Major Heathrow consultation launched in January
8th January 2019
Heathrow Airport launched a major public consultation today. It runs for 12 weeks until 4th March.
Key Points:
Runway alternation in West London will be cut from half a day to a third of the day to allow for alternation on a third runway if it is built. The consultation is asking for views on how this should be implemented.
Significant changes to airspace are proposed to allow for vast swathes of London and the Home Counties, which currently get all-day flying, to get respite from the noise for the first time. It applies to both arrivals and departures.
HACAN has released its response to the consultation. Please feel free to use it to inform your own response should you wish. It can be found at: http://hacan.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/HACAN-response-to-Heathrow-Consultation-1.pdf
And here is the response of our sister organisation HACAN East: http://hacan.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Heathrow-Consultation-response-from-HACAN-East-1.pdf
For a 2 page summary of the runway alternation and respite proposals click: http://hacan.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Heathrow-Consultation-briefing-arrivals-runway-alternation-and-respite-1-1.pdf
For a 1 page summary on the departure proposals click: http://hacan.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Heathrow-Consultation-briefing-departures-1-1.pdf
The night period when there are no scheduled flights allowed will be extended from 5 hours to six and a half hours. Views are sought on how this should operate.
For a 1 page summary of the night flight proposals click: http://hacan.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Heathrow-Consultation-briefing-night-flights-1.pdf
Views are sought on whether ‘westerly preference’ should remain – this is where planes continue to fly as if a west wind is blowing when there is an east wind (of up to 5 knots)
For a 1 page summary on the westerly preference proposals click: http://hacan.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Heathrow-consultation-briefing-westerly-preference-1.pdf
Heathrow is proposing to bring in 25,000 extra flights a year in the years running up to the opening of any third runway. Some of these flights will use new dedicated flight paths called Independent Parallel Approaches.
For a 2 page summary of Independent Parallel Approaches click: http://hacan.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Independent-Parallel-Approach-briefing-1.pdf
The full Heathrow document is here: http://hacan.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Heathrow-Airspace-and-Future-Operations-Consultation-document-Final-low-res-1.pdf
Here’s a link to where and when the Heathrow consultation exhibitions will take place: http://afo.heathrowconsultation.com
Here’s a powerpoint we have put together highlighting how different areas could be affected by the consultation proposals: http://hacan.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Heathrow-Airspace-Consultation-1.pdf