Late leaving the ground?
 

Watching departures at Heathrow yesterday, I couldn't help but notice how far down the runway the United flight to Los Angeles before gaining any height.
I took a couple of photos:
Ship Photos, Container ships, tankers, cruise ships, bulkers, tugs etc
Ship Photos, Container ships, tankers, cruise ships, bulkers, tugs etc
In the first image, the aircraft was passing me (at the Esso garage) and, using Google Earth, it seems it was about 80 yards short of the 09R piano keys.
In the second, again using Google Earth, it was already 70 yards beyond the piano keys on 09R with something like 250 yards to the end of the runway. I have no idea of the altitude but what caused me to notice it was a familiarity with other departing flights seen from this viewpoint. It struck me as rather late.
Of course, I am no expert, not even an armchair one, and was wondering if people who know more than I could confirm my thoughts or put me right.
P.S. No schools were heard screaming and the word plummeting never came up once!:)

Blimey Dave! It takes me back to some years ago (pre T5) when I used to take my boy to watch Concorde stagger over the fence!

Nothing to be concerned about. The 09R piano keys are a displaced landing threshold of over 300m for landing 09R, so when taking off 27L the 09R piano keys are not relevant. B787's seem to initially climb quite flat presumably due to de-rated flex thrust on take-off.

Musket90: I realise the piano keys for 09R are irrelevant to a 27L departure. I was using them as an indication of how far down the runway this aircraft was getting off the ground. I have watched literally dozens of 787 departures on this runway, with more than a few this day. You get a feel for roughly where an aircraft is going to be so you can get the camera ready. The United flight took me by surprise at where he was when I took the photos. By contrast, an hour earlier the Qantas Perth bound 787 departed and that one was at approx the same height as the United but 300 yards before the piano keys, well before the end of the runway.
Not concerned, just surprised. As I said, no screaming school children & definitely no plummeting!
Cheers

How would that compare to the military aircraft departing Canberra?
If you're not familiar, that description searched on YouTube will find it.

Gosh.

There are so many differences, it's hard to know where to start.

I can remember the early 747s passing the old north side radar unit (where Compass House now stands) with the nosewheel still firmly glued to the ground. At that point, even Tridents were normally well airborne and even the daily Deux Ponts would be trying to rotate.

The 787s have a long take off run in comparison with the B777s and B744s, mainly I believe as they derate the take off run even more efficiently. In short, they're a lot easier to photograph, coupled with a warm day and a long-ish way to LAX, this is quite common from that spot.

Nothing to the Flying Tiger Polar departures, that was the SID, in the early 80's!!

If we jump over to LGW, there was that 747 in the 80/90's that just got up over the trees on the hill just west of the runway, there was an inquiry for that one though. I seem to recall Seaboard World DC-8-63's (?) using most of the runway at LHR back in the day. It's surprising that the 787 would be so affected what with modern power plants....

Probably the Continental B747 (N605PE) on 1st November 1988. Just after rotation there was a loss of thrust from engine No 4 due to a compressor surge.

10DME, were tigers using 74 classics or long DC8s on those trips, I remember the complicated readback on myscanner of the polar departures given to panam and TW 747s back in the day.-didnt they struggle out over Epsom NDB and Biggin before turning north ?

Long take off rolls-try a hot summer evening had to be a Monday though when SAA used to go non stop to Jo burg . You could hear the thunder of all 18 tyres as it rumbled down 27/28R and passed me mainwheels just lifting well past the old block 79 intersecton where the original runway used to end . In those days i would watch from the strip between the Longford river and parallel canal in Stanwell and you did really wonder will it??? That had to be the longest 74 Classic sector and as it was only once week maybe it was payload limited to a fair degree

pax - Mainly 74 classic's but I am sure odd DC8. Yes clearance's could take doing and turn back North could get very interesting with further 'vectoring' needed to gain a little more height! I remember SAA non stops as well! They used some runway as well!! I am sure at the time there was a story of workers on the 'new' M25 getting visits from departing freighters!!
Still couldn't beat driving down A4 or M4 westbound with Concord departing on what was then 28R on a lovely summers day.....great days!!

19DME
thanks- I imagine those heavy polar departures were only possible because there was no LCY and Stanstead was a sleepy little field in Essex .

You are right about Concorde-in my minds eye i can still recall one take off on 27L one summers day . driving north on the Stanwell New Road which is the B road running inside the M25 tclose to the airport boundary, to see the great machine hurtle into view towing two enormous wingtip vortices that were themselves sucking up dust and dirt like desert sandstorm. Might have been economically useless but it was great to watch (and hear). It was a sad day twenty years on when I watched the last LHR inbound pass over Camberley bound for Ockham and the LHR 'celebrations'
PO

Skipness One Foxtrot - Spot on !

In a coach on the M4 eastbound one day (slow moving of course due traffic) I was able to watch a Concorde departing from 09R; it was barely airborne when it started its right turn to head west.

I havent heard a 78 close up but I imagine with those monster fans, fancy cowlings and much improved attenuation technology they are pretty quiet on take off and do not need to climb out as steeply as possible for noise abatement. if thats the way of the world its abit of a shame because watching a nice light BA757 off to CDG was an impressive sight as they seemed to be trying to make the 6000 ft initial SID level by the end of the runway. Good point about the photo opportunities though.

"Bromley, Hornchurch and Brookmans Park...." One Clipper didn't read it back so I asked him to do so: "Errr Brookpark Church Hill......" I never stopped laughing.

Don't forget 'Saint Rumble'.



(= Strumble VOR.)