Ye Olde Videoe Clippe Threade

[glatt]

When I flew with my family to Heathrow from Dulles a couple years ago, we totally traced one of those heavy lines. The cool thing was we overshot London and then made a U turn to come into Heathrow from the East, since it looks like that's always the direction for the landing air traffic, and I had a window seat as we flew low above South London. I could see Tower Bridge and Big Ben right outside my freakin window as we landed. It was so awesome.

Later, visiting Windsor, it was amazing to me how every 747 departing Heathrow flies almost directly over Windsor Castle. I guess the Queen doesn't have enough pull to have prevented the runways from being aimed directly at her house. Actually now that I think of it, maybe they were landing and not taking off. I can't remember. But they were about every minute and flying very close to the castle.

Edit:

[Carruthers]

When I flew with my family to Heathrow from Dulles a couple years ago, we totally traced one of those heavy lines. The cool thing was we overshot London and then made a U turn to come into Heathrow from the East, since it looks like that's always the direction for the landing air traffic, and I had a window seat as we flew low above South London. I could see Tower Bridge and Big Ben right outside my freakin window as we landed. It was so awesome.

Later, visiting Windsor, it was amazing to me how every 747 departing Heathrow flies almost directly over Windsor Castle. I guess the Queen doesn't have enough pull to have prevented the runways from being aimed directly at her house. Actually now that I think of it, maybe they were landing and not taking off. I can't remember. But they were about every minute and flying very close to the castle.

You might like to have a look at this website Planefinder.

Coverage is particularly good over the UK especially the London area. As I type, Heathrow inbounds are approaching from the east, ie over Windsor and departing over the city.

ETA I've just been looking at coverage in the Washington area. I see that Arlington isn't too far from Reagan Int'l and Dulles isn't a million miles away. Hope that there is something of interest there for you.

[chrisinhouston]

Originally Posted by glatt

When I flew with my family to Heathrow from Dulles a couple years ago, we totally traced one of those heavy lines. The cool thing was we overshot London and then made a U turn to come into Heathrow from the East, since it looks like that's always the direction for the landing air traffic, and I had a window seat as we flew low above South London. I could see Tower Bridge and Big Ben right outside my freakin window as we landed. It was so awesome.

Later, visiting Windsor, it was amazing to me how every 747 departing Heathrow flies almost directly over Windsor Castle. I guess the Queen doesn't have enough pull to have prevented the runways from being aimed directly at her house. Actually now that I think of it, maybe they were landing and not taking off. I can't remember. But they were about every minute and flying very close to the castle.

I think it all has to do with general wind patterns at the given moment. Heathrow is only a few miles to the west of the castle and planes generally take off with the wind or land into it. Most of my flights into Heathrow have brought us right over the city and along the Thames to land.

Here in Houston I live just a few miles north-north-east of IAH and we hear and see jets taking off since most of the time we have a prevailing wind from the Gulf of Mexico. The big 747s like those of BA and KLM are really loud and typically fly right along highway 59 not far from my home. Most days you can set your watch by them as they go by.

[Carruthers]

I think it all has to do with general wind patterns at the given moment. Heathrow is only a few miles to the west of the castle and planes generally take off with the wind or land into it. Most of my flights into Heathrow have brought us right over the city and along the Thames to land.

The prevailing wind is from the west and Heathrow's runways are aligned East/West. (09L/27R and 09R/27L).
At the moment we have a high pressure area sitting over the country giving rise to easterly winds hence approaching over Windsor to land into wind. The airport had a runway aligned NE/SW (05/23) which was very handy for those winter days when strong south westerlies blow in from the frequent Atlantic low pressure areas. Unfortunately, this runway was closed some years ago to provide more terminal/apron space and, as happened a few weeks ago, many aircraft had to divert to Stansted, amongst other places, because the cross wind component at Heathrow was out of limits.

Seeing the runway through the side window can concentrate the mind wonderfully. The Emirates A380 at approx 3.00 being a case in point.

[chrisinhouston]

Originally Posted by Carruthers

Unfortunately, this runway was closed some years ago to provide more terminal/apron space and, as happened a few weeks ago, many aircraft had to divert to Stansted,

Funny but in 1929 my grandfather came back from China with almost 30 years of service in the Chinese Postal service (technically the Brits running the postal service as the French had the Customs service) and finally settled on a small plot of land near Bishop's Stortford, Great Hallingbury I believe.

It's not far from Stansted. We actually looked up and met the current owner of my grandfather's home and he was nice enough to invite us in for a tour. Sent him some pictures of it being built in 1930. My father used to hunt deer and rabbits in The New Forrest, which is now called the Hatfield Forest National Preserve.

[Carruthers]

Originally Posted by chrisinhouston

It's not far from Stansted.

It's not part of the country that I know, so I had to look at a map.
Oh, Heavens! Great Hallingbury is only about half a mile from the end of Stansted's runway. Must be Hell on Earth living there now.

[xoxoxoBruce]

TV dancing.

[glatt]

That was fun to watch.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Took me forever to get through it, kept getting the urge to go back to Diana Rigg.

[glatt]

Me too!

[Gravdigr]

No. No, indeed. Hell no.



I don't know a single person I'd trust that much.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Oh sure, lets harass the guy shooting live ammo.

[xoxoxoBruce]

1986 when balloons were still harmless and cool.

[glatt]

That's hysterical!
How did I never hear about this before? I would have been a drunk college kid when it happened, so it's understandable that I was ignorant at the time, but you would think it would be in the public consciousness like the whale they blew up on the beach.

[xoxoxoBruce]

HEY FLINT!