Whats going on at LHR 19jan - Flow rate 0/60 ??
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: on the golf course (Covid permitting)
Posts: 2,127
REF. : EGLL ARR
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REG : EGLLA19M
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VALID : FROM: 0730 UNTIL: 0900 UTC
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REMARKS : DUE TO A DISABLED AIRCRAFT ON THE RUNWAY A ZERO RATE
REGULATION HAS BEEN APPLIED AT EGLL ARRIVALS.
FMD STAFF ARE CONTINUOUSLY MONITORING THE SITUATION AND
WILL ADVISE OF ANY POSSIBLE IMPROVEMENTS.
IN THE MEANTIME OPERATORS ARE STRONGLY REQUESTED NOT TO
TELEPHONE FMD HELPDESK ABOUT EGLL ARRIVALS.
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FMD BRUSSELS.
.
REG : EGLLA19M
.
VALID : FROM: 0730 UNTIL: 0900 UTC
.
REMARKS : DUE TO A DISABLED AIRCRAFT ON THE RUNWAY A ZERO RATE
REGULATION HAS BEEN APPLIED AT EGLL ARRIVALS.
FMD STAFF ARE CONTINUOUSLY MONITORING THE SITUATION AND
WILL ADVISE OF ANY POSSIBLE IMPROVEMENTS.
IN THE MEANTIME OPERATORS ARE STRONGLY REQUESTED NOT TO
TELEPHONE FMD HELPDESK ABOUT EGLL ARRIVALS.
.
FMD BRUSSELS.

Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: UK
Posts: 184

Never mind what went on to-day, what was going on yesterday on approaches into EGLHR? I was SLF on a lufthansa from Munich to Heathrow in the middle of the day & we were still held for 20"-30" , what's going on? I thought Swanwick was supposed to make holding a thing of the past? Comments eagerly awaited.
with fraternal greetings, ambi
with fraternal greetings, ambi

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I thought Swanwick was supposed to make holding a thing of the past?
Now if you meant Terminal Control operations (which is done from West Drayton) ......

In addition, there is a maximum limit to the number of aircraft per hour which can occupy the tarmac (both runways and stands). Look at the airline timetables and you will find that the airlines take little account of this when writing their schedules. There may be around 20 or 30 aircraft planned to depart or arrive at the same time which obviously is a physical impossibility in reality. So someone somewhere will either pick up a delay on the ground or in the air.
One of our Terminal ATCOs (the ATC speciality and not an indication of their health !!) can probably elaborate further but that's the basics.

Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Down at the sharp pointy end, where all the weather is made.
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Posts: 1,625
In addition, there is a maximum limit to the number of aircraft per hour which can occupy the tarmac (both runways and stands). Look at the airline timetables and you will find that the airlines take little account of this when writing their schedules. There may be around 20 or 30 aircraft planned to depart or arrive at the same time which obviously is a physical impossibility in reality. So someone somewhere will either pick up a delay on the ground or in the air.
We do closely monitor slot performance and constantly try to improve it. Very rarely, we have to deny an aircraft departure approval until their due time. We don't like doing this as often there's a planeload of people on board but by allowing one a/c to 'jump the queue' the knock-on delays can affect many times that number of people on other a/c who are operating within their agreed times.
Of course we and ATC will bend over backwards to help genuine delays or getting a rescue a/c to another airport to put someone's programme back on track.
Cheers,
The Odd One

Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Down at the sharp pointy end, where all the weather is made.
Age: 73
Posts: 1,625
Rescue 3,
Yes, very slightly off-thread, I know, but I thought it helpful to illustrate more fully the problems and issues with runway slots at an aerodrome with a wider mix of traffic. The runway slot scheme operates in exactly the same way at LHR, with ACL doing the coordinating.
Cheers,
TOO
Thus at LGW,
Cheers,
TOO
