LHR: when is alternation not alternation?
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: London, UK
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LHR: when is alternation not alternation?
It's 1630 and we've had planes coming in on 27R all day - no 1500 switchover seems to have occurred. The evenings of Thurs/Fri this week were also bad (they too should have been quiet). There's nothing on the press release page at www.heathrowairport.com to explain what's going on and their complaints line does not give information, it just takes complaints via voicemail (not holding my breath for a reply).
Although I'm getting annoyed, all I really want is information, and so I turn to the good folk of pprune :-)
I know that some mixed mode is allowed to clear backlogs and for safety or maintenance reasons - but the latter is usually announced on the BAA site. Can anyone fill me in please?
Talking of web sites, http://lhr.webtrak-lochard.com/template/index.html is not showing data for Thursday - it normally would be available two days after. Does anyone know what's up?
Finally - I watched LHR webtrak at 10x speed zoomed out as far as it would go during a peak evening period... you ATC guys sure have a lot on your plates! (although not at 10x thankfully) Amazing...
F.
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I am not sure the specifics but did hear that in the last few weeks there has been a problem with one of the 27's approach lighting meaning that when it is darker that runway hasn't been able to be used for landing.
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I am not sure the specifics but did hear that in the last few weeks there has been a problem with one of the 27's approach lighting meaning that when it is darker that runway hasn't been able to be used for landing.
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Off topic, but the mention of LHR WebTrak reminds me: Thursday 19th July, time 15:40, Community Finsbury; the Speedbird A319 team do a lovely bit of formation flying. Well, it looked quite impressive from the ground. 
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when I operated out this morning I believe the AIS had 27L ILS down as under test. so used the right as its functional. We departed the left at about 0830z and arrived back on the right at about 1500z so no alternation today i guess.
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Farjer... I suppose it would be very naughty of me to ask how long you've lived close to the airport?
I'm just after information - given that BAA don't seem to answer emails or work weekends, I came here. If I had known the ILS on 27L was down I'd have taken my daughter to a different park this afternoon. That's all.
I usually don't get too bothered by the planes until alternation stops, then it just wears you down...
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Don't live near Heathrow. However lets face it the noise nuisance is PRETTY HORRENDOUS and if all you have the possibility of a little bit of peace and quiet snatched away from you without reason, then that's not fair.
Fair. Google it. It's a British thing. Bit like compassion and tolerance.
Fair. Google it. It's a British thing. Bit like compassion and tolerance.
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Of course, for fanatical plane freaks like my wife and me it's quite difficult to understand why people get fed up with them. We often drive up and sit under the approaches to Heathrow for the sheer enjoyment of being there with the noise and smell. Our first house in the UK was near Brize Norton, in fact right under the approach to the main drag. At that time VC10s used to do a lot of night circuit training and if you've lived through that, modern jets make no noise at all!
