2 aircraft on runway for departure
 

Hi,

Tonight I was a passenger on a little turboprop that lined up on the centre line of the runway directly behind a 737. The 737 entered the runway one taxiway ahead of us. When the jet took off you could feel our aircraft shake. I could see the 737 go from static to take off over the shoulder of our captain. I assumed you would only have one aircraft taking off at a time?

AH, but it sounds like you did indeed only have one taking off at a time.;)

Lining up and holding in position with another aircraft further up the runway carrying out an "intersection departure" ahead is not that uncommon..

There may well be jet wash/jet blast issues to consider in the sequence but there are several reasons this might be done, e.g. ATC might not want the slower aircraft (in your case the turbo prop) taking off first due to the speed difference in the climb, so they got the the faster 737 airborne ahead of you via an intersection. I'm sure a friendly ATCer will be along in a minute with chapter and verse.

I once lined up a Sukhoi SU 35 fighter, followed by an ATP, followed by a formation of 6 or 7 Vampires and Venoms; all perfectly legal provided they don't all commence takeoff together!

http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/...pspxth0hqg.jpg

Like this at AMS....

boeingairbus1981

This is a total non-event. All perfectly normal & quite regular. No need to comment further.

But I will. Heathrow would've ground to a halt on nine right without multiple line-ups…southbound heavy at full length, northbound heavy at one-oh-two, medium DVR at seventy-nine, northbound medium at eight-three, and the Dash at eighty-five…bang bang bang bang bang.

I bet it's not allowed any more...

Talkdownman

No, that would be too much like using common sense & displaying a bit of panache for the Regulators !

Until you've seen an ATR get blown backwards by a 777 and then use the brakes to stop (doh) you ain't seen nuthin.

Not something I'd try but quality wheelie though

Point taken ! But, the art should be to get the smaller a/c ahead of the larger !