Has LHR lost its atmosphere?
 

I was recently at LHR, stayed there a few days and I just thought the whole place feels different.Its still an awesome place to spot, but I was last there four years ago, and before that at least three times a year for the preceeding 8 years, and it really seems to have lost the certain magical something it once had..

I was amazed how few 747s and A340s there were...virtually no 737s...very few regional jets...just A320 family buses everywhere!

It seems a pity somehow...:(

It's probably true at a lot of airports these days, as the economic homogenisation of fleets means either A or B and then large numbers of the same. I guess a lot of the 4-holers are being replaced with 2-holers by the majors and that's just that.



SHJ

No, the magic was really lost about 50 years ago with the advent of jets. The place was amazing when Connies, Strats, DC- series, Convaile Liners, Lizzies, etc., were the traffic....

One bit of the armosphere that I'm glad it's lost is the part that was contributed by Perry Oaks.:E

Hahahaha....!! If someone had just come from the toilets saying "Full emergency Perry Oaks" you didn't go near the place for an hour!!!

Ahh Perry Oaks, the smell that lingers on :yuk::p

I can remember sitting in that field halfway down 27R next to the large rotating radar watching Iraqi and Kuwaiti Tridents arriving in the summer evenings, amongst all the other huge variety of aircraft types. I hope that the radar was a passive receiver and not something sending out dangerous waves, because back then health&safety wasn't around to warn you in triplicate :uhoh: Anyone know ?


SHJ

Err - Radar, definately not passive!

It would have been emitting extremely high-power radio waves.. :ooh:

HD........

Agree with you. It probably lasted into the first generation jet/turbo prop era Comets, 707s, DC8s, Viscounts, Vanguards, Electras.... at al. Today there is very little variety but true of airports world wide........

At Gatwick in April and there was no freight traffic......

Planemike

As one who worked and "grew up" with L.A.P, L.H.R. Heathrow 1947- 1994 and now long retired, in the early days there was a large variety of a/c types but not the volume of traffic ,now there is volume and not much variety due to the main fact that the world is dominated by 2 manufacterers Airbus and Boeing so things will only get worse as airlines rationalise their fleets ,as it is a lot cheaper in maintenance costs, spare parts ,and labour, engines [apart from the odd hiccup]seem to last forever with very little maintenance.
So for the aircraft type "Spotter " aircraft are going the same way as their train counterpart,they all look alike , these days I struggle to distingush twin engined Airbusses and Boeings when they are in the air I'm sure most of you can but they are alike in many ways but, I still get a buzz as I enter T5 for my holidays and see rows of airplanes arrive and depart.:D:D:D

IL 62m
 

Recently went to North Korea as a tourist and flew there on an IL 62m which the national airline of DPRK ( Air Koryo ) operate. The whole experience was rather special but the IL 62m----- well it was magic.

Prince of Dzun.

Rather you than me, your Highness!

I worked for a company in the Bath Road (right opp 27R) when I was a sprog in the 70's At lunchtime, I'd spot from the car park of the 'Heathrow Hotel', almost next to the r/w. Anything from Viscounts to Concorde, and of course the 'grippers' being thrown into reverse in the flare- I was doing my PPL at the time, and being ignorant, thought this most strange!

At Gatwick, you could then spot from above the passenger walkways, directly over the aircraft. The Laker DC10's were too high for these, but still parked close enough for a good pic!

It is sad that now everything is so 'uniform'- As a now 'elderly' spotter, going to St.Maartin next March with TimBucks before they inevitably close the beach due the H&S police!(One thing I promised myself B4 I die!!!)

It's not just rationalisation of aircraft types but also a lot simpler and/or predominantly white colour schemes that create a blander airport scene. Add in the factor that viewing facilities are generally non-existent or poor, then it doesn't foster the same sort of enthusiasm.

Has LHR lost its atmosphere?
 

.... it really seems to have lost the certain magical something it once had.....

Like open runways?:sad:

Jack

I think flying generally has lost its atmosphere - or rather changed. Two things I miss: In-flight magazines with articles about flying and aircraft; and airports that are not glorified shopping centres.

I agree that flying has lost its glamour. Half a century ago there would be thousands in the viewing area. You couldn't turn on the TV without seeing shots of aircraft and the glitterati (is that how you spell it?). Flying is certainly less glamorous these days but conversely far more democratic - you now don't need to be that well off to embark on a long haul holiday or take a weekend break to Amsterdam without thinking about it. Working for an airline is certainly not what it once was. The only time you travel in a suit these days if you are on a one day business trip.

Actually I still think that long haul travel still has a certain aura and the product is still pretty good (you get fed and watered, IFE is better than it has ever been and you may even be looked after if something goes wrong). The low fare carriers (particularly a certainly Irish one) and their "nickel and diming" leave me cold. The commoditisation of air travel is a shame - pasengers expectations have dropped. Then again as one economist said, the whole point of Ryanair is to force the legacy carriers to lower their fares - you don't actually have to use it.

With all the new airlines Heathrow still has a certain buzz about it. However Gatwick has lost much of its magic and Stansted & Luton leaves me cold.

Will it ever be quite the same without Concorde?

Many moons ago we heard that the B of B flight was going to do a flypast down Runway 28r [Tells how long ago it was] so many hard bitten "Techies" whose office and crewroom were at the end of the "bravo" stands in the central area decided to witness this event ,,prior to this normal takeoff were carried out and not a blind bit of notice was made as the cream of the major airlines took off including Concorde but about 5 mins was allocated to the flypast down the runway and normal traffic was halted and a lengthy line aircraft was waiting and we all went AHHH!!!as they trundled past .
don't think it will happen now :bored::bored::bored:

I'm not a spotter but I've had an interest in flying and aviation since I was a child. The thing now is - most aircraft that you can see at major airports look the same - so it doesn't interest me much unless there is a 'plane in some sort for fancy paint job or a new airline I'm not familiar with. Military aircraft look similar too. I think the two greatest periods for the diverse types of aircraft were the 30's and 50'/ 60's when designers were discovering and experimenting with aerodynamics and new engine types and new demands.
Things may be more efficient now, safer, reliable - but christ they look boring.

With all the new airlines Heathrow still has a certain buzz about it. However Gatwick has lost much of its magic and Stansted & Luton leaves me cold.

Luton may not be particulary special for anyone interested in Airliners but it remains a mecca for fans of Biz-Jets. It is also the only major London airport where you can still take decent photos from the perimeter fence......long may it last:ok:

And yes, LHR (& LGW) are shadows of their former selves :=:=......I'd rather visit some of the European airports that actually still welcome enthusiasts/photographers (AMS/DUS/FRA/ZRH etc)