LUTON

[Buster the Bear]

40 in a hour, BLIMEY! What is that sound I hear......is it the TMA creaking?

[CAP493]

I wonder sometimes whether the automated RVR readers have been set for an over cautious reading

The IRVR system at Luton (totally upgraded about 12 months ago) is set to and complies with, the operating criteria and parameters prescribed by the CAA. Routine and ad-hoc calibrations and diagnostics have shown that it continues to operate wholly within those criteria and parameters.

Whilst there's little doubt that on occasions, the readings do appear to be overly pesimistic, this is almost certainly caused by the local topography and due to the fact that the airfield sits on top of a 500 feet high hill creating effectively, a 'micro-climate'.

Following a recent reassessment of Luton's 'low visibility procedures' these are now only invoked at a visibility of 700 metres (it proved impractical to adopt the 'standard' 600 metres owing to the shortened approach lighting on Runway 08 [itself, due to local topography] and the higher minima JAR-OPS therefore, specifies).

What is that sound I hear......is it the TMA creaking?

The northern London TMA already 'creaks' at peak times, not because the guys doing the job aren't up to it or because they're not doing their best, but because the airspace is simply inadequate for the task.

Whilst some improvements were made to the east and northeast of Stansted, the airspace between City/Heathrow and Luton/Stansted has hardly changed in 10 years yet the traffic being generated by City, Luton and Stansted (and also Northolt in response to the Government's policy of 'encourging' civilian corporate aviation there, and the MoD's desire to bring-in much needed revenue) has more than doubled over the same period.

Unfortunately, a few senior 'eyes' were clearly not on the ball and the CAA's ability to respond in a timely fashion to the needs of the industry it regulates is pretty lacklustre anyway with the net result that the airports concerned - and the ATC units/ATCOs involved - are now having to cope with the consequences of a lack of planning and anticipation which has only recently, been acknowledged and so is beginning to be addressed.

40 movements/hour at Luton next year is likely when the traffic 'mix' is approximately 65% to 75% arrivals and this is the probable 2006 scenario - based on initial forecasts - two or three times a day. The problem that will arise is if Luton's departures are simultaneously stopped or significantly delayed because this will very rapidly lead to ground/stand congestion and a 'Full House' situation as the additional stands and extended apronage cannot be constructed without obtaining local authority planning permission and so is not expected to be in place until 2007.

Still, why should airports such as Luton and their associated airspace be treated any differently to the UK's major motorways (have you tried driving on the M4, M25, M27, M42, M62 or M8 during 'rush hour' recently...??)

[antilla]

CAP493

Isn't your statement that "the airspace between City/Heathrow and Luton/Stansted has hardly changed in 10 years yet the traffic being generated by City, Luton and Stansted ....... has more than doubled over the same period" rather understated.

Luton's traffic is now FOUR times, and Stansted's is SIX times, what it was. That's somewhat "more than doubled", isn't it?


You then ask "why should airports such as Luton and their associated airspace be treated any differently to the UK's major motorways (have you tried driving on the M4, M25, M27, M42, M62 or M8 during 'rush hour' recently...??)"

Are you serious? Planes stuck in solid nose-to-tail traffic, crawling at snail's pace for miles at a time, or just grinding to a complete standstill? Really?


You also claim that "a few senior 'eyes' were clearly not on the ball" and that "the CAA's ability to respond in a timely fashion .... is pretty lacklustre anyway".

That's REALLY nice - the airports expand dramatically, and everyone else is to blame for not responding quickly enough and providing the airspace they needed. Isn't it just possible that the airports were a teeny bit irresponsible in expanding so quickly before the necessary aerial infrastructure was available?

[King Pong]

The Category 1 downgrade is exactly as happened at Birmingham some years ago during a major runway resurfacing

So why can't you have Cat 3 when the runway is being resurfaced?

[CAP493]

So why can't you have Cat 3 when the runway is being resurfaced?

Because LLAO is undertaking a major runway lighting upgrade at the same time and during part of the runway overnight closure period, the available lighting won't fully comply with Cat. 2/Cat. 3 spec.

