Heathrow spotters balcony...

[martine]

Eeee...when I were a lad, I spent many a summer holiday on the terminal roof with airband radio and enjoyed just being close to aircraft and learning what was going on.

For security reasons it was closed some years ago of course - which is a shame in my view. How many young people now don't get the chance to be inspired into aviation by 'spotting' or have that magical invitation onto the flight deck while going on holiday with their parents?

Why can't all major airports have a 'proper' enthusiasts area? Would people be willing to go through some sort of security and pay to have access? I can imagine a nice 'roof' area at many airports close to the runway making a charge for entrance and with food and facilities?

Why not?

Is it something I should pitch to Dragon's Den ;)

[DIBO]

https://www.brusselsairport.be/pressroom/brussels-airport-constructs-spotter-places-in-zaventem-and-steenokkerzeel/

[NWSRG]

Schiphol still has a very (very) large roof garden...check it out on Google Maps. Great views over most of the airfield, with the nearest gates only a stone's throw away (maybe not an appropriate descriptor!). Last time I was there, an MD11 was literally only metres away. Brilliant place to spend a couple of hours...

[Hotel Tango]

Germany is arguably one of the top European countries which provide good facilities to watch aeroplanes, be it from the terminal or designated areas away from the terminal. Some require security control and others don't depending on the location. Some charge a fee whilst others don't. Where they have to, the public is willing and happy to pay an entry fee, which pays for maintenance and staffing. In the UK, Manchester Airport continues to provide good family facilities. Unfortunately airports like Heathrow and Gatwick are not interested in providing anything which won't bring in zillions of $$$!

[KelvinD]

Manchester has a pretty good viewing area. Ideal for kids too, along with a Concorde.

[kcockayne]

I certainly echo your sentiments Martine . I spent many a day spotting at Guernsey Airport in the 60s. My parents would have preferred me to spend more time at the beach in the summer, or playing football. They were also, with good reason, fearful of the lack of attention that the spotting caused to my school homework ! However, spotting, & the airband radio, got me hooked on ATC & directly led to me becoming an ATCO. During my career, I met many more ATCOS who had followed the same path. Far from providing us with an unnecessary distraction from schoolwork (& an alternative desirable profession) , spotting provided us with a totally interesting, rewarding, & fairly lucrative career. And, as I always say, it was better than working !

[Albaman]

I would mention that the enclosed viewing area at Prestwick is still open and free to enter, however, there may be times when there is not much to see.

[Airclues]

Terminal 2 at Frankfurt has a large open-air viewing terrace (free) overlooking the apron and runways.

[AndoniP]

Unfortunately, the land and space around a place like Heathrow is at a premium, so it'll likely be used for retail space or whatnot. Also, as it's a really busy place, I'd imagine the management won't want non-passengers milling around the place as it's more people to manage.


These days the only way to see aircraft at LHR is either at the gate or (depending on your Terminal) in a restaurant or part of the departure hall.


Obviously, there are also places around the perimeter fence that afford a good view of arriving or departing aircraft, but these also require you to make extra arrangements with regard to refreshment, toilets etc.


I always thought it would be a great idea if someone built some sort of viewing deck on the perimeter of the airfield, ideally in a space between the runways. I'm sure there is some property available but the development of such an area would mean spotters incur some sort of entry fee to pay for rates, cleaning, parking etc.

[one11]

Schiphol still has a very (very) large roof garden...check it out on Google Maps. Great views over most of the airfield, with the nearest gates only a stone's throw away (maybe not an appropriate descriptor!). Last time I was there, an MD11 was literally only metres away. Brilliant place to spend a couple of hours...

....but it has shrunk recently. The long haul pier areas are now sealed off. But on the positive side open access, free entry.

[chevvron]

Unfortunately, the land and space around a place like Heathrow is at a premium, so it'll likely be used for retail space or whatnot. Also, as it's a really busy place, I'd imagine the management won't want non-passengers milling around the place as it's more people to manage.


These days the only way to see aircraft at LHR is either at the gate or (depending on your Terminal) in a restaurant or part of the departure hall.


Obviously, there are also places around the perimeter fence that afford a good view of arriving or departing aircraft, but these also require you to make extra arrangements with regard to refreshment, toilets etc.


