Welcome

[Passenger Mark]

Hey Royd,

Well... I will break-in your new forum with the first question...

or question(s)

1. When I flew into Heathrow last summer from LAX we circled FOREVER!!! It was a strange pattern. We would take a wide spiral down, then go straight a bit, and then another wide spiral down, then straight again a bit. While in the "spirals" I could look up and down and see other aircraft in the same spiral above us and below us! Is this normal for Heathrow? And is Gatwick any better?

2. While in England, I flew BA from LHR to Manchester. We took off, and were barely off the ground when the FAs got up and started handing out the sandwiches! I am was use to everyone staying put till the bell dings. And then we climbed to about 18k according to the screen, and that is where we cruised.

So... I was wondering... in Europe are the rules different about how soon the crew can get up after takeoff? And Do aircraft usually cruise at a lower altitude there?

Ok... that is all I have for now!

ha ha

Thanks for this addition to the board!

Mark

[Passenger Mark]

A photo of you plane I found!!

[Lynda]

Hi Royd,

So glad that that you chose to be our very own UK pilot!


Lynda

[EditorASC]

Is it true that UK pilots fly on the wrong side of the sky? :run:

[WillFlyToDisney]

Bob,

It's not the wrong side, it's the LEFT side! ;)

Thanks Royd!

Kelley

[Falcon]

OK Mark,

1) You were in "The Stack" at Heathrow a small racetrack shaped pattern designed to make jets hover in the air. It is similar to the US model but the law is slightly different. You would have been put in the hold at a hogh flight level due to congestion and descended gradually in the hold. It sounds like you were in one hold possibly a higher level one then vectored to another holding pattern to get ready for your approach. Heathrow is notorious for these half hour holds, just what you need after a ten hour flight. Gatwick is slightly better yes.

2) Our policy is to ding the Girls and Guys after the flaps up no light call. The take off profile is:
400ft lateral Navigation mode selected
1000ft Autopilot engaged in command mode
1500ft Climb thrust Clean speed, Starts to accelerate for flap retraction.
Once the flaps are up and a vertical navigation mode selected we ding and are fine body of men and women spring in to action.
I don't know precisely how others do it but I would not expect much difference. The low flight level would have been selected by BA flight planning as the best option as with short flights the jets don't have time to climb before they are there

[Falcon]

Editor ASC,

The habit came from riding horses on the left of the road to leave your sword arm clear to defend youself and followed on to car driving. So we are doing it right:happyguy:

[Falcon]

OK thats all the questions taken care of so far. Thanks Mark for asking me to do this I hope that my small contributions will help.

[StPeteMark]

Editor ASC, The habit came from riding horses on the left of the road to leave your sword arm clear to defend youself and followed on to car driving. So we are doing it right:happyguy:
I guess left-handers didn't have a chance? :thinking: :)

[Passenger Mark]

Hey Royd!

Thanks for the answers.

And you are right, it seemed we were in that pattern FOREVER!

After flying for 10+ hours, and then to circle, circle, circle.

I could see England, I just couldn't touch it! ha ha

Next time I will try for Gatwick!

Thanks again - Mark

[Falcon]

Or Stanstead which has a rail link to London. We all hear over the London frequencies Heathrow traffic getting estimated delays and think " ouch"