Hello everyone.
Please allow me to explain. I work from home and have noticed I find myself looking to the skies alot more often.
I have lived in Sydenham a fair few years and was always aware of the sort of 'W' effect of planes going to Heathrow. One side comes over Beckenham banking over Catford Hill and Bell Green[ish] and heads to Forest Hill/Honor Oak and onto LHR. The other side comes over Lee and Catford and joins up to go over Brockley/New Cross.
So that's fine. These planes are generally still very high at this point (mainly above cloud height) and not too much of a nuisance - we only get them for half the day after all.
About half an hour ago a pretty large plane buzzed the roof-tops (City Airport traffic) and banked right over the hill. It was much larger than the small 4 engined affairs. I saw it yesterday also. Twin engined and pretty large this one was.
Coupled with the increasing frequency of the Police helicopter which seems to be forever buzzing overhead en-route to refuelling and spends most of it's life hovering over the Wells Park area (as is my observation).
What I'm trying to say and sorry if this has been covered but frankly if I wanted to live under a busy and noisy flighpath I'd have chosen to buy in West London and suffered Jumbo Jets dropping on our heads every minute! BUT if this larger plane heralds a shift in bigger planes using City Airport then I might think seriously of leaving this lovely area.
Sorry to almost rant and I appreciate it IS irrational (aren't all pet-hates) but I feel like Ray Liotta in that scene from GoodFellas! You know the looking up at the sky all the time scene?
Anyone else noticed this increase?
Am I mad?
Looking to the skies...
Hi Ulysses,
The chances of larger aircraft using LCY are very unlikely. All aircraft that use LCY have to be capable of flying on a steep glide path (5.5 degrees) due to the surrounding buildings and only a few passenger aircraft are certified to do so. Also the runway is relatively short (1500 metres) which again limits the size of aircraft that can use the airport.
The twin that you saw may have been an Embraer 190SR which started trials into LCY at the end of March.
Anorak off.
The chances of larger aircraft using LCY are very unlikely. All aircraft that use LCY have to be capable of flying on a steep glide path (5.5 degrees) due to the surrounding buildings and only a few passenger aircraft are certified to do so. Also the runway is relatively short (1500 metres) which again limits the size of aircraft that can use the airport.
The twin that you saw may have been an Embraer 190SR which started trials into LCY at the end of March.
Anorak off.
Hi Marathon,
That's her. She did seem a good deal noisier than the smaller planes we tend to get. I'm hoping that it keeps to one par day which is mainly what I think I've noticed albeit only twice this week.
I know I need to get out more but I was a little shocked when I first heard and saw her screaming toward me! I initially feared the worst, I must admit as it appeared to be a plane more suited to LHR...
I hope most carriers don't make the switch from the normal more 'waspish' planes that follow Sydenham Road on their landing approach to this model.
That's her. She did seem a good deal noisier than the smaller planes we tend to get. I'm hoping that it keeps to one par day which is mainly what I think I've noticed albeit only twice this week.
I know I need to get out more but I was a little shocked when I first heard and saw her screaming toward me! I initially feared the worst, I must admit as it appeared to be a plane more suited to LHR...
I hope most carriers don't make the switch from the normal more 'waspish' planes that follow Sydenham Road on their landing approach to this model.
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nork1
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Better get some earplugs and an industrial sized fly swatter - BA are going to start/have started using similar sized planes (A318) daily from London City to New York.Ulysses wrote:I hope most carriers don't make the switch from the normal more 'waspish' planes that follow Sydenham Road on their landing approach to this model.
Really? Thank you for the info nork1.
It does seem as if it's calmed down again - I haven't seen the other bigger one much lately. I think it might even have had a BA livery on (the one I saw) but I could be wrong - perhaps I noticed it as Airbus tend to have more 'whiny' engines?
A bit like me!
I just hope it doesn't get any worse is what I am thinking. The level of air-traffic is manageable - it's hardly Myrtle Avenue.
http://www.spotterswiki.com/index.php?t ... (LHR/EGLL)
But if too many more make the switch regarding City Airport it will be something to think on.
Thank you to you both.
EDIT: Tidied up the link. See 2.7 for Myrtle Avenue.
It does seem as if it's calmed down again - I haven't seen the other bigger one much lately. I think it might even have had a BA livery on (the one I saw) but I could be wrong - perhaps I noticed it as Airbus tend to have more 'whiny' engines?
A bit like me!
I just hope it doesn't get any worse is what I am thinking. The level of air-traffic is manageable - it's hardly Myrtle Avenue.
http://www.spotterswiki.com/index.php?t ... (LHR/EGLL)
But if too many more make the switch regarding City Airport it will be something to think on.
Thank you to you both.
EDIT: Tidied up the link. See 2.7 for Myrtle Avenue.
Last edited by Ulysses on 7 Apr 2009 09:25, edited 2 times in total.
Good thinking ALIB. You could well be right given that things have returned to normality. My only thought against this would be I'd imgine Heathrow is much more 'drilled' in receiving these sensitive Political targets?
Barty - thank you. It is funny how many aviation enthusiasts there are. I was in The Dolphin with a friend the other week and heard it. He and I ran out to see it. Turns out he's a buff also! He was convinced we get Biggin Hill traffic also but I must say I only notice the large and high LHR stuff. And the City stuff as that follows Sydenham Road.
I would like to point out I am not a plane spotter - I just need to get out more!
Barty - thank you. It is funny how many aviation enthusiasts there are. I was in The Dolphin with a friend the other week and heard it. He and I ran out to see it. Turns out he's a buff also! He was convinced we get Biggin Hill traffic also but I must say I only notice the large and high LHR stuff. And the City stuff as that follows Sydenham Road.
I would like to point out I am not a plane spotter - I just need to get out more!