Ask the BA Staffer and Heathrow ATC
#1141
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 387
Smallest I've seen was a bunch of flex wing microlights a number of years ago who positioned in to recreate, from memory, the first London to Paris flight. They left LHR on the day in miserable weather. In order to keep the normal traffic flowing they didn't actually use the runway but a part of the taxiway to the south of 09R.
A bit of googling just turned up this page, with some video...
http://www.brian-milton.com/video/london-paris-pt.shtml
The chap waving the flag to see them off was the then Manager ATC at LHR, RT.
#1143
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: London, England.
Programs: BA
Posts: 8,476
Does the King Air actually land ? It doesn't appear to do so when it comes to calibrate London City.
Yes, small Citation business jets are regular, plus the very occasional exec twin prop owned by someone with more money for fees than sense to go nearby.
Quite some years ago (1990s ?) I also seem to recall that, one Christmas morning, when the airport loses most (though not all) of its scheduled flights, there was a whole group of light Cessnas etc landed for a few minutes.
Regarding looking at Concorde, this was a never-ending fact, it was even more prevalent at JFK, where on taxi out every ramp worker from every airline, and anyone near a window, was looking at you. And I can remember being on Cathay awaiting departure from Heathrow 27R one evening when Concorde came out from T4, passing us all without stopping, and the Cathay skipper giving us all a non-stop commentary on every aspect of it. Yes, it did shake up our 747 as they opened up for the take-off roll, and we needed to do another cabin secure call after it had gone from sight, to be sure everyone was sat down again ! Another recollection must have been about 1980, in the dining room of the old Excelsior Hotel on the A4, with departures from 27R somewhat visible from the windows. Someone shouted "look, there goes Concorde" and about half the diners threw down their cutlery and rushed for the windows. If you were in the Business car park on the northside when it went, that was the best, it used to set off several hundred car alarms !
Yes, small Citation business jets are regular, plus the very occasional exec twin prop owned by someone with more money for fees than sense to go nearby.
Quite some years ago (1990s ?) I also seem to recall that, one Christmas morning, when the airport loses most (though not all) of its scheduled flights, there was a whole group of light Cessnas etc landed for a few minutes.
Regarding looking at Concorde, this was a never-ending fact, it was even more prevalent at JFK, where on taxi out every ramp worker from every airline, and anyone near a window, was looking at you. And I can remember being on Cathay awaiting departure from Heathrow 27R one evening when Concorde came out from T4, passing us all without stopping, and the Cathay skipper giving us all a non-stop commentary on every aspect of it. Yes, it did shake up our 747 as they opened up for the take-off roll, and we needed to do another cabin secure call after it had gone from sight, to be sure everyone was sat down again ! Another recollection must have been about 1980, in the dining room of the old Excelsior Hotel on the A4, with departures from 27R somewhat visible from the windows. Someone shouted "look, there goes Concorde" and about half the diners threw down their cutlery and rushed for the windows. If you were in the Business car park on the northside when it went, that was the best, it used to set off several hundred car alarms !
#1144
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: London
Posts: 1,542
On the theme of Concorde jumping the take off queue...
On one of my very few journeys onboard, we pushed back from T4 and I noticed a significant queue at the end of the runway. We taxied around the entire lot right to the runway, and the captain came over the mike to announce "oh how fortunate, ATC have found a slot for us". Wonderful.
On one of my very few journeys onboard, we pushed back from T4 and I noticed a significant queue at the end of the runway. We taxied around the entire lot right to the runway, and the captain came over the mike to announce "oh how fortunate, ATC have found a slot for us". Wonderful.
#1145
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
Posts: 40,167
Thanks chaps.
I bet the story behind that Chipmunk must be an interesting one.
I bet the story behind that Chipmunk must be an interesting one.
#1146
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 387
The airport authority eventually told us to stop anything and everything fun.
#1149
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 70
Was there a reason why concorde jumped the queues - i.e. trying to reduce engine time or fuel wastage etc? Or was it simply a matter of respect for such a great machine? I did notice that it didn't always get this privilege though?
#1150
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 387
It wasn't unusual to get a call in approach from BA, within minutes of the aircraft departing Barbados back to LHR, to advise it would only have minimal if any holding capacity back in London. The JFK flight could usually manage 15 to 20 minutes or so if necessary.
Then there were the calls to say it was on for the record time crossing and any chance of a no delay approach to see if they could break it...
In the terminal area it was an impressive performer. Could fly exceptionally quickly to relatively short final, or could fly really quite slowly as well, though the latter at a tremendous fuel and noise penalty. When light it went up like a lift and could also do a good impression of a brick on the way down.
Sadly missed from an ATC perspective.
#1152
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SE1, London
Posts: 23,359
Brilliant stories and insight guys - thank you.
#1153
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: LHR Air Traffic Control
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 868
Standard track Sierra Mike was the usual BAW1 or BAW3 oceanic clearance. However, if there was something preventing it (conflicting with AFR Concorde, or airspace closure/military exercise), we used to have to read out the latitude, longitude, flight level and sometimes speed for each oceanic waypoint, of which there were at least eight.....not good when the frequency is going like the clappers already, and you know from talking to Sector 23 Bristol that it's going to be a non-standard one, when you hear "Good morning Delivery, Speedbird Concorde One is half an hour to start, requesting Oceanic Clearance......."
Hey, Supervisor, I must be next for a break!
Hey, Supervisor, I must be next for a break!
#1154
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Canterbury, UK
Programs: BA Gold, IHG Diamond + Ambassador, Accor Gold, Avis President's Club, Heathrow Rewards
Posts: 2,471
I remember driving past Heathrow once when Concorde took off on my right hand side, the noise was deafening even in my double glazed car
Lovely sight, though, to be overtaken by Concorde
Can't remember exactly where I was at the time, but I assume it must have been the Bath road at a location where there was enough of a gap in buildings to see the northern runway.,,
Lovely sight, though, to be overtaken by Concorde
Can't remember exactly where I was at the time, but I assume it must have been the Bath road at a location where there was enough of a gap in buildings to see the northern runway.,,
#1155
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 387
As the roar of Concorde subsided on departure it was replaced by the sound of numerous car alarms going off in the car parks adjacent to the runway.