Heathrow Willing To Build Shorter Runway After Airline Outcry Over Cost
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article in The Telegraph.
This is the sub-heading.
BA and Virgin have objected to expansion plan that could see departure fees swell to as much as £100
These are the first two paragraphs.
Heathrow has said it is willing to build a shorter, cheaper third runway following an outcry from airlines over cost.
Europe’s busiest airport will indicate its readiness to negotiate with carriers over runway options when it submits a formal pitch to ministers next week, said Thomas Woldbye, the airport’s chief executive.
This is a map of the new proposal from the DfT.
Note.
- The current Northern and Southern runways, with terminals 5, 3 and 2 between them from West to East.
- Terminal 4 is South of the Southern runway.
- The runway shown in red to the North of the Northern runway is the current proposal for a full-length new runway.
- The runway shown in blue to the North of the Northern runway is the new proposal for a shorter-length new runway.
- The M25 can be picked out going North-South to the West of the current runways and the new shorter runway.
- But the M25 is crossed by the full-length new runway.
It would appear that the proposal for the new shorter runway will avoid putting the M25 in a tunnel.
So hopefully, it would reduce the cost and disruption incurred, by building the new shorter runway.
Was The Price Of Fuel A Factor In The Ahmedabad Plane Crash?
I am asking this question, as I know that a prudent airline, is careful where it buys the fuel for its aircraft.
I asked Google, if jet fuel is more expensive at Gatwick or in India and got this reply.
Jet fuel (Jet A-1/AVTUR) is more expensive at Gatwick Airport compared to India. At Gatwick, the price is 906.8 GBP/1000L. While in India, the price varies by location, for example, ₹97,975.72/kl in Delhi. This indicates that Jet A-1/AVTUR costs more at Gatwick than in India.
I suspect, if they can that Air India would prefer to fill up their planes in India.
Consider.
- The flight that crashed was AI 171.
- The aircraft was a Boeing 787-8.
- The Air India flight that crashed was flying direct to Gatwick Airport, which is a great circle distance of 4254.3 miles.
- Afterwards, it would fly from Gatwick Airport to Goa, which is a great circle distance of 4703.7 miles.
- Wikipedia gives the range of a Boeing 787-8 as 8410 miles.
As a former private pilot, who did many long flights, if I were Air India, I might use a strategy like this.
- Fill the plane with as much fuel, as it can carry at Ahmedabad.
- Fly to Gatwick on an efficient great circle route.
- Top up the plane, with enough fuel to fly safely to Goa, at Gatwick.
The cost of fuel would be minimised, but it would mean a heavy take-off at Ahmedabad.
The temperature at Ahmedabad yesterday was around the low thirties and as the altitude is only 53 metres, I don’t think it would have been a hot-and-high take-off.
Heart Aerospace Relocates Corporate Headquarters To Los Angeles, California
The title of this post, is the same as that of this news item from Heart Aerospace.
This is the sub-heading.
Hybrid-electric airplane manufacturer Heart Aerospace has announced the relocation of its corporate headquarters from Gothenburg, Sweden to Los Angeles, California. This strategic move aims to bolster the company’s product development in the United States, supporting the upcoming experimental flights of its Heart X1 prototype and the future Heart X2 prototype.
These two introductory paragraphs add ,ore detail.
Scheduled for its maiden flight in 2025, the X1 marks a major milestone in Heart’s innovation journey, setting the stage for X2.
“Our move to Los Angeles marks a new chapter in Heart Aerospace’s journey—one that prioritizes iterative development and deeper vertical integration,” said Anders Forslund, co-founder and CEO of Heart Aerospace. “For the X2, we’re developing key technologies like batteries, actuation systems, software, and hybrid-electric hardware in-house. This approach allows us to refine and enhance our systems continuously, just as we’ve done with the X1 prototype, which has seen extensive testing and major design updates since its initial rollout in 2024.”
In some ways, I find this move to California slightly sad, as I suspect most of those associated with the airliner, would have liked to see the development stay in Sweden.
This paragraph gives more details on the reasons for the move.
“We are deeply grateful to our team in Sweden for being part of this chapter of Heart’s journey, and for all the support we have received in Sweden,” said Anders Forslund. “However, as our customers, partners, and investors are increasingly based in the U.S, we see greater opportunity in focusing our resources here. By consolidating our operations in Los Angeles, we can accelerate development, strengthen collaboration, and better position Heart Aerospace for the future.”
They are not mentioned, but I do hope, Trump’s tariffs have nothing to do with it.
Gatwick To Accept ‘Stricter Limits’ On Plane Noise
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub heading.
