Originally Posted by
Pilot37
Not as much of a question, but more of an observation that during Covid we have seen so many different things at LHR that you would never have thought possible in normal times:
1) Extended single runway operations
2) Take-off’s from 09L
3) 2 out of 4 terminals closed
4) New one for me - yesterday, BA1468 to Inverness happened to catch a quiet period around 9am, so we taxied onto 09R/27L just before Pier 6 of T3 and back tracked the whole way down the remaining runway, executed a 180 on the runway and took off!
Anything else that people have experienced?
Pilot37
For myself, being the only movement at LHR for the best part of an hour. Not having to fly a SID and being casually allowed to effectively ‘self position’ to the oceanic entry point as the only other movements in UK airspace were emergency services, overflights (very few indeed) and the RAF doing circuits in a C-17 at BHX on a clear spring day.
The departure involved being the closest I’ll ever get to Windsor castle without questions being raised put it that way. Even eerier still was hearing the lorries and few cars/vans that were on the M25 from the T5B apron and hearing birdsong at the same time.
Not ever having to hold was a bit novel too.