Starting from November 2011 the BAA are planning the first of two three months trials with a view to introducing more operational freedom at Heathrow airport. The Government are allowing BAA to trial ‘Mixed-mode’ operations at Heathrow where both runways can be used simultaneously.
BAA have produced a video to explain the trial, ‘Runway operation trial at Heathrow’.
For a more detailed description of the arrivals process see online leaflet
Part of this trial is to suspend the practice of ‘runway alternation’. Currently there is runway alternation which occurs weekly and means residents in West London have respite from the aircraft noise, either in the mornings or afternoon's. Runway swap over currently occurs at 3pm daily and changes every week on a Monday.
People and groups are expressing concern that changes in runway operation could have a worsening effect on residents, including here in Brentford Dock, where we live virtually under the flight path for Heathrow's Northern runway also called 27 Right.
It is important that there is feedback to BAA, Government and Hounslow local council during these trial periods.
Here is a link to the page with more info about trials. Scroll down to the bottom of the page, to the section 'Further Information', for email addresses to use to log your views.
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Feedback FormThanks for posting this article; I'd otherwise not have known about this trail period. Having read the available literature I agree that the rationale for the trails is too ambiguous. So far it seems the planes are further apart but it's through out the day. We'll sign up to note our disagreement with "mixing".
Here is a link to the page with more info about trials. Scroll down to the bottom of the page, to the section 'Further Information', for email addresses to use to log your views.
This is a really bad idea, having respite from the noise and knowing when this will be is the only way it is bearable to live in Brentford Dock (which is a place I love). This is another way for the Goverment to bring in changes through the back door, mixed mode will be the norm before with know it.
Scrapping the practice of runway alternation could have serious noise consequences for residents. If the runway alternation does finish it will mean very little respite throughout the day from aircraft landing overhead Brentford, Unchalleged this could allow BAA to increase flights substantially at Heathrow in the future.
Local Councils are very concerned by the prospect too....Hounslow Council’s own website and 2M Group (which is an all–party alliance of local authorities) state their views very clearly in the below.
It is a further worry that residents recently received information from BAA Heathrow regarding the “Night Noise insulation scheme” ahead of the ending of the night flight quota system introduced in 2006 and due to end in 2012?
We recently wrote to our local Conservative MP Mary Mcleod to voice our concerns and would urge others to do so too. In her response she claims “the Coalition Government remains firmly committed to the use of runway alternation during normal operations” but also states that “any changes to runway alteration will be in exceptional circumstances”.
From experience, complaints to BAA’s own website when aircraft have landed on the Northerly Runway out of sequence has simply resulted in us being told the deviation was for operational reasons?
Also, claims in the BAA literature that “the trial will not mean an increase in the number of flights operating in or out of Heathrow “ doesn’t seem to support the need to change the current alternation policy?
It is no surprise that the second 3 month trial co-insides with the London Olympics thereby giving BAA total flexibility in handling the many additional flights this will bring into Heathrow!’
We need to clarify what all this means as any ambiguity could make it easier for the airport operator to justify the introduction of so called “Mixed mode”.(where aircraft can use 2 runways simultaneously to land or take off).
Given that the new Transport Minister Justine Greening is the MP for Putney , it would also be interesting to find out what her opinions are on less noise respite for her west London constituents?
It is very important that there is feedback during these trial periods, Without resident comment or reaction , BAA could argue that they did not get any noise complaints or only had X amount of complaints. They could then use these statistics to boost the case for " Mixed mode" with a view to making this custom and practice in the future.
