Heli procedures at LGW

[Woss goin on..?]

Can anyone shed any light on the reasoning behind current heli procedures at LGW? I understand the H aiming point was removed due WIP but following a visit recently, the arrangement now to use the runway seems farcical....

Landing, not too much bother, just cross N terminal, land 08 then vacate to the stand...but departure

Following 10mins engine running on the stand, a hovertaxy behind c15 airliners to the 08 threshold. There follows a wait of a further 22mins before lining up & departing 08. A request was made for an early left turn due north when only 1/3rd down the tarmac, overflying the stand vacated 32mins previously.....all with disbelieving vip pax who are 'in the industry' with a great knowledge of worldwide procedures.

It has been mentioned that this arrangement is the preferance to ensure ATCO's are fully focused on proceedings south of the tower....however, how safe & expeditious is it to have a non wheel equipped heli placed behind 15 jet aircraft both on the taxyway & runway? Any thoughts please?

[John Bicker]

Sounds to me like you have ex Aussies working there as ATCO's.

Things have improved in recent times but Sydney used to be the same.

Methinks it has something to do with unions.

Think of the deal you are getting - more ATC than you know what to do with at such low prices! You should be eternally grateful.

Chickens and eggs anyone?

[handyandyuk]

I suspect there's a piece of paper that says something along the lines;

'Any machine that flies is an aircraft and as aircraft need runways, ALL aircraft will use the runway'

You'd have thought the chance to get shot of an aircraft quickly and safely would appeal to the tower bunnies..... but 'rules is rules' however silly they tend to be.

[EESDL]

Perhaps LGW could also incorporate the seperation criteria for a helicopter wishing to land south side so he has to wait for 3 minutes after a departing ac has left the airfield, leaving his vortices far from the intended taxi route......That piece of paper again: "3 minutes between aircraft, regardless of flight/taxi path blah blah".
Otherwise, EGLL clearly outshine LGW in the heli-handling field.

[Sqpilot]

It really depends on the controller handling you. Sometines it is a quick hover taxi to a convenient intersection and a quick departure, sometimes with a learner controller going by the book it takes forever. But the runway stuff is crazy - why can't we have the H by the tower back - that worked OK

[SASless]

Or....like Seattle does it....you call for permission to enter the controlled airspace...he rattles off a line of prattle of which you understand about next to nothing....you say....on field destination is Galvins...(the FBO at one end of the field...) he says call the gap....you say ok....you fly up the highway at a height below the plateau the airport is on....turn to overfly the "gap"...squeak in your callsign and say "at the gap landing Galvins"...they say "cleared to land". Takeoff is really hard....notify the tower...at Galvins, ready for departure VFR to....and next thing you hear is cleared via the gap VFR to .....maintain VFR below 500 feet report clear of the controlled airspace. But golly...gee.....there ain't an H anywhere on the airport that I know of.....except at the Weyerheauser corporate hangar maybe.

This system got worked out because some scruffy helicopter pilot made a visit to the tower and over coffee suggested a way to make everyone's life easier.....controllers being civil service employees and having a real aversion to work....loved the concept. Anyone offered to buy the tea for the tower bunch at Gatwick?