I always thought it would be a great idea if someone built some sort of viewing deck on the perimeter of the airfield, ideally in a space between the runways. I'm sure there is some property available but the development of such an area would mean spotters incur some sort of entry fee to pay for rates, cleaning, parking etc.
The rooftop viewing area on Queens Building was closed off to the public in about '78 and left derelict for many years. There was no reason it coulldn't have been retained with suitable security checks.
Mind you there was a nice empty building next to the bus station; used to be called the 'control tower; gave superb views; most distractng when you were there on 'management' courses.

[SpringHeeledJack]

The rooftop viewing area on Queens Building was closed off to the public in about '78 and left derelict for many years.

I might be mis-remembering, but I'm sure that I nipped up there on sentimental grounds in the late 90's whilst between flights at LHR. It was greatly reduced from times of yore.

[Hotel Tango]

Wasn't the Queens temporarily closed for a while (for repairs possibly) in the late 70s? I know for sure that I have slides taken in 1989 from the Queens.

[chevvron]

Wasn't the Queens temporarily closed for a while (for repairs possibly) in the late 70s? I know for sure that I have slides taken in 1989 from the Queens.

My (ex) wife worked for BA in Queen's Building in '78 and I sometimes used to pick her up from work or have a meal in the staff restaurant next to the viewing area. It was definitely closed off then and for several years after but may have re-opened for a short while later. I vaguely remember there was a ticket machine for entry or am I thinking of somewhere else?

[jijpc]

Zürich also has an excellent observation deck landside above the B gates. I seem to recall it costs 5 francs however if you are flying on the day you are visiting it is free. There is also an observation deck airside over the E gates.

[DaveReidUK]

Mind you there's a nice empty building next to the bus station; used to be called the 'control tower; gave superb views; most distractng when you were there on 'management' courses.

I have some bad, and somewhat old, news for you.

http://photolibrary.heathrow.com/preview/CHE12958d.jpg

:O

[NWSRG]

....but it has shrunk recently. The long haul pier areas are now sealed off. But on the positive side open access, free entry.

Doh! There was me looking forward to my next visit... :*

[davidjpowell]

Doh! There was me looking forward to my next visit... :*

It's still pretty good by UK standards.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/238Ggan]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4761/39468477035_6563a36ec0_z.jpg

[edi_local]

The LHR spotting area on top of T2/Queens Building was open in 2000 as I took my one and only trip there that summer. It must have closed not long after. I also recall LGW still had it's spotting area too.


EDI must have closed it's gallery around the same time, if not pre-2000. I remember going to it many a time, but on a quick visit to the terminal in round Autumn 2000 I went looking for it only to be told it was closed. That's around the time the terminal underwent a huge renovation and the viewing gallery disappeared for good. It is still there, in theory anyway, the doorway that led out to it is still there, but it's in an area only accessible to staff and the area where people used to stand still exists, only it's now full of air conditioning pipes and miscellaneous cabling. The terminal extension also blocks the view of the stands quite considerably. Thankfully EDI has plenty of places around the airfield where you can get a good view of the aircraft.

I agree about German airports, they all seem to have viewing galleries, even the smallest.

[Doors to Automatic]

Martine - couldn't agree more. A real shame that the superb facility at BHX has also gone, especially how given how busy the airport is now compared to say, the early 1990s.

[MATaxi]

There were some areas left on top of Queens / Terminal 2 that you could still access through the 80's and 90's. A purpose built staircase gantry was at one end along with a small canteen/restaurant and there was a small aviation bookshop which I think was the forerunner of the shop that now inhabits what is left of the visitor centre. There was one , very small undercover area with tinted glass there too.

Most of the childrens playground area and the higher of the brick built viewing areas were already shut as being unsafe.

This reduced area through the 80's and 90's was accessed through what I think was supposed to be a fire exit door in the side of Terminal 2 before you went up many flights of stairs to access what was left. There was an entry ticket machine but don't ask me how much it was then as I can't remember.

9/11 IIRC was the final nail in the coffin and the area was gone for good.

[herman the crab]

The Virgin Atlantic clubhouse at LHR has a roof top garden...

HTC

[jensdad]

9/11 IIRC was the final nail in the coffin and the area was gone for good.