... the airports expand dramatically, and everyone else is to blame for not responding quickly enough and providing the airspace they needed. Isn\'t it just possible that the airports were a teeny bit irresponsible in expanding so quickly before the necessary aerial infrastructure was available?

To quote the illustrious Captain Blackadder: \"Have you visited the Planet Earth recently?\"

City, Luton and Stansted airports are all commercial companies that rely on building up their business to survive and to generate profit. There is no such concept as being \"irresponsible\" - the UK is a deregulated business environment which in theory, enables airports and airlines to develop where and when there is demand for their services.

The \'aerial infrastructure\' cannot be put in place before the need rises because the CAA\'s policy and protocol - dictated by Directive from the DfT - specifically requires an airport to demonstrate a current need. This is the reason why the whole system of airspace and procedure planning in the UK is so badly out of alignment with demand.

My comparison with the UK\'s major motorways was not supposed to be taken as being a serious suggestion, but rather, to make the point that road (and rail...) transport planning in the UK is just as poor and just as short-term.

As for \"...planes stuck in solid nose-to-tail traffic, crawling at snail\'s pace for miles at a time, or just grinding to a complete standstill\" (your words not mine ) this is exactly what is happening on occasions and what will happen even more frequently in the short- to medium-term simply because demand is outstripping capacity and the ability of the CAA (as the Regulator) to respond.

[King Pong]

Cap 493 wrote

Because LLAO is undertaking a major runway lighting upgrade at the same time and during part of the runway overnight closure period, the available lighting won't fully comply with Cat. 2/Cat. 3 spec.

Thanks for the info, you are a mind of information but if the runway lighting is already CAT 3 how can it be upgraded or do you mean replaced?

[Cahlibahn]

Looks like the runway works start tomorrow night!

** NEW ** A2427/05 (AGA) Monday, 14 Nov 2005 23:59 to Tuesday, 28 Feb 2006 04:00

Runway 08/26 WIP. Closed Mon-Sat 0001-0400, available for 10 min period between
0150-0220 for scheduled movments. Cl0sed Sun 0001-0545.
Open trenches will exist 3 m from outside edge of runway shoulders 450MM
wide, 800MM deep during the operating windows.
Locations of open trenches shall be broadcast on luton ATIS,
last departure permitted 2345 hours.

[LTNman]

The Minutes of the September 19th meeting of the LLACC have just been released at http://www.llacc.com/ViewFile.asp?ID=106 The minutes includes the following:

A planning application has gone in for a new helicopter hangar and associated facilities for the Chiltern Air Support Unit at a different location at the airport as the existing facilities are conflicting with other airport operations.

A review of the drop off area and bus/coach pick up points will involve substantial works over the coming months and a decision is still awaited on the EU Funding for the Tracked Transit System Terminal Link with Parkway Station.

[CAP493]

...if the runway lighting is already CAT 3 how can it be upgraded or do you mean replaced?

More modern light fittings, and changes to others.

Whilst the actual runway resurfacing takes place the runway centreline and touchdown zone lights will of course, be disabled as these are flush fittings.

[King Pong]

So tonight is the first night of a 9 month programme spread out over the next 12 months that will see Luton’s runway being closed at night. And just when you thought it will all be over in a years time the runway will no doubt be closed again in 2007 as the full length parallel taxiways are dug out and attached to either end of the runway. Not a good time to be operating freight out of Luton?

[OLNEY 1 BRAVO]

Impact on Freight Operations

I think some credit needs to be given for the timing of the closures for as far as I can see it is only MNG Cargo with their often erratic timings that are potentially being impacted.

There are not actually that many scheduled cargo services. All of them depart before 24.00 so no problems there.

As for arrivals, well the 04.00 re-opening means that the Emerald Shorts from Kassel is slightly incovenienced, but the DHL 757 normally arrives just before 04.00 and the Atlantic Electra after 04.00 so no problems there.

