Heathrow radar

[pax britanica]

A just out of interest question if no one minds?
I havent nben to LHR for a few months as allrecent trips have been from LGW but was at LHR Monday and driving arounfd the North perimeter road noticed a new mast mounted radar-seemed quite close to ground and people for a radar but wasn't that large-anyone able to tell me what its purpose is. I did wonder if was a new ground movement radar but it seemed an odd place to put that
Thanks PB

[away from home]

Apparently it is for their new SMR

[Gonzo]

yes, it's a new primary head for our SMR. There's also another new one on the southside by the Royal Suite.

[pax britanica]

Thanks -I did wonder about it being ground movement- and indeed will be at T4 on the weekend and no dount see the paired one


When is the move to the new tower -doesnt look the place to be if you get vertigo-are there actually two dicrete floors within the glazed part too
PB

[Gonzo]

The move to the new tower is supposed to take place on the night of 4/5 November, 2006. The glazed part of the tower is actually 3 floors.

[pax britanica]

Thanks for the answers-very kind of people to take the time.
The new LHR tower certainly looks like some people there wil get some very interesting views . I suppose there will be more people working in it to cover the extra movements
PB

[Gonzo]

One would imagine.

That's the idea.

etc etc.

Three Ground controllers as opposed to two at the moment.

However, looks like our staff numbers are going to go down rather than go up. And that's just ATCOs.... We're going to be even worse off when it comes to Lighting Operators (need one per Ground ATCO).

[JJJ3]

typical then, nice new spangly tower with the ability to provide
positions to manage the increasing traffic that no doubtthey have spent millions on and dont recruit enough staff to man it.
This is my first post on the prune, would quiet like to try the heathrow tests to see if I am good enough but dont really get any replies from my line of enquiry. I am tower only so is that a straight no?

[Lost_luggage34]

Would appreciate any pictures if anyone has any ?

Thanks in advance

LL34

[Max Angle]

Seen them popping up at several other NATS controlled airports recently so they must have bought a job lot.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Am I totally alone in feeling that the new Heathrow Control Tower is the most horrendous monstrosity and a real eye sore? Compared to modern US tower buildings - and even to the old tower nearby - it really is dreadful.
Did they buy it from a Sunday market at knock-down cost I wonder?

[spekesoftly]

I agree, Heathrow's new Tower (http://www.artofthestate.co.uk/london_photos/heathrow_control_tower_2.htm) is no beauty. The red collar doesn't help, and immediately below is just an ugly mess of attachments and cables.

How about Edinburgh's Latest (http://www.edinburgharchitecture.co.uk/jpgs/edinburgh_airport_control_tower_89.jpg)? :eek:

[Gonzo]

JJJ3, we're getting people from the college with single ratings now, so that shouldn't be a barrier.

PM me with who you are contacting, and I'll let you know if you've got the right contact.

We're having to have three rather than two GMC positions, not to handle more traffic, but to enable us to manage with current traffic. Our new shiny electronic strip system is going to slow us down (that's what we get for NATS purchasing a system purely to cut down on ATSAs and not getting a system that will help the ATCOs!), so we need to 'resectorise' just to keep up. Here's a tip, don't fly from LHR around November next year.

HD, Yes, it is rather ugly! Especially compared to the initial artists impressions.

[Point Seven]

Gonzo

i feel that i must interject here. To the wider aviation community, your comments will spread doom and gloom. Let's not forget that there are some unscrupulous users of these forums too (No not you Jerricho).

The reason for the third GMC position is NOT to cope with current traffic due to EFPS. It is due to the enhanced complexity of the T5 operation and the associated towing movements. Whatever EFPS brings us, or takes away, it is not fair to blame everything on it. We do not need to re-sectorise to keep up - look at the figures on traffic movments at the airport. GMC3 (if handled correctly)will give us spare capacity to handle increases in traffic commensurate with future developments such as Mixed Mode and Runway 3 -should they come to fruition.

P7

[Gonzo]

Fair enough P7, perhaps I didn't provide enough context.

I really do hope that GMC3 gives us spare capacity. I really do. Guess we'll find out!

However, EFPS will cut down our capacity, I am sure of that. How we get around that by cutting down our flexibility, or another way, I don't know. Of course, I am sure that we as a unit are following that well known and proven concept of 'hoping for the best, but planning for the worst'. I'm sure our illustrious Ops section are already letting airlines know that heavy flow will in all probability be enforced. And before someone says "We might not need it after we sim constantly for months"......correct, but then I imagine the airlines would be happier with us getting to next summer and then saying that things are going better than we thought, and thus decreasing the amount of flow we'll put on. Far better that than the other way around.

Here's a question, do you think your job, as GMC, will be easier with EFPS? Perhaps that had better be a rhetorical question! :E