I can't help thinking that 9/11 was an excuse. The same thing happened here at Newcastle. From memory, our excellent viewing area (the terminal's position right at one end of the airfield meant you could see the entire field) closed that afternoon and never reopened. As has been mentioned, Frankfurt & Schiphol seem to manage OK.


Has there ever in the history of aviation been a terrorist attack carried out from a viewing area? I could be wrong but I suspect not.

[El Bunto]

Has there ever in the history of aviation been a terrorist attack carried out from a viewing area?

None of which I am aware, which of course is irrelevant to airport executives wanting rid of those spotter-types who bring their own sandwiches and flasks of weak lemon drink.

Belfast International re-opened their viewing gallery two years ago, it is unfortunately behind glass but has piped ATC radio and an FR24 display on a screen. At lease they made an effort.

[dixi188]

I remember the days when you could walk along the roof of the piers at Gatwick.
Lots of trans-Atlantic charters and other interesting stuff.
TIA, Capitol, World, Saturn, Pacific Western, Canadian Pacific, RCAF, etc.

[SpringHeeledJack]

I remember the days when you could walk along the roof of the piers at Gatwick.
Lots of trans-Atlantic charters and other interesting stuff.
TIA, Capitol, World, Saturn, Pacific Western, Canadian Pacific, RCAF, etc.

I was just thinking that I remembered walking a good distance along the roof of one or more of the piers at Gatwick, you really felt like you were in among the apron's goings on. When did that stop ? Certainly by the 90's.

Has there ever in the history of aviation been a terrorist attack carried out from a viewing area? I could be wrong but I suspect not.

I'll second El Bunto, but I do remember the great spotter's area at Paris Orly in the 70's that had robust netting over it's 'roof' and when I asked the two machine gun toting CRS officers walking up and down it's length why (in sign language ;-) ) they indicated that it was to stop grenades being thrown over to the very close aircraft and fuel trucks. This might have been in the post Arab/Palestine hijacking/terrorist period.

This reduced area through the 80's and 90's was accessed through what I think was supposed to be a fire exit door in the side of Terminal 2 before you went up many flights of stairs to access what was left. There was an entry ticket machine but don't ask me how much it was then as I can't remember.

That's how I remember my last visit. Entry was around £2ish.

[Skipness One Echo]

I can't help thinking that 9/11 was an excuse.
Wasn't the clincher, the need to make it wheelchair friendly under new legislation? It was all steps with no lift.

[Evey_Hammond]

I miss spotting at airports too, LHR would be awesome with a spotter's area plus spotters are quite useful for noticing things.

I've found the next best thing though - Big Jet TV (https://www.bigjet.tv/). They stream live at least twice a week. The first 30 mins of each broadcast are freeview on Facebook & YouTube whilst the rest of the broadcast is for "Gold" members on a closed Facebook page who pay a monthly subscription equivalent to the cost of a coffee!

These guys are awesome, very funny, and travel to other airports in the UK & Europe for their viewers. They also get some exclusive access such as airside with Cargologic (which was an awesome show).

Worth giving them a watch if you miss/can't get to airports to spot or have kids who are interested in planes!

[OUAQUKGF Ops]

I seem to remember from late 1950s visits to Heathrow Queen's Building Viewing Area that a commentary on aircraft movements was provided for visitors over the Tannoy System. Correct me if I am wrong!

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

No, you are right. The commentators were Stan Little and Flo Kingdon with others later.

[Dairyground]

In the late 1960s Manchester gave free access to the roof of the terminal (now T1 and T3) and to the international pier. I am not sure about the domestic pier (which became the initial part of T3). You got a good view of the aircraft from the pier.

[AeroSpark]

There is a small spectators area at LHR, on the north perimeter road in the Heathrow Academy car park. Not as good as the Queens building but better than nothing.

[jensdad]

Wasn't the clincher, the need to make it wheelchair friendly under new legislation? It was all steps with no lift.


You could be right in the case of Heathrow. Here at NCL there was a lift.


I do remember visiting Heathrow as a young un, and it was the equivalent of a kid these days visiting Disneyland. The downside was that the next few times my dad took me and my brother up to Woolsington, seeing a Dan-Air 748 and a couple of Air UK F27s every few hours had lost its magic!

