SOUTHEND - 2

[airferries]

Sorry, I must make my self clearer in future. I was referring to the primary radar as the current system which is, as a matter of fact, U/S (again.)
Diggers were working on the new terminal site today, with completion expected to be next Autumn. Hopefully the new terminal will have some use next year, as the current situation with Aer Arann is uncertain.

[EDIT 18:00: The radar is working again now.]

[NorthSouth]

I was referring to the primary radar as the current system which is, as a matter of fact, U/S (again.)

Tch tch, not NOTAM'd
NS

[Barnaby the Bear]

Tch tch, not NOTAM'd

Then it's no longer OOS. It was NOTAM'd until this morning.

That's quite a few millions to add to the budget.

And?

[Airfix1001]

More on noise

Expressflight,

Thanks for your comments re noise testing. Clearly you have a particular interest in these things.

I've read that the noise from an ATR72 or A319 on approach at around 650 feet up, but as heard 500 feet or so away from the true overhead position would be roughly equivalent to a bus at around 30 feet away in terms of dbSEL - does this sound about right? I imagine actually that the turboprop would be a bit noisier.

[Barnaby the Bear]

Airfix1001

From the information you gave us earlier you should have already experienced ATR's or A319's at Southend. Also the DASH 8s Flybe use each summer for their Jersey rotation?
The Aircraft size using Southend will not be any different from now. The main difference is they will be carrying passengers and small freight. The frequency of commercial aircraft will be more, but even IF/when it achieves its goals of 2m passengers by 2020. Thats still only 10% of the passengers moved by Stansted in 2009 and a third of the movements.

[Expressflight]

Airfix1001

I couldn't really say how the noise of a bus 30ft away compares with the A319 or ATR72 I'm afraid. The reason I carried out my 'experiment' on Jersey was simply because I couldn't believe the noise horror stories being put out by the SEN objectors and my own observations proved them to be totally false.

As far as the ATR72 sounding noisier than the A319 is concerned, I expect it will actually sound slightly quieter. The ATR72-200 (which Aer Arann will be basing at SEN) is certificated as being 5.70dBA quieter on approach than is the ATR42-300 I monitored at JER - which illustrates the point that the more modern the aircraft the quieter it is likely to be.

Noise is also a subjective matter depending on the pitch and frequency of the noise - personally I found the 'sound' of the A319 more pleasant than that of the ATR42-300 but I'm sure that's a personal thing. Do keep an eye open for the A319 at SEN because at the moment Easyjet aircraft are visiting for resprays - one landed at 07:30 yesterday but not from your direction I believe. I'm sure if you 'phoned the airport after any particular aircraft has passed over you on approach they would tell you exactly what it was. That way you can judge for yourself.

[Aero Mad]

Express, I take it you were monitoring G-DRFC (Blue Islands)?

[SENFLYER]

It's great to see that the conversation over the last year has turned from its never going to happen to constructive q's about glide slopes and a/c types. about time.. I have lived under the flight path for the last 30 years and
it doesn't bother me in the slightest although I do have to agree with someone's earlier comment about the EP helicopter on a Friday night! Its like their weekly outing over our houses has become so regular you can set your watch by it.
Anyway I was wondering and Express Flight I suspect you may know the answer to this but is SEN keeping its radar service? I saw it mentioned they've ordered a SSR but I would have thought SEN would have gone the same way as STN and farmed it's radar service out to NATS at Swanwick therefore reducing head count etc It would be good to know they've kept it.

[NorthSouth]

I would have thought SEN would have gone the same way as STN and farmed it's radar service out to NATS at Swanwick

But the difference is that although the controllers are at Swanwick, they're still using the Stansted radar picture. Fine if everyone involved is NATS but I can't see that happening at Southend because the numbers just aren't big enough to justify it. Plus it would probably need a new radar at Southend anyway. What they might do at some point in the future is buy in a feed of SSR data from NATS (Debden or Stansted).
NS

[Expressflight]

As far as I'm aware it will be a new radar head at SEN but whether the SSR data will come from elsewhere I don't know as I'm not privvy to their plans in that respect and it's not my area of expertise either I'm afraid.
I haven't heard anything about a CTR being established for SEN but I would have thought that may be necessary sooner rather than later.

The new terminal ground works are coming along well and I believe the piling for the steelwork begins next week.

[NorthSouth]

I haven't heard anything about a CTR being established for SEN but I would have thought that may be necessary sooner rather than later

Let's not get ahead of ourselves here. Southend currently has no commercial services. Granted, they appear to be coming, but until they have half a million pax or more they would have a very weak case for controlled airspace.
NS

[Chille Con Carnie]

I here that a piling machine was in place today on the new terminal site?

[airferries]

Piling did begin today, and work on the new terminal appears to be progressing well.
Any more news on the new station? It's meant to open in les than two weeks (12th December) but there has yet to be an anouncement of any sort. The station still isn't completely finished.

[Expressflight]

The station won't be opening for a couple of months yet, despite being in the winter train timetable, as it would receive relatively little use.
I wouldn't be surprised if it opened at the beginning of March, after the existing runway improvement works are completed, in time for the commencement of RE's initial services.

[fredtheanorak]

Assuming RE GWY SEN ever starts. LTN are really f off with RE and would love to get someone else in on the traditional west of Ireland to London routing. That would all the plans.

[Expressflight]

fred

I don't think your eloquent post reflects the reality of the situation at all.

[Steviec9]

That would all the plans

Clearly Stobart have overlooked this well thought out business plan and are unaware that the £multi-million, award winning, re-development of the airport and new European routes will all be totally destroyed by the (possible) problems of (possibly) moving a route that, at the moment, has a maximum capacity of about 140 people each way, daily.

Thank God there are competent aviation analysts out there to see these pitfalls.

[Buster the Bear]

easyJet rumoured to be looking at 4-6 routes.

[HZ123]

What a/c are they to operate then as even with the extension they will have to have a number of empty seats?

[Expressflight]

Hello HZ123, good to have you back!

No, they won't need to leave seats empty on the routes they will be looking at as I understand it, the extended runway being A319 compatible. Look at the performance charts for that aircraft.