Out of interest, is there a website with maps of the flightpaths?
Apparently, they have to be very careful, as Heathrow landing planes fly over City airport!
All the information is in the
in the Aeronautical Information Service website.
This chart shows, for example, how the aircraft leave the stacks at Biggin Hill or Ockenham to follow the approach path to line up to land on runways 09L or 09R. At the point on the chart marked I-AA D10 or I-BB D10, about 6 miles west of Windsor, the aircraft descend to 2500 feet, on a 3 degree glidepath. I reckon that puts them below 1500' as they pass a mile or so south of the Castle. Inbound flights are generally quieter than outgoing flights. For the latter, noise abatement procedures are in place, as described by eightf48455, although probably won't make much difference to Her Majesty. The change of runway in use during the day helps to spread the misery, and give some relief. Modern aircraft, with high bypass engines, are much quieter than their predecessors. Flights arrive and depart into the wind, which dictates the direction. The prevailing wind is from the west, although in fine weather it tends to be from the east. This, more than anything, shows why Heathrow is in the wrong place, as all flights arrive or depart over London. Paris has its major airports north and south of Paris, giving a lot less flying over heavily populated areas.
Being careful over City airport is a bit of a red herring. Pilots are careful everywhere as a rule. Heathrow is in Category A airspace, and you are not allowed in there without an air traffic controller directing your every move. City airport is in Category D airspace. That is controlled to a lesser extent, but you cannot enter the zone without clearance. There are standard instrument arrival and departure procedures for each airport, designed to keep the aircraft at a safe distance from each other. You need not be alarmed, someone has thought about this. If you flew directly down the runway at London City, with no control inputs or wind, you would pass over Heathrow and Filton.
During the current sports event in London, just about everywhere east of Oxford is being treated as one big control zone, with the threat of being joined by a Eurofighter or getting a missile up the jacksie if you don't do what you are told.[/THREADDRIFT]