[Art Smass]

Top level of the T2 carpark at LHR gave good & unhindered by security views after the Queen's was closed for the day back in the 80's too - spent many a happy hour in failing light up there and seeing 9 or 10 sets of landing lights in the approach stack

[treadigraph]

I remember the pier top access at Gatwick when I first visited in about August '74 but I don't recall it after that; I was probably there half a dozen times during '75 and more frequently onwards.

I think i can also remember the commentary on the Queen's Building in the mid- to late-70s.

[edi_local]

I can't help thinking that 9/11 was an excuse. The same thing happened here at Newcastle. From memory, our excellent viewing area (the terminal's position right at one end of the airfield meant you could see the entire field) closed that afternoon and never reopened. As has been mentioned, Frankfurt & Schiphol seem to manage OK.


Has there ever in the history of aviation been a terrorist attack carried out from a viewing area? I could be wrong but I suspect not.

I think FRA and AMS, as well as ZRH and a whole host of other mainland European airports manage to do it because they still want to invite people to be part of the airport even if they aren't travelling. I spent some time a few years back at the LX training centre in Kloten. I used to get free access to the viewing gallery there with my visitor pass. I spent an hour or so there most nights after my work. It is excellent.

Some airports also do airside tours on buses. Why UK airports have to pretend that security issues prevent this kind of thing is beyond me. EDI gives over it's old runway to a charity car racing event, or it has done a few times. They could easily offer airside tours, for example. Charge a small fee and it'd be a money maker from local school groups and visitors too.

There is just no desire in the UK to support casual interest in aircraft. That itself leads to people hanging around perimeter fences, parking up at road sides and loitering around airport car parks trying to get a glimpse of the action. Then they are treated as suspicious!

[wiggy]

There is just no desire in the UK to support casual interest in aircraft.

Sadly it's the UK way, unless you can show you are an income stream nobody is going to provide facilities.

[AndoniP]

It seems to work in Manchester because I think they charge a fee to park there? But they are also on the perimeter of the taxiway so out of the way of the terminal. I don't mind paying for entrance to a nice viewing area, and buying refreshments whilst there in order to help with its' upkeep.


In the meantime, I guess for Heathrow it'll have to be Myrtle Avenue or the Premier Inn on Bath Road, away from the hustle and bustle of a busy airport terminal. And then the kids can enjoy the terminal experience when we actually go on holiday :(

[chevvron]

Some airports also do airside tours on buses. Why UK airports have to pretend that security issues prevent this kind of thing is beyond me........ They could easily offer airside tours, for example. Charge a small fee and it'd be a money maker from local school groups and visitors too.



Did that at 'London Airport' early '50s, before the Central Area was built! I would have been about 4 or 5 years old; a Comet arrived and taxiied in while were out there.

[paulc]

Heathrow in particular has had numerous opportunities to provide some facility for people to watch the aircraft be they enthusiasts, photographers or just seeing loved ones off on holiday but as there is no money in it there is no interest in providing anything. Many airports worldwide do provide such facilities and from my own experiences are well used by the local populations. Such a shame that Heathrow and Gatwick are woeful when compared to many others.

[DaveReidUK]

Heathrow in particular has had numerous opportunities to provide some facility for people to watch the aircraft be they enthusiasts, photographers or just seeing loved ones off on holiday but as there is no money in it there is no interest in providing anything. Many airports worldwide do provide such facilities and from my own experiences are well used by the local populations. Such a shame that Heathrow and Gatwick are woeful when compared to many others.

It's all part of whether (or not) an airport is a good neighbour to the surrounding community.

Some airports fail to see that this, too, ultimately affects their bottom line, even if the bean-counters are incapable of making that connection.

[Haven't a clue]

The rooftop viewing areas above Tokyo Haneda airport's domestic terminal 2 are vast and crowded with families at weekends. However there's plenty of space, and many aircraft movements to watch. The shops, cafes and restaurants are busy (strangely there is a particularly nice Italian as well as those offering Japanese fare) and there is no charge for access. Families arrive on the Metro (Subway) trains and seem to spend the day there. However the aircraft are essentially clones and for an enthusiast it starts to get a tad repetitive. But it is a great way to introduce young children to the wonders of flight.