Gatwick Airport has said it will accept stricter limits on aircraft noise and has put forward what it called improved plans in response to the government’s approval for a second runway.
These two introductory paragraphs give a bit of detail about the deal that seems possible.
Last month Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said that she was “minded” to give consent for the airport to bring its second runway into use.
Gatwick has now responded to the Secretary of State’s letter with what it called an “improved noise scheme for local residents.”
This certainly appears to be a fruitful start to negotiations.
The airport also seems to have put forward a package of proposals.
- The airport said it accepts a requirement to have 54% of passengers using public transport before it brings the Northern Runway into operation. – but it needs support.
- Gatwick said it needs help from others, including the Department for Transport, to meet the target.
- The full Gatwick Express train service should be reinstated.
- If the 54% public transport target is not achieved then an alternative cars-on-the-road limit should be met instead.
- If neither the public transport mode share or the cars-on-the-road limit are met, then the second runway would be delayed until £350m of road improvements have been completed.
- The airport also responded on sustainable design and reducing emissions.
I also think, we should note, that Heidi Alexander was seen at Newton Aycliffe, at the launch of Grand Central’s new trains, which I wrote about in Arriva Group Invests In New Battery Hybrid Train Fleet In Boost To UK Rail Industry.
It does seem, that after one trip to Hitachi’s factory in the North-East and she has softened her attitude on open access operators.
Perhaps, the sushi was excellent?
Since that trip to the North-East, Arriva Group have put in another application for an open access service, which I wrote about in Arriva Group Submits Open Access Rail Application To Connect Newcastle And Brighton, Via London Gatwick.
This proposal could mean the following.
- Lots of neglected places between Newcastle and Brighton get an improved and better connected rail service.
- Gatwick gets extra trains, which will increase the proportion of passengers going to Gatwick by train.
- Arriva Group’s owner ; I_Squared meet one of their corporate objectives of improving transport links.
- This could help the airport meet the conditions for a new runway.
- Hitachi get an order for a few more trains.
- An optimist, might even think, that this deal could result in some exports of Hitachi trains.
Being a politician, Heidi will claim the credit, if it all works out well.
The UK’s Worst Airport For Flight Delays Revealed
The title of this post, is the same as that, as this article in The Times.
This is the sub-heading.
The shortage of air traffic controllers is a European problem but some in the industry have blamed early retirement during the pandemic
These are the first two paragraphs.
Gatwick was the country’s worst airport for delays last year as it struggled with air traffic issues and capacity.
Departures were an average of more than 23 minutes late, according to analysis of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data. It is the second year in a row it has topped the late league table.
It does look that the first paragraph is saying they need more air traffic controllers and that second runway.
Ironically, one of the adverts in my copy of the article was for Avanti West Coast.
Doncaster-Sheffield Airport And Hydrogen
I believe that the airport of the future will need a lot of hydrogen.
I am probably more optimistic than most, that we will see hydrogen-powered aircraft by around 2035, as my calculations say it is probably the only way to move a hundred people by air at a time, without using fossil fuels.
Airports also have a large number of larger vehicles, that will I believe be ideal for hydrogen power.
Hydrogen buses and coaches will be more common, than they are now.
Heavy goods vehicles are likely to turn to hydrogen power.
Humberside has a large hydrogen network, which is fed by two massive hydrogen stores at AldBrough and Brough.
I suspect that Nimbys will object to hydrogen around airports on safety grounds.
But Doncaster Sheffield Airport could be an ideal location for an airport for hydrogen-powered aircraft.
London Gatwick Implementing Time-Based Separation On Single Mixed-Mode Runway
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Flight Global.
These four paragraphs introduce the technique.
UK air navigation service NATS has applied its intelligent arrival separation system to a mixed-mode single runway for the first time, with implementation at London Gatwick.
The system uses dynamic time-based – rather than distance-based – approach spacing in order to maintain sufficient arrival rates in strong headwind conditions.
Headwinds reduce the groundspeed of inbound aircraft flying at a set airspeed. This means a longer interval between two arrivals spaced a fixed distance apart.
“Having to maintain set separation distances in those conditions reduces the landing rate and can have a significant knock-on effect to the airport operation,” says NATS.
I have flown light aircraft onto main runways at major airports several times, including Cardiff, Dublin, Edinburgh, Hamburg, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Naples, Nice, Southend and Stansted.
In one approach I made to Dublin airport, this type of approach may well have been of assistance.
I was flying into Dublin in my Piper Arrow; G-JMTT.
- I had crossed over Anglesey to leave Wales and I was talking to RAF Valley, whilst I crossed the Irish Sea in more of a direct line for Dublin Airport.
