Landing a small plane at LHR/LGW
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I recall reading several years ago about a group of engineering apprentices who built a small aircraft at Heathrow, and were allowed to have it flown out from a specially cut grass runway.
I remember years ago that LHR used to allow a touch and go for free on Christmas day if you booked on the day. I took a couple of students on a small cross country including a touch and go at LHR. It was such a great opportunity but as far as I am aware that hasn't happened for quite a while. Christmas day was the only time as well that I was given a visual approach into LHR in an A321, we were over the Thames Estuary and were cleared to join left hand down wind for 09L, was the only time in 10 years I got a visual to LHR.
B Fraser wasn't the Chippy owned by a journalist who had brassed somebody off (memory very fuzzy on this)? Said somebody sneaked into Denham where the Chippy was based, fired her up and hedge hopped over to Heathrow and landed on the grass by the fence. ATC arrived on shift to find a light aircraft parked on their airport.
Post 1148 on this link
Here'a a quote from F l y e r
[QUOTEI believe it was parked on the grass, neatly tied down. The pilot hopped the fence and got a taxi home.
This followed a party the night before and a break up with a girlfriend.
He had taken off from Denham, couldn't find the place again in the dark, flew down the A4 and landed in the very early morning.
The police had no idea until they went to interview one of the regular pilots...
Rumour has it that the met man went out to take a visual on the weather at dawn, saw the Chipmunk, and reported it to the tower.
ATC put their binoculars on it, and called the airport police to go over and check it out.
After an exhaustive search the police were unable to locate a Chipmunk and so they called the RSPCA.
This story apparently provided some humour during the court case.
Subject pilot paid a fine, and lost his licence 'until he showed a more responsible attitude' which he did. Got married bought a house, got his licence back, and got divorced.
There were many shenanigans in those days...][/QUOTE]
Post 1148 on this link
Here'a a quote from F l y e r
[QUOTEI believe it was parked on the grass, neatly tied down. The pilot hopped the fence and got a taxi home.
This followed a party the night before and a break up with a girlfriend.
He had taken off from Denham, couldn't find the place again in the dark, flew down the A4 and landed in the very early morning.
The police had no idea until they went to interview one of the regular pilots...
Rumour has it that the met man went out to take a visual on the weather at dawn, saw the Chipmunk, and reported it to the tower.
ATC put their binoculars on it, and called the airport police to go over and check it out.
After an exhaustive search the police were unable to locate a Chipmunk and so they called the RSPCA.
This story apparently provided some humour during the court case.
Subject pilot paid a fine, and lost his licence 'until he showed a more responsible attitude' which he did. Got married bought a house, got his licence back, and got divorced.
There were many shenanigans in those days...][/QUOTE]
Fun Police?
People are DYING and they are dying because people are flouting the stay at home and social distancing rules.
Get a grip.
People are DYING and they are dying because people are flouting the stay at home and social distancing rules.
Get a grip.
OK inthe Netheralnds de Havilland Chipmunk Appreciation Society 12 hrs ·
In these weirdest of times, there was an opportunity to circle the tower of Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.
In these weirdest of times, there was an opportunity to circle the tower of Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.
Avoid imitations
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Fun police wasn't the best way to describe those jumping on the outrage wagon but it's a hypothetical question which has led to subsequent discussion. Why get even slightly bunched up about it because it makes no difference to the real world.
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Wow, the "Blockwart" mentality at its best. Sitting a mile away from any other human being in the air is pretty much the most in social distancing you could do, well, except setting sail to the middle of the atlantic that is. Much better than staying at home and beating the missus and the kids until the cops have to get the bloody carcasses outta there (yes, domestic violence is on the rise, very much so sadly enough). Of course, if it is clearly not allowed, not worth it to get a ticket over it. Over here it is still allowed, as long as you keep your distance to other human beings at all times. Which, again, is easier in the air than on the way to get another few drinks at the closest supermarket.
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It is these days Dave.................
Tabs please !
The owner of the Chippie who had it parked at Heathrow was one William Hickey, a former scribe at the former newspaper, the Daily Express. It was on the north side and would have been close to the Met Office building where I spend many a happy day getting paid to plane spot while doing a bit of weather guessing.
Last edited by B Fraser; 9th Apr 2020 at 08:11. Reason: minor typo
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Sitting a mile away from any other human being in the air is pretty much the most in social distancing you could do, well, except setting sail to the middle of the atlantic that is
Last edited by TopBunk; 9th Apr 2020 at 10:51.
I dont know when light aircraft were banned from LHR, I know AVGAS became unavailable many many years ago just after the days of the lonely Kar Air DC6 which left its mournful tones in the air long after its early morning departure for Helsinki as the last 'big prop' in the LHR .
Way before that ,in my spotting days at Cains Lane, Bedfont, in the early 1960s light twins were not uncommon, several regulars and often the opportunity for something exotic, all those years ago i remember one on of our band excitingly point out an Austrian Twin Comanche which had just landed on 23R.
I n the same era , on a bank holiday weekend when little was happening and it was time to shut up shop and go home when again another spotter peering down (or rather up) finals for 28L exclaimed 'Spitfire' ! indeed there was a spit rapidly approaching with no gear down . A quick increase in volume of the Air band radio (Scanner ha ha) heard tower clear spitfire XXX to land. A slightly amused sounding response along the lines of 'touch and go ok' ? and duly cleared we saw what is, obviously to me unforgettable, a Spit, Merlin roaring hurtle low over the A30 and far too fast to land and after what was probably a couple of thousand feet down the runway pull up into a rolling climb , roll off the top and vanish into the evening sky before we had really taken it in- never see that again CV19 or not.
Way before that ,in my spotting days at Cains Lane, Bedfont, in the early 1960s light twins were not uncommon, several regulars and often the opportunity for something exotic, all those years ago i remember one on of our band excitingly point out an Austrian Twin Comanche which had just landed on 23R.
I n the same era , on a bank holiday weekend when little was happening and it was time to shut up shop and go home when again another spotter peering down (or rather up) finals for 28L exclaimed 'Spitfire' ! indeed there was a spit rapidly approaching with no gear down . A quick increase in volume of the Air band radio (Scanner ha ha) heard tower clear spitfire XXX to land. A slightly amused sounding response along the lines of 'touch and go ok' ? and duly cleared we saw what is, obviously to me unforgettable, a Spit, Merlin roaring hurtle low over the A30 and far too fast to land and after what was probably a couple of thousand feet down the runway pull up into a rolling climb , roll off the top and vanish into the evening sky before we had really taken it in- never see that again CV19 or not.
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Not too long ago, costs at LHR were quite reasonable. However, around the time of the 2012 Olympics, very significant extra charges were brought in, including an extra "security" charge, probably with the direct intention of reducing the number of smaller aircraft wanting to use the airport. From what I remember (my regular pax was a fairly regular user of LHR back then), the lowest cost groups were removed from the scheme of charges and the least you would be charged was for something the size of a Boeing 737, so landing there to drop off/pick up one or two people in a light aircraft or small helicopter no longer made any economic sense whatsoever.
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TFC's first Mustang flew in and out of Heathrow in 1981 and was repainted in its "Moose" 357th FG scheme by BA engineers.