[Alan Baker]

Some airports also do airside tours on buses. Why UK airports have to pretend that security issues prevent this kind of thing is beyond me. EDI gives over it's old runway to a charity car racing event, or it has done a few times. They could easily offer airside tours, for example. Charge a small fee and it'd be a money maker from local school groups and visitors too.

In the mid sixties, as well as spending the day on the top of the Queens Building at "London Airport", I recall a day trip to Southend which included a visit to the airport and a tour around the airfield on a Southend Transport double decker bus. I recall seeing a couple of Ansett DC-4 noses which had been chopped off for Carvair conversions by Aviation Traders. Of course, in those days Southend was the fifth or sixth busiest in the UK!

[olympus]

Doesn't Heathrow incorporate solid panels into its perimeter fencing at what would be eye level in order to obscure the view of those interested in looking at aircraft?

[SpringHeeledJack]

Doesn't Heathrow incorporate solid panels into its perimeter fencing at what would be eye level in order to obscure the view of those interested in looking at aircraft?

I think that that was implemented more as a safety feature (to stop motorists becoming distracted) than to thwart those of us afflicted with spotteritus ;-)

[air pig]

Airports should be enouraging spotters in particular those who are regulars, such as at Manchester or Coningsby. They are the eyes and ears of the place.

http://www.tasmanchester.co.uk/man-airport-watch.html

https://www.raf.mod.uk/rafconingsby/aboutus/visitingus.cfm

Both sites have phone numbers people can contact the police in case of suspicion of criminal acts.

[El Bunto]

One other idea that comes to mind is like Pal-Waukee Airport, in the north Chicago suburbs. I don't think they have a viewing area on-airport but at the south end of the field they have a parking area and set of 'bleachers':wooden tiered seating like you'd find at a sports stadium.
https://binged.it/2EJY3oC
Cheap and effective, the top rows having a view over the fence. Not sure if it'd work in the UK though, someone would mention the 'liability' word.

[air pig]

One other idea that comes to mind is like Pal-Waukee Airport, in the north Chicago suburbs. I don't think they have a viewing area on-airport but at the south end of the field they have a parking area and set of 'bleachers':wooden tiered seating like you'd find at a sports stadium.
https://binged.it/2EJY3oC
Cheap and effective, the top rows having a view over the fence. Not sure if it'd work in the UK though, someone would mention the 'liability' word.

Manchester has raised areas for views over fence.

[AndoniP]

Manchester has raised areas for views over fence.

...and 'spotting' areas on the Bath Road side are either behind glass in hotels or utterly pointless.

A viewing deck on the roof of a hotel would be perfect for 27R / 09L.

[wiggy]

...and 'spotting' areas on the Bath Road side are either behind glass in hotels or utterly pointless.

A viewing deck on the roof of a hotel would be perfect for 27R / 09L.

Probably the best current hotel facility for stuff on 27R short final has been mentioned earlier - the customers only outdoor seating area adjacent to the car park at the back of the Bath Road Premier Inn ( not the T5 Bath Road Prem Inn, the one at the eastern end of the airport.). No view over the fence to be had but at least in summer you can indulge in your spotting whilst nursing a warm beer

[AndoniP]

Yup, my favourite place around the airport. Has all the conveniences there as well as 2-3 hours free parking. The purple car park next door to it would make good money from a small corner space on the roof for spotting I reckon. That would have a great view over the fence.

[Cremeegg]

I've found the next best thing though - Big Jet TV (https://www.bigjet.tv/).Photography is OK but the commentary is dire.

They are old enough to know better but there is extensive use of "awesome", "no way", "fantastic", "cool" and "wow" for bog standard shots of rotations. Language I'd expect to hear from an enthusiastic 13 years old. One of the presenters is apparently the son of a pilot and should be far better informed.

On the footage filmed at MAN on Valentines Day they didn't know where Hurghada was (surely a pretty common package destination); introduced one aircraft as a TUI Boeing 757-400 series (new one on me); commented that the Icelandair 757-300 was "super-stretched" (stretched - yes, but super?). The 15 knot crosswind had many aircraft apparently "struggling to get off the ground". One aircraft 787 I think - "had to have a longer spool up than normal - said to be 30 seconds - because of the colder conditions" - all of maybe 2C.