- The RAF handed me over to Dublin Approach, who gave me a series of vectors to point me at the main runway at Dublin Airport.
- Dublin Tower, then gave me the instruction. “Tango-Tango Can you speed it up a bit! There’s a Jumbo on your tail!”
- I replied. “Affirmative! Tango-Tango!” I then lowered the nose and pointed it at the runway to speed things up a bit.
- Dublin Tower, then asked. “Tango-Tango On landing, can you expedite clearing the runway?”
- There was then a brief exchange, where I negotiated my route off the runway, by taking the first taxiway on the left and then stopping.
- After a safe landing and a stop on the taxiway, Dublin Tower called. “Tango-Tango! We’ll give you ten out of ten for that!”
- After which the Jumbo rushed past on the runway, with the pilot giving a quick laugh over the radio.
- Dublin Tower called. “Welcome to Dublin!”
The Irish have different ways of doing things!
But, seriously, NATS are probably just implimenting a computerised form of what good air traffic controllers have done for years.
In that arrival at Dublin, the controllers had stretched the time and distance between my small Piper and the Jumbo, so everything was safe.
There alternative would have been to delay one of the planes.
Conclusion
It looks to me that the application of a new algorithm by NATS, will squeeze a few more aircraft into Gatwick’s single runway.
Heathrow: Where Was The Redundancy?
In the early 1970s, I was involved in a small way, in the design of chemical plants for ICI.
When designing a chemical plant, you obviously want a plant that will have a high availability, so output is maximised, even if some parts have to be shut down.
With chemical plants, you might duplicate some reaction vessels, pipework or pumps for example.
But surely, when you are designing large infrastructure, it should be designed to keep going.
This document from Network Rail is entitled £140m Transformation Of Liverpool Lime Street Completed On Time.
These bullet points serve as sub-headings.
- Track, platform and signalling improvements
- Paving the way for bigger, better trains with more seats for more customers in future
- Part of the wider Great North Rail Project
- Part of #StationsDay – celebrating the £5.2billion investment to regenerate Britain’s rail stations
But I also believe two other important sub-projects were carried out during the work.
The Station Has Been Substantially Prepared For High Speed Two
Consider.
- Platforms were lengthened so they can accept 265.3-metre long eleven-car Class 390 trains.
- Platforms were widened, so they could handle the 607 passengers, that can be carried in an eleven-car train.
- There appears to be five full-size platforms numbered 6-10.
- Is there the possibility of a sixth platform, which is currently numbered E (for Emergency (?))?
- The approaches to the station have been remodeled, so trains can enter the station very efficiently.
- The Class 390 trains are going between Crewe and Liverpool Lime Street stations, in times that are not far off those expected from High Speed Two trains.
As Liverpool Lime Street will only need to handle half-length 200-metre long classic compatible High Speed Two trains, Liverpool Lime Street station is now ready for High Speed Two.
Liverpool Lime Street Station Is Now Effectively Two Five Platform Stations
This OpenRailwayMap shows the platform layout at Liverpool Lime Street station.
Note.
- The platforms indicated by blue dots with numbers are the ten platforms of the station.
- The platforms in the Northern-half of the station are numbered 1-5.
- The platforms in the Southern-half of the station are numbered 6-10.
- All platforms; 1-10 are electrified.
- The white line running diagonally across the map, shows the route of the loop of the Wirral Line.
Click the map to show it to a larger scale.
These are some of my pictures of the station.
It is without doubt, one of the best stations aesthetically and operationally in the world.
AI Could Make New Runways Obsolete
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Jewish News.
This is the sub-heading.
As Heathrow’s controversial third runway gets the green light and Gatwick looks on track for a second one, an Israeli tech innovation could reduce the need for such costly expansions.
These paragraphs add some detail.
IntellAct is a cutting-edge AI company that helps airports maximise efficiency, cut delays and save billions of pounds. By optimising ground operations and reducing aircraft turnaround times, it could spare airports the need for new runways entirely.
“The aviation industry is bleeding from a thousand cuts,” says Udi Segall, IntellAct’s founder and CEO. “Constant delays – with an average of 15.5 minutes per flight — add up to billions in costs. We saw a financial opportunity in how airlines manage their activities, and that’s where IntellAct comes in.”
IntellAct leverages big data and machine learning to provide airlines, airports and ground handling teams with real-time visibility into service performance bottlenecks and the ability to address them in a way that can yield significant operational improvements and a dramatic reduction in flight delays.
It’s an interesting thought.
I am reminded of a story from the 1960s, from ICI.
