Two things made me fall off my chair laughing...

1. I quote from the BBC wweb site:

"Runway inspections took place during daylight for the first time at Heathrow"

2. Almost beaten by:

"If I was one of the guys out there painting white lines I'd be worried about any aircraft doing a touch n go while there are bodies on the runway."

HD, think they mean a walking inspection.

Gonzo, that may well be true, but I have an image of a possible conversation in AOSU

' Shall we go out and do a runway inspection then?'

'Nah, it was there yesterday, and I doubt someone's had it away in the night. It'll be there tomorrow'

'Well, you never know. Maybe there's a Chipmonk parked on the end of it'

'Don't be stupid, that'd never happen here......'

Well, let's just say that the careers of the guys who were in the VCR when it DID happen didn't get too dented by it;)

Gonzo.. They're still wrong. I've seen loads of walking inspections there. Maybe they don't do them now, but the Beeb said "...first time".

"Maybe there's a Chipmonk parked on the end of it"

Warms the cockles of me 'eart, that one!!!! Doubt if anyone up there now knows that story.

Didn't a Dove "appear" on the apron at Stansted one foggy morning in the 1970s?

BCU slacking again? ;)

HD, during the day?

In the early 1980s there was a well known flight instructor who worked for one of the local clubs near LHR who would phone up on a Saturday afternoon when it was quiet (this was the 1980s) and ask to fly the ILS normally on 28L and it was regularly approved. One afternoon he overshot too late and "kissed" the runway and the BAA charged him a fortune for a landing.
We never heard from him again!!

<<HD, during the day?>>

Yes, indeed. SRO for a few hours! Used to be a standing joke if the No.2 wasn't getting tight spacing.... lean over his shoulder and ask if it was a walking inspection.

Heathrow Director,

ref.
As much as I agree with your stance on aviation journalism and I too often stand agasp at how terrible it all too often is, I think the BBC isn't to blame for that quote. See "HeathrowAirport" comment on this Twitpic :

Twitpic - Share photos on Twitter

<<This is the first time we have ever done a runway inspection in daylight! We do these four times a year to check every inch of Heathrow's runways - usually in the middle of the night.>>

That's what it says on Twitter, or whatever it's called. To say it's the first time a runway inspection has been done in daylight is total nonsense.

Please lighten up HD! Yes it may not be factually true, but it has caused a chuckle amongst those for whom not being able to land or take off from LHR has become a concern.

That's why this is PP Rumour Network!! :ok:

<<Please lighten up HD! >>

Me, lighten up?? As I said earlier, I fell about laughing when I read it. It is YOU who needs to lighten up!!!

Airspace closed...revenue gone....people stranded all over Europe....balance sheeets on a knife edge.....Glad to see HD has identified the most pertinent point.....all about Hounslow and whether it was dark!!

What yahoo@ said:bored:

Ash Cloud: why can't they fly lower?
 

Re: the Ash Cloud: why can't they fly lower?

Appreciate it may cost more in fuel but maybe some sort of service can be maintained?

It is a simple question from a non flyer. :eek:

Cheers :ok:

Simple answer is a little thing called gravity, what goes up must come down. There was a 'sampling' aircraft which flew and reported 3 distinct layers lower than had been 'forecast' plus some areas in UK are reporting ash on the ground.

BD

.............It is YOU who needs to lighten up!!!...........

Sorry HD! I've had the best chuckle in days from this thread ... and I was lucky enough to be stranded at home rather than get to my intended destination and not get back!:D

That gravity theory will never take off.......

I just caught on Sky that a Finnish ?F16? has had to have some serious internal reworking after picking up some ash - pilot knew nothing.

Who's more sad?

HD checking in on PPRuNe to see what is going on in an industry that he spent most of his adult life involved in,

or people who are still in the industry (me included :ugh:) who have nothing better to do on breaks, days off etc but come and read and contribute to PPRuNe? :}

The statement "I'd dearly like to think that when I work full time in the business, I'd have something better to do with my time off/breaks than be glued to this website keeping involved" is equally valid!!!

If only they knew, B, if only they knew.......... ;)