London City Airport Consultative Committee
Operational facilities and procedures
|
London City Airport Consultative Committee |
|
|
Operational facilities and procedures |
|
| |
||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
On this Page:Terminal Opening Hours Other Regulatory Requirements |
Related Pages |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Category |
Types of Aircraft |
| A | BAe 146, Avro RJ85, Fokker 70, Dassault Falcon DA10/50/900B/900EX, DHC 6, Embraer 135*, Piper Navajo, Citation II & V and the Citation Bravo |
| B | ATR 42, Fokker 50, DHC-8 (100), DHC-8 (300), Dornier 328, Saab 340, Piper Navajo 31, Piper Seneca 34, Beech 90 & B200, Mitsubishi MU2. |
| C | Saab 2000, Shorts 360 |
| D | Dornier 228, DHC-7 |
* Provisional
In 2006 there were 79,616 movements at the Airport of which 65,860 were air transport movements. The remainder were mostly private flights to and from the Jet Centre.
Traffic at the Airport is now approaching the original daily limit of 240 air transport movements. Pending the finalising of the Airport Master Plan the Airport in July 2006 applied for temporary planning permission to redistribute the current daily limits such that it would be permitted more daily movements Monday to Friday in exchange for fewer movements on Saturdays and Sundays and during quieter holiday times. The total annual movement of 73,000 movements would remain.
A copy of the application (No 06/01310/VAR) can be seen on Newham Council's website along with an officers report on the application (without maps). The application was approved unanimously by the Council's Development Control Committee on 24th January 2007. The Section 106 agreement needed to complete this process has been agreed and will be signed shortly.
The approved new temporary limits are shown in the following table alongside the previous limits set in the 1998 planning agreement:
Original Limits |
New Temporary Limits |
|
| Saturday | 140 |
50 |
| Sunday | 140 |
100 |
| Total Weekend | 220 |
140 |
| Weekday (except specified days): |
240 |
360 (providing 73,000 is not breached annually) |
| January 1 | 140 |
80 |
| Good Friday | 160 |
100 |
| Easter Monday | 200 |
120 |
May Day Holiday |
160 |
150 |
| Late May Bank Holiday | 200 |
140 |
| Late August Bank Holiday | 200 |
140 |
| December 25 | 0 |
0 |
| December 26 | 100 |
60 |
| Annual Limit | 73,000 |
73,000 |
It will be noted from the Council's report that some movements flowing from the operation of the Airport's Jet Centre do not rank as air transport movements and are not counted in the limits. It is proposed that when the Airport applies for a permanent permission these flights should be counted.
Early in August 2007 the Airport applied to the London Brough of Newham to vary the limits in the present airport planning permission so as to increase the number of permitted flights. If approved the new overall annual limit, which will apply to all movements including those to and from the Jet Centre, would be 120,000 per annum compared with about 81,000 such flights in 2006. This will allow for about three years growth by which time traffic at the Airport will be operating broadly in line with the capacity of facilities already built or approved This "interim" application does not seek permission to construct any new facilities. For more information visit our Looking Ahead page
ALL aircraft using the Airport must be of an approved type. To qualify for approval an aircraft must fit into one of the above noise categories and be capable of making an approach at 5.5 degrees or steeper (this compares with 3 degrees at most other airports). Helicopters and other vertical take off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, and aircraft with a single engine, are prohibited and flying for club or leisure purposes is not permitted. Type approval is given by the Airport's Operations and Control Department:
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7646 0241
Fax: +44 (0)20 7511 0248
E -mail: opsc@londoncityairport.com
Check with them for types already approved or to obtain new approvals. There is a current (October 2003) list of approved types on our Aircraft page along with brief details of the main airline types currently using the Airport and hyperlinks the to the web sites of the manufacturers.
All pilots must hold a Commercial or Air Transport Pilots Licence and have completed at least three approaches at 5.5 degrees or steeper.
MOST of the controls listed above are planning requirements.
The Airport is also subject to the ordinary regulatory requirements
relating to UK Airports administered by the Department of Transport
and the Civil Aviation Authority. 
For
information about the DfT's role in aviation visit the aviation
pages on their website. This inludes information on airport
security. Similarly, details of many
of the controls administered by the CAA an be accessed
via their website.
