R-22 over Heathrow
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R-22 over Heathrow
I was on my way home for christmas crawling along the M25 on 19th Dec. when I looked up and saw an R-22 doodling around Heathrow! Couldn't believe it, did they let him/her in or was was it a case of "temporarily unsure"?
I would have thought it would be Stingers at dawn for that!
I would have thought it would be Stingers at dawn for that!
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As VeeAny says, there are specified helicopter routes. Helicopters are under ATC control long before they get anywhere near the airport.
The helicopter wouldn't be "doodling around" - it would be under strict control by LHR Tower in order to fit in with arriving and departing airliner traffic.
We're usually required to hold at the airfield boundary before being allowed to cross the active runways. Some people hover, some orbit. If you orbit it has to be tight, and very close to the boundary, to be ready to cross quickly the moment clearance is given.
We may also be asked to hold again between the runways, before crossing the next active. I imagine the pros prefer being cleared to cross in one go - I'm disappointed if I'm not told to hold over the middle of the airport, but I may grow up one day!
I obviously don't fly across LHR as often as many professional pilots but I've always found as a PPL that, despite being extremely busy, the Heathrow Tower and Thames Radar controllers are helpful and friendly - provided you comply strictly with instructions and read back (sometimes quite long) clearances correctly without the need for repetition. I've heard they can become rather less friendly if you don't! That's understandable and fair enough given their very high workload/volume of traffic.
The Heathrow crossing procedure works well and safely, and thankfully wasn't taken away in the knee-jerk reactions after 9/11 - long may it continue!
Tudor
The helicopter wouldn't be "doodling around" - it would be under strict control by LHR Tower in order to fit in with arriving and departing airliner traffic.
We're usually required to hold at the airfield boundary before being allowed to cross the active runways. Some people hover, some orbit. If you orbit it has to be tight, and very close to the boundary, to be ready to cross quickly the moment clearance is given.
We may also be asked to hold again between the runways, before crossing the next active. I imagine the pros prefer being cleared to cross in one go - I'm disappointed if I'm not told to hold over the middle of the airport, but I may grow up one day!
I obviously don't fly across LHR as often as many professional pilots but I've always found as a PPL that, despite being extremely busy, the Heathrow Tower and Thames Radar controllers are helpful and friendly - provided you comply strictly with instructions and read back (sometimes quite long) clearances correctly without the need for repetition. I've heard they can become rather less friendly if you don't! That's understandable and fair enough given their very high workload/volume of traffic.
The Heathrow crossing procedure works well and safely, and thankfully wasn't taken away in the knee-jerk reactions after 9/11 - long may it continue!
Tudor
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I've had a lot of fun going through the heli lanes and especially going over Heathrow (even took a trial lesson over there once - with the students consent of course). The comment about good RT is very pertinent. If you sound good, ATC will probably think you fly well. If trying it for the first time, take someone with who has done it before who can show you the way.
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I must admit I'm not completely "aufait" with the LHR heli-routes but it didn't look like there was any procedure or pattern at all! went this way and that, I'm sure he MUST have been in contact, maybe it was a photo flight?
I've crossed over some really busy airports in my time and been asked to do some wierd things now and again but it's always good fun
I've crossed over some really busy airports in my time and been asked to do some wierd things now and again but it's always good fun
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its possible that the R22 was being used to photogragh the new terminal 5 building while it is under construction. Its usually been photograghed from an R44 but may have been an R22 on that particular day.
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Didn't think of the new terminal, that could have been it.
Shame there isn't a layby on that part of the M25, would make a nice stop for a few minutes!
Shame there isn't a layby on that part of the M25, would make a nice stop for a few minutes!