The DHL flights that used to operate during the early hours of Saturday morning have gone back to Heathrow for the winter so no impact there either.

I'm normally critical of the airport, but I do think some thought has been given here.

[Powerjet1]

Full details of the new Styrian Spirit service starting on 17 Dec is now on LTN's website(pretty quick for them). However, still nothing about BMI's proposed Brussels service ex LTN frm Mar 06. Notice bookings are still being accepted online, but didn't someone say the service would not now be operating. Anyone know anymore.

I already have a ticket in my hands for the service, and have not received anything from BMI, at the moment anyway, to the contrary.

[Buster the Bear]

That ticket might prove to be quite valuable one day if the route never starts!

I wonder how many advance bookings they have taken without even marketing it yet?

It would appear that Luton Relic did indeed get part of his story correct about Air Berlin and Alicante, only the Spanish media said that it was happening from Luton, in reality it was announced today that the route will start from Stansted in direct competition with easyJet.

I think all that warm air has finally got to him!

[LTNman]

I have heard that BMI have yet to confirm the service with the airport

[LGS6753]

From STN the only competitor to ALC is EasyJet, who Air Berlin have been gunning for since EZY opened up at SXF.
If they had started LTN-ALC they would have been up against both EZY and MON, as well as the Ryanair MJV.

So, it's not Air Berlin that's coming, who is it?

Current (Scheduled) destination count is 55 for S06:

Inverness Edinburgh Aberdeen Glasgow Isle of Man
Waterford Knock Shannon Galway Dublin
Jersey Lorient Amsterdam Paris Nice
Nimes Zurich Geneva Basel Grenoble
Bremen Berlin Stockolm/Sk Rome Venice/Tr
Milan/B Cagliari Athens Turin Bratislava
Budapest Klagenfurt Gdansk Warsaw Krakow
Katowice Poznan Barcelona Reus Gerona
Alicante Madrid Palma Mahon Malaga
Gibraltar Murcia Tenerife Faro Lanzarote
Las Palmas Belfast Larnaca Paphos Brussels?

Obvious gaps are:

Guernsey
Lisbon
Bordeaux
Cologne/Dusseldorf
Denmark (Esbjerg or CPH)
Ibiza
Naples
Sicily
Malta
Prague
Baltic States
Sofia

etc.

Wonder how many gaps will be filled?

[LTNman]

I think some credit needs to be given for the timing of the closures for as far as I can see it is only MNG Cargo with their often erratic timings that are potentially being impacted.

There are an average of 11 movements per night between 00:00 and 04:00. Most of those I guess can be shifted.

[Cahlibahn]

Wouldn't Moscow be an obvious LoCo destination? I flew Wizz to Poznan last week and was impressed with the load factor on both out and return sectors.

[Buster the Bear]

Moscow, not going to happen, airlines are awaiting the 'open skies' policy ahead of Bulgaria and Romania joining the EU, to launch flights.

Until Russia joins the EU, bilateral policy dictates routes and prices to a certain extent.

Sofia and Bucharest are at the extremities of low cost routes, but once the skies are open, my bet is that Wizz will fly to Luton from at least one direct?

Other possible routes from Luton?

Lorient should be the start of more flights to second home owner locations in France

Cork
Sofia
Bucharest
Latvia
Estonia
Almeria
Lisbon
Porto
Malta
Jersey daily
Finland
Newcastle
Derry
Newquay
Munich
Rotterdam
Maastricht
North coast of Spain


The list is endless!

[Powerjet1]

Monarch Sch have released their S06 flights from LTN & LGW today. Surprisingly, no GIB flights ex LTN. Don't know if this is dropped or just not in the system yet.

A note at the end of their press release mentions 'more flights to come'.

[GOLF-INDIA BRAVO]

With all these new routes coming on line
who needs BA

From what I have been told Air Southwest
provide a very good product which appears to be speaking for it`s self.
With FlyBe yet to announce their extra services for 2006 Manchester now has a
very impresive domestic network with only
the northeast of England missing


G-I-B