Originally Posted by spotwelder

You are all shattering the illusions. If pilots are gods, then what are controllers that tell pilots what to do?

OK, for those of you stacked, you will be 1000 feet vertically above the others. There is no need to provide lateral separation on the race track pattern you follow Bovingdon, Lambourne, Biggin Hill and Ockham for LHR (NW, NE, SE and SW). As long as you follow the racetrack, you should not bump into the other racetrack.

Do not now go and read the UK AIP General Section 1.7 on the UK differences from international standards from Doc 8168 volume 2 Part 3 Chapter 1 paragraph 1.9.2 about 185 knots in the hold and no procedural separation when we know that they hold at 220 knots blah, blah (just as you were beginning to feel safe...)

The LHR taxiway system is the best in the world at night/fog. Follow the greens, stop at the reds. Light switches are too complex for many ATC and airport organisations to manage!

They all have books of the airport layouts, the rules for use at the airports and how to join the four (?) airports (one at the start, one at the end, and the just in case two for diversions). These are produced by the national authorities and then commercialised by companies such as Jeppesen (Jepps).

The lines are yellow on taxiways to follow, white on runways. Finnish runways can be yellow as the snow makes white markings rather difficult to see...

The departure rules are first come, first served unless (1) that would mean an inefficient queue for departure (2) there is a calculated take-off time issued slot so that the aircraft has to go. I think that the CTOT restrictions are still -5 and +10 but these were subject to change, I just cannot remember if the change went through.

Aircraft can pass directly underneath with only 500 feet separation in some countries. Parallel approaches into LAX and the other US airports are great fun.

Spottie out.