taxi under the new Pier 6 / North Terminal bridge. The bridge was hoisted into place around 10 days ago and initial securing works are complete, hence the press event today. Apparently as BA will be the main users of Pier 6, it was deemed appropriate that their largest aircraft was the first to pass under the bridge despite the fact that it is not usually flown from LGW.

[crash_1983]

thanks for the info!!! the bridge is pretty impressive! but i did i hear a rumour that a 747-400 has to be fully laden to fit under the bridge???

[WHBM]

Anyone have a photo of this new bridge please ?

[BOAC]

FROM GOOGLE - before it 'went up'

[colegate]

There is a picture of it in today's Telegraph.

[FOZ]

Here's a link to the BBC News website showing the bridge with traffic!

Looks impressive, but will an A380 fit?

Gatwick Bridge

[Confirmed Must Ride]

I think everything but an A380

[Mark Lewis]

The original press blurb I saw made great use of the fact that the A380 would fit underneath, but we all know what they are like.
Cany anyone confirm or deny the A380 question?

[opsgeezer]

747 clears with (I think) 2.5 meters to spare.

Therefore , if someone has the stats for tail-fin heights on 747 & A380 to hand please compare and contrast and post the answer!!!

[Alloy]

Surely the bridge has to be high enough to cope with the worst case of a collapsed nose gear? – Just like evacuation slides have to be long enough.

B747-400 Wing span 64.44m (211ft 5in), length 70.67m (231ft 10in), height 19.41m (63ft 8in).

A380-800 Wing span 79.8m (261ft 10in), length 73m (239ft 6in). Height 24,1 m (79ft 1in)

Guess the 380 will not fit!

[WHBM]

Thank you everyone for posting the links.

How did anyone get the bridge through the BAA capital investment process without it having shops on it ?

[FOZ]

Remember the great fire of London - shops on bridges don't work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[scroggs]

They do in Bath!

[PAXboy]

The ARUP web site says

We applied our expertise on bridge design to a glazed pedestrian link crossing London Gatwick Airport’s busiest taxiway as part of the British Airport Authority’s Pier 6 project - a wider sustainable development project at the airport.

Excuse me?? 'sustainable development' now means adding more steel and concrete, so that even more aircraft can operate? Those kids in marketing are just beyond words.

I trust that they are going to put travelators across the span, or will BAA do their usual trick of saving money?

[apaddyinuk]

I honestly cant remember where I read it but it was in the last week or two in either Skyport or Gatwick News that the bridge is actually designed for the A380.....but then again...who nows and after seeing the photo of the 747 under it I would be surprised!!! I got to taxi under it yesterday in a 777 which was kinda exciting mind you!!!!

[gliding777]

'sustainable development' now means adding more steel and concrete

Sustainable Development means making best use of existing resources, while limiting environmental impact. In this context it means that aircraft will have easier access to North terminal, eliminating buses for passengers and crew, hence pollution.

I'm guessing - and I don't know for certain - that having more piers is better than remote stands for productivity. Of course, building a second runway would also increase productivity at LGW, but that is not environmentally sustainable!!

I suppose you could argue that construction creates pollution but in the long term surely the new bridge and pier is better for the airport?

Cheers

[AVeight]

Does the A380 fit under the bridge and if not then am I the only one who thinks it strange to build a bridge at an airport which would not accomodate the newest type of aircraft?