They had a polypropylene plant, that was notoriously inefficient, so a guy called Humphrey Bowen (?) used a discrete simulation program called HOCUS to create a board game of the chemical plant. This game was then played one Sunday, with beer and sandwiches between the various teams of production workers. It became heated at one point, but they did learn a lot about the behaviour of the plant and improved its efficiency.
I think it is true to say, that in the early 1970s, I worked with a bunch of interesting people at ICI Plastics.
These days, use might be made of a digital twin.
Gatwick’s Hydrogen Advantage Over Heathrow
The Future Of Hydrogen In Aviation
I believe that hydrogen will have a big future in aviation.
Powering Aircraft
It will be some years, but not as many as some people think, before we see hydrogen-powered aircraft in the air.
Airbus have produced this infographic of three possible hydrogen-powered aircraft.
Discover the three zero-emission concept aircraft known as ZEROe in this infographic. These turbofan, turboprop, and blended-wing-body configurations are all hydrogen hybrid aircraft.
I wrote a bit more about these three hydrogen-powered concepts in ZEROe – Towards The World’s First Zero-Emission Commercial Aircraft.
My best estimate is that we’ll see hydrogen-powered aircraft in the air by 2035.
Towing Aircraft Around
Most aircraft are very heavy and towing them around needs a lot of zero-carbon energy.
So I think it is likely, that at some time in the near future,tugs to tow large aircraft around an airport will be hydrogen powered.
If you type “hydrogen-powered aircraft tug” into Google, you get several sensible product developments, including ones from.
- Exeter Airport
- Teesside Airport
- The Royal Air Force.
- The US Air Force
Note.
- The involvement of the military.
- At least two of the tugs are conversions of existing equipment.
- The extra weight of the battery in an electric-powered tug, may make the realisation of a viable electric aircraft-tug difficult.
I suspect we’ll see hydrogen-powered aircraft tugs in use on airports around the world in the near future.
Long-Term Car-Park Buses
I would have thought that using hydrogen-powered or battery-electric buses to serve long-term car-parks at an airport would be an obvious application. But it does appear that airports using zero-carbon buses to serve long-term car-parks are not very common.
- Gatwick uses a large fleet of hydrogen buses to bring passengers and staff to the airport, but these don’t appear to be linked to car parking.
- Incheon Airport in Korea does appear to use hydrogen-powered buses.
Please let me know, if you know of any other uses of hydrogen-powered vehicles at airports.
Hydrogen For Heathrow
This Google Map shows Heathrow Airport.
Note.
- The M4 going across the map.
- The two main runways.
- A new third runway would go between the M4 and the Northern runway.
It is likely if the third runway goes ahead, the village of Harmondsworth will be flattened.
It is likely that supplying hydrogen to Heathrow will mean a hydrogen terminal somewhere South of the M4, which could be supplied by rail tankers.
Hydrogen For Gatwick
This Google Map shows Gatwick Airport.
Note.
- The current main runway with the emergency runway to its North.
- Because the runways are too close together they cannot be used simultaneously.
- To create a second runway, the two runways would be moved further apart and the current emergency runway would be enlarged.
- The Brighton Main Line runs North-South past the Eastern end of the main runway.
Gatwick’s expansion plan doesn’t appear to require any properties outside the airport boundaries to be demolished.
This Google Map shows Sussex between Gatwick Airport and Brighton.
Note.
- Gatwick Airport is indicated by the red arrow at the top of the map.
- Gatwick’s runways can be picked out under the red arrow.
- The South Coast is at the bottom of the map.
- The M23 and the Brighton Main Line connect Gatwick Airport and Brighton.
- Shoreham and Brighton are on the South Coast.
- Click the map to show on a larger scale.
Under current plans, the Ramplion offshore wind farm off the South Coast is going to be increased in size to 1.6 GW.
The simplest plan to provide large amounts of green hydrogen to Gatwick would be to build a large electrolyser in the Port of Shoreham and pipe it along the railway to Gatwick Airport. Hydrogen could also be shipped at night into the Airport using rail tankers.
There’s no doubt in my mind, that it will be much easier to supply large quantities of hydrogen to Gatwick, rather than Heathrow.
In 2023, I wrote Discover How Greater Brighton Is Championing The Transition To Hydrogen, which probably indicates that the locals and their politicians, would welcome the investment in hydrogen in their city.
It should also be noted that world class consultants Ricardo, who are very much involved in the development and promotion of hydrogen technology are based in Shoreham.
Liquid hydrogen could also be imported and distributed from the Port of Shoreham.
Brighton could end up as the South of England’s Hydrogen City.
The Anonymous Widower 