Taxy at Heathrow

[CJ1234]

As a non-pilot I am intrigued by the intricate system they seem to have at Heathrow. I understand when operating on the westerlies they taxi to stands clockwise.

My question is do they taxi anti-clockwise when on the easterlies? Or is it still clockwise?

[Gonzo]

This morning between 0730 and 0800 they were going all over the b:mad:y place!!!! :\

There is no real system to be honest, especially when you add in all the towing a/c going from T1/T3/T4/T5 to the hangars and vice versa.

[747-436]

As Heathrow has been on 09's for quite a few weeks it is busy round the Southern T5 taxiways. Everytime I have been out there there is a BA Airbus, or two, queuing at the far taxiway by stands 525/526 and then also usually something else sitting on the taxiways between T5A & T5B.

I would imagine when the rest of BA's operation comes across to T5 it will be even busier down there when LHR is using the 09's.

[Gonzo]

.....that by far the best option is to take outbounds out the top, and then either down C to OSTER or over to E and then round. This will be especially so when T5 is running at capacity on easterlies.

[CJ1234]

So what do the guys at the middle of T1 (174-190) do on easterlies? Clock or anti clockwise (clockwise is a bloomin long way round surely?!)

Also, would they take outers (to avoid aircraft pushing onto Bravo) or inners whilst taxying past T1?

CJ

[Gonzo]

A/c off those stands usually face west, taxi west on Bravo (try and avoid Alpha, that's where the inbounds are vacating!) and then go south on Echo, then right on Alpha to HORKA. Or, if it's busy on Echo and Foxtrot, or a towing a/c is coming eastbound out of the north of T5 going to the BA maintenance base, then they might face east and taxi Bravo/Link29/Alpha to HORKA. Usually, the key to GMC at Heathrow is keep things moving, rather than everyone getting the shortest taxi route. That's when it tends to grind to a halt.

[747-436]

Mech Assassin, unfortunatly I lurk on the ground and sometimes on the ramp, not in the air. Will be interesting to see how T5 works on 09's when everything comes across although I think I will have moved on from T5 by that point.

I wonder if BA will start to complain about pushback delays down the southern end of T5 if stuff starts being held on stand!

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Aaahh.. nothing like a spell of Heathrow GMC, eh Gonzo? Don't need Ex-Lax after a session on there. If you ever get into Heathrow Tower you can always tell the GMC contollers - you know the little window in the side of your head that reads your age? Well theirs go round like fruit machines!

[HeathrowAirport]

rather than everyone getting the shortest taxi route. That's when it tends to grind to a halt.

Possibly - Would they go across 27L/09R via N5W then down Sierra towards S11 as it's never busy there unless you have tons of T4 Departures?

:)

[point5]

T4 will be busier (than it is now) once all the terminal changes have been completed. It would be impracticable to cross outbounds at N5W to depart from the south because you then clog up Alpha whilst aircaft are waiting for a gap to cross 09R and by the time they have waited for the gap then taxied along Sierra then may as well have waited in the queue northside.

[Midland 331]

>Aaahh.. nothing like a spell of Heathrow GMC, eh Gonzo? Don't need Ex-Lax after a session on there. If you ever get into Heathrow Tower you can always tell the GMC contollers - you know the little window in the side of your head that reads your age? Well theirs go round like fruit machines!

In the days when the BA shuttle lounge bar was almost my "local" (better viewing that the grim Midland lounge), "Heathrow Ground" made for utterly fascinating listening. Occasionally akin to someone organising Sainsbury's car park on the last weekend before christmas, via loud-hailer...

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Midland331 - Know what you mean! Happy days. I used to love it when I first went there, but after 20 years it got a bit tiring for an old fellah. Many, many moons ago - I'm talking 40 years - I worked in a department which did analysis of telephone and R/T usage at ATC units. GMC at Heathrow was one of the busiest ATC positions in the UK where 59 minutes out of every hour was R/T time. During that hour the controller also carried out a massive amount of liaison with his colleagues. I dunno how we/they did/do it, but I think it's to do with mirrors..

[Midland 331]

There was one fateful day sometime circa 1993/4 when the LATCC "steam and clockwork magic label box" hiccuped, to coincide with significant slow-moving thunderstorms passing through. Huge slot and approach delays. Much shenanigans on the ground. Utterly captivating! Fortunately, I was on a staff travel ticket as usual, and not in a hurry.

One Brymon Dash 7 captain proposed escaping non-airways to Plymouth but was talked out of it. The "diplomatic exchanges" were very interesting indeed...