Visual side step

[fart]

I would like to know how the rest of you out there treat a side step manuevre to the adjacent parallel runway? Our Approach plates clearly state that circling to the adjacent parallel is permitted provided we have 4600m vis and the aircraft is above the circling altitude. ?Now my question is , are controllers allowed to offer the adjacent parallel to the pilot? or is it only permitted when requested by the pilot. We generally use one runway for arrivals and one for departures and it is therefore sometimes necessary to offer the departure runway to landing aircraft that are too tightly spaced on final and a go-around is otherwise the only option out. How do you see the side step and what R/T do you use when you offer the side step? Is it an instruction or is it subject acceptance from the crew?
Thanks
Fart

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

There are a number of rules which determine the runways to be used at Heathrow. On the westerly configuration noise abatement rules are fairly rigid so we can only use the departure runway for landing under pretty dire circumstances - or if you're a VIP!! However for reasons of safety and to avoid a go-around a switch to the other runway may be offered. This is usually when weather conditions are such that the pilot should be able to see the other runway. Switching someone in IMC at less than about 6 miles out causes an influx of grey hairs on the flightdeck and an increased heart rate on the part of the Air Controller!!

If I can remember back that far... I used to say "Have you got XXX (runway) in sight?" The answer would invariably be "Affirm" to which my reply would be "Switch visually...". On the odd occasion when things got dire, eg burst tyre on the one ahead, I'd simply say "switch to XXX (runway)". I never experienced a refusal.

Pilots CAN request to land on the departure runway but are usually refused nowadays due to the level of traffic. ATC CAN instruct a pilot to switch to the other runway.

The ATC decision on the runway to be used in such situations is in the hands of the Air Controllers in the tower.... The decision on whether to accept it lies with the two blokes up aloft...

[fart]

Thanks for the input, makes me feel a lot better. Just good to know how the others do it out there and compare it to our operations.
Much appreciated
Regards
Fart.

[Spoonbill]

http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/tongue.gif I spent so long thinking how you came up with such an original screen name that I forgot what the question was. http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/tongue.gif

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It wasn't me.