Glad my PC has a mute button.

[wiggy]

. The purple car park next door to it would make good money from a small corner space on the roof for spotting I reckon. That would have a great view over the fence.

Yep, I've been past that place more than once when using the the perimeter road and can only assume at the moment their security must keep a close eye on comings and goings because that would be a heck of a spotting spot for 27R....;)

[strake]

A Red Rover bus pass oft found me on top of the Queen's Building in the late '60's. I recall seeing two brand new BOAC 747's on the tarmac below. With a pal, we somehow got ourselves lost in the T2 offices only to be rescued by a nice Iberia lady who gave us some rather nice DC9 lapel badges.

[Piltdown Man]

If you take a paranoid, small minded idiot with a poor education, bully them and then give a job where they are answerable to nobody then you have described the average security clown at an airport. After receiving abuse for several years from everyone around them because they lack social skills, promote them to a level where they can stipulate what can and cannot go on around their airports. Then is it any surprise that a spotter cannot get a direct view of an aircraft let alone close to one - "for security reasons". How stupid can you get? Their belief is that terrorists will flock to these places and shoot down aircraft with MANPAD's. Couple that with the average spotter's on-site spend on a day out and you'll see why there are so few spotting spaces. Short-sighted management greed means that opportunities for passengers to see aircraft will also be limited - after all, we can't have these unpleasant people looking at aircraft instead of shopping, can we?

PM

[Ex Cargo Clown]

Don't get me started, security got to the stage of stopping us going airside with a a Burger King. Answer chuck it over the the fence to a mate and pick it up there. You coulf shoot down anything wiyh a MANPAD from Ringway Road, Has anyone ever attempted to target a stationary aircraft?

[dixi188]

The IRA lobbed some mortars over the fence at Heathrow from a truck in a hotel car park on the Great West Road. They went over the roof of the police station.
No aircraft damage was done.

[N707ZS]

Towards the end Heathrow's viewing area became really run down, the glass house on the top was always full of strange caricatures like Herman the German with top secret information.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

I was there for that and for the time car park 1 was the site of some scary explosions. Great fun to read about it next day from the safety of home..... but not such fun if you work in the middle of it. I'm a spotter and spent many hours of my youth on the roof gardens but on balance I prefer security.

[Hotel Tango]

but on balance I prefer security.

What security? Or do you mean the window dressing that is in place to assure the public that they are safe! Any suicidal group of terrorists could mount a catastrophic and deadly attack on Heathrow if they had the means. It's not security that keeps us safe but the fact that they haven't yet got their hands on the necessary weaponry to do it with.

[DaveReidUK]

BAA/Heathrow and the airport police used to support an organisation that called itself The Aviation Enthusiasts' Security Scheme:

Plane-spotters join terror fight (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3682329.stm)

It was wound up about three years ago, not sure why.

[AndoniP]

I was there for that and for the time car park 1 was the site of some scary explosions.

Reading about it, in all 3 attacks on Heathrow, no mortars exploded?

[akerosid]

BAA/Heathrow and the airport police used to support an organisation that called itself The Aviation Enthusiasts' Security Scheme:

Plane-spotters join terror fight (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3682329.stm)

It was wound up about three years ago, not sure why.

I think it was probably because it was a one way street; spotters weren't getting anything out of it. All takin' and no givin', to borrow a line from "Nine to Five" ...

That said, any spotter would, I am sure, report anything suspicious to the police.

Realistically, I don't see anything happening by way of a dedicated spotter facility at LHR.

[wiggy]

Reading about it, in all 3 attacks on Heathrow, no mortars exploded?

Sounds about right..I was there on one of those evenings for a late longhaul departure out of T4 and a decision was made to bravely run away to a local hotel for light refreshment and some sleep and then try again the next day.

[El Bunto]

PIRA launched 13 mortar rounds into Belfast Aldergrove in March 1976, without causing substantial damage.

They used the same design of improvised mortar, the Mk 6, as in the later Heathrow attacks noted above. One of its necessary items was a camera flash-bulb as the actual igniter. Remember those?

