Heathrow to allow aircraft to land closer together
Heathrow is aiming to halve delays for arriving passengers by becoming the first airport in the world to introduce a new system that allows flights to land closer together in windy conditions.
It said it will cut disruption for passengers by more than 1,300 hours each year.
Following a recommendation from the Airports Commission, which has been looking at how to squeeze extra capacity out of existing airports in the southeast of England, from spring 2015 air traffic controllers will start to manage arriving flights using the amount of time between them rather than distance.
Heathrow is the world’s busiest two runway airport and has been operating at 98% of its runway capacity for a decade.
In normal conditions a flight takes off or lands every 45 seconds. During strong headwind conditions, aircraft fly more slowly over the ground resulting in extra time between each arrival. Having to maintain a set separation distance in those conditions reduces the landing rate and causes delays.
Because Heathrow’s runways are full there are no spare slots into which to schedule delayed flights. This means that flights operate into the night or are cancelled.
Traditionally, flights have been separated by set distances dependent on the type of aircraft and the size of the spiralling turbulence – or wake vortex – they create as they fly.
NATS has studied over 100,000 flights using state of the art equipment to accurately measure the behaviour of aircraft wake vortices in strong headwinds. The results show that they dissipate more quickly in windy conditions, therefore allowing aircraft to be closer together on final approach while maintaining safety as the main priority, said the airport.
Director of airside operations Derek Provan said: "We’re pleased that NATS have accelerated the roll-out of this new system at Heathrow.
"It will help us keep the flights landing safely and on time during strong headwinds – ultimately benefitting passengers and local communities."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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