24L/06R at Manchester

[LimaPapaLima2A]

As you all may know R2 at Manchester has been closed ever since before the Xmas and New Year period - and will be reopening tomorrow.

The reason for the closure is that MAPlc in their infinite wisdom would not pay for sufficient de-icing due to "financial considerations".

Is it me or is this really worrying and totally hypocritical?

With the Directors of the airports group awarding themsleves wonderfully huge payrises whilst on the other hand the airport is stalling over the ATC contract in the hope of getting it "on the cheap", security staff have been forced to take huge pay cuts and re-apply in many cases, for their own jobs at the risk of industrial action, and extension work on T2 halted - the place stinks of capitalist hypocrasy and big fat greed.

Disgusted? RIGHT <img src="frown.gif" border="0">

How much did R2 cost again? Seems a bit of a waste of money and effort if the airport then wonm't stump up the cash to at least maintain it and it's taxiways.

Then again, if they did that, where would their pay rise dosh come from?

[Justin Abeaver]

You obviously have not been in T2 !! It's been more or less deserted for a few weeks now. This tells me there are not enough flights to warrant the expense of operating 24L. Basic common sense, I would think.

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Basic common sense would have been not to build the bloody thing in the first place. Plenty of us said so at the time, but the campaigne to build it was very powerful with all the usual false promises of thousands of direct and indirect new jobs etc.

Ha!

SSD

[SFly]

Actually, it has nothing to do with money (well, it has less to do with it!).

Apparantley shutting down 24L/6R for the Christmas period was all part of the "contract" with the adjacent residents from that famous public enquiry.

This is justified by approximately 1,000 fewer flights expected over Christmas than a normal "peak" Winter week. :)

<a href="http://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/content.nsf/NewsLookUp/46ACA84DB9E4C90D80256B29004003BE" target="_blank">Manchester's Christmas Arrangements</a>

So lay off on them just a little, eh? <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0">

SFly

[BOEINGBOY1]

and i thought the whole point of building this 2nd runway was "to cope with the massive demand" for extra flights from manchester. do they still use single runway opp's during lvp's?

[Ringwayman]

Boeingboy1

Yes, single runway ops in LVPs. Course the 2nd runway is needed: assuming good conditions, perhaps you can devise a way of maintaining at least 45 to 50 movements an hour during the peak periods on a single runway that is designed for a maximum of 45 per hour.

And remember, instant jobs don't roll up the instant the runway is opened - the time for saying it was a good, bad, or indifferent thing will be in 5 to 10 years i.e. when airlines will have started to expand their fleets and increase frequencies and destinations served.

[cossack]

The runway may have been designedfor 45 movements an hour but last summer a rate well in excess of 50 was maintained when demand was there. The record set in September 2000 stands at 60 movements per hour, a figure only surpassed once in dual runway ops and then only by 1!

What you find now is that traffic comes in a wave of outbounds (to clear the stands) followed by a wave of inbounds. When these waves are coincident you get the higher movement rates but also congestion on the ground due lack of parking.

What R2 has improved is inbound delays. Air holding whilst in dual runway ops is virtually nil compared to commonplace 10+ minutes in single runway ops. Outbound delays, believe it or not, are also reduced and procedures are being continually refined to improve matters.

Dual runway ops in low cloud (24L/R only) when RVR is greater than 800 metres is on the horizon. This will permit a much greater movement rate than single runway in the same weather conditions with no reduction in safety margins.

Yes there has been a downturn in traffic. Carriers come and carriers go. But one thing you can be sure of is that there will be an upturn and when it comes we are already ready fo it rather than struggling to cope. Our runway set-up should IMHO be able to cope with hourly rates in excess of 70 per hour. I for one look forward to that day! Unfortunately at this time there is neither the space to park them all or, fortunately it seems, the demand.

[j17]

Barcode

You obviously watch to much BBC news and weather, there is life beyond the SE OF England

[Gonzo]

Barcode,

I've been told it's up past Watford somewhere <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

Gonzo.