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

AndonIP. Explosions certainly took place in Car Park 1. A bomb went off and ignited a whole row of cars. In the top of the control tower we thought the windows were coming in.

[AndoniP]

AndonIP. Explosions certainly took place in Car Park 1. A bomb went off and ignited a whole row of cars. In the top of the control tower we thought the windows were coming in.



You're talking about the car park bombing in 1974.


19 May 1974: A bomb exploded on the third level of a multi-storey car park at Terminal 1 at Heathrow Airport, London. 50 to 100 pounds (23 to 45 kg) of explosive was in left a BMC 1100 car. The Press Association had received a warning at 11.05 a.m. and police were clearing the site at 11.17 a.m when the explosion occurred. Four people suffered minor injuries. Several vehicles were destroyed and others damaged. At 10.25 p.m. another warning was received about a bomb at the NAAFI headquarters in Kennington Lane. A police search found a bag containing about 30-pound (14 kg) of explosive at the rear of the building. The bomb was defused.

[DaveReidUK]

The 1994 mortar attacks came from outside the airport perimeter.

Some were launched from a Micra in the car park of the Excelsior Hotel on the Great West Road (causing only damage to several adjacent cars) and others from waste ground on the southside of the airport (one landing on the T4 roof). None of the mortar shells exploded.

[Geezers of Nazareth]

You're talking about the car park bombing in 1974.

I was up on the QB terrace when this happened, and they quickly moved us off and assembled us in the area of the bus station. I can't remember how long we were waiting, but I do remember a column of smoke rising up from the T1 car park; I can also remember Ronnie Corbett doing a bit of stand-up comedy from the top of the steps to the Control Tower building.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

One of my colleagues returned from a break, having been to the QB. On arriving in the tower looking badly shaken we asked him if it was bad. "Bad? Too right - a traffic warden got his book of tickets blown out of his hands!"

[El Bunto]

Wet Saturday afternoon led me to rummaging on the shelf for the 1974 edition of UK & Eire Commercial Airports. By Airline Publications & Sales Ltd, Noble Corner, Hounslow.

Here are some examples of Viewing Facilities listed:

Aberdeen Dyce: Vicinity of terminal.
Alderney: Vicinity of terminal.
Ashford Lympe: Enclosure adjacent to apron. Admission free.
Barra: Edge of beach.
Belfast Aldergrove: Enclosure on part of pier-roof (open-air) and in terminal building.
Benbecula: Vicinity of terminal.
Birmingham Elmdon: Enclosure at W end of main apron; admission free. First-floor viewing lounge in international temrinal; admission free.
Blackpool Squire's Gate: Large enclosure adjacent to terminal with chairs, tables, refreshments. Admission: adults 5p, children 2p. Features an 18-hole crazy-golf green overlooking the apron. [FOD!!]
Bournemouth Hurn: Enclosure fronting terminal; admission free.
Bristol Lulsgate: Enclosure on terminal roof; admission free.
Cambridge: Restricted; prior permission required for entry into airfield. Reasonable vantage points available on boundary roads.
Campbeltown: None.
Cardiff Rhoose: Terrace at top of terminal building, with buffet and reached by external staircase. Admission free.
Carlisle Crosby: Enclosure adjacent to terminal; no charges.
Cork: Two roof balconies above terminal provide fine view of apron and main runway. Admission free.
Coventry Baginton: Smart lounge, light refreshments available.
Dublin: Roof of link building between two piers (admission 5p).
East Midlands Castle Donington: Balcony along front of terminal. Further spectators' area with children's playground adjacent to terminal. Admission free.
Edinburgh Turnhouse: Open balcony fronting restaurant, with commanding view of apron. Admission free.
Exeter Clyst Honington: Enclosure fronting terminal; entrance free.
Glasgow Abbotsinch: Enclosure on part of East Pier (international flights) roof. Buffet facilities available. Small enclosure also propvided along part of front of main terminal building, at first floor level. Admission to both free.
Gloucester-Cheltenham Staverton: Pleasant lawn and terrace area, with seating and umbrella tables, fronts terminal. Entrance free.
Guernsey: Two viewing decks on main terminal roof -- excellent vantage points. Admission free. F
Hull RAF Leconfield: None.
Inverness Dalcross: Area within some 50 yards of terminal building.

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