THE runway, at 17 feet above mean sea level, is constructed of concrete. In 2002 a scheme to reconfigure the runway was carried out including the widening of the original "starter" strips to full runway width and replacing the original arrester beds with high friction Runway End Safety Areas. As a result there is now a paved area of 1508m x 30m (5184ft x 98ft) plus turning areas at each end. Within this is the runway with the following "declared distances":
Source UK AIP 23/11/03
| Runway
Designator * see below |
TORA Take-off Run Available |
TODA Take-off Distance Available |
ASDA Accelerate-Stop Distance Available |
LDA Landing Distance Available |
| 10 | 1199 metres (3934 feet) |
1319 metres (4327 feet) |
1319 metres (4327 feet) |
1319 metres (4327 feet) |
| 28 | 1199 metres (3934 feet) |
1385 metres (4544 feet) |
1319 metres (4327 feet) |
1319 metres (4327 feet) |
* For aircraft taking off/approaching from the east the runway is designated Runway 28 after the heading on which approaching aircraft will fly to the runway threshold (the bearing is actually 276 degrees magnetic). For aircraft using the runway from the west the runway is designated Runway 10 after the reciprocal heading of 096 degrees magnetic.
Click
the thumbnail to see an outline (142k) of the runway and the
Airport's other facilities - for more detailed information for navigation
or other purposes please see the UK AIP Aerodrome Map obtainable via
our Aeronautical Data
Page.
There is high intensity approach lighting in both directions comprising a centre line with two crossbars. This is starts at 401 metres (1316 feet) from Runway 10 and 462 metres (1516 feet) from Runway 28. There is is also threshold, runway end and runway edge lighting.
There
is no parallel taxiway and aircraft arriving/departing have to "backtrack"
on the runway to take-off/taxi to the apron. Until the summer of 2003
this had the effect of limiting the number of arrivals and departures
to about 20 per hour per hour depending on the weather and other circumstances.
The attached usage chart illustrates
the hour by hour use of the runway on weekdays during the winter of
1999. It will be seen that there was pressure on the use of the runway
in the peak periods. To help deal with this the Airport, as
part of its Operational Improvements Programme,
has constructed a holding point for three aircraft at the eastern
end of the runway by building out southwards over the King George
V dock for a short distance. Completed in September 2003 this facility
allows for improved handling efficiency, especially in the peak hours.
It is also expected to reduce the impact of ATC delays in that it
provides space for aircraft using Runway 28 to wait for ATC clearances
without sterilising the runway for take-offs and landings by other
aircraft. It is thus expected to reduce substantially the number of
"go-arounds" by landing aircraft approaching Runway 28.[Video clip of Runway Hold in use - wmv file 1.8mb]
In another move to help maximise the use of the runway the ATC in the Summer of 2005 introduced Ground Movement Control (GMC). Coupled with the new holding point this allowed an increase in the the sustained rate of aircraft movements to 32 per hour.
StandsTHERE are fourteen stands for aircraft on the apron, 10 original and four more provided when the western apron was reconfigured in 2002. In addition there are stands at the Jet Centre for corporate aircraft. Click the thumbnail (left) to see a plan (79k) of the apron and the location of the stands. The stands are all "self- manoeuvring"- pilots steer their aircraft on to the appropriate stand lead-in line (as directed by ATC) from where they are directed by marshallers who turn the aircraft so that it is ready to taxi out for departure. There is thus no requirement for "push back" tractors as at many other airports.
In May 2007 the Airport announced it had placed a contract worth £19m with support services and construction company Carillion for the eastwards extension of the apron to provide five additional aircraft parking stands. The contract is for the construction of a 20,000 square metre concrete platform, supported by piles and built over the King George V Dock to the east of the existing terminal. In addition, a sound screen is to be incorporated to minimise noise impact of aircraft operations on neighbouring houses. Construction started in June 2007 and the new stands will be in service during the summer of 2008.
There is on YouTube speeded up footage which shows activity on the main apron at the Airport over a period of an hour - click here
The Airport is designated as a Schedules Facilitated (Level 2) airport in accordance with the IATA Worldwide Scheduling Guidelines. The Airporet employs Airport Coordination Limited to provide schedule coordination services and they have an on-site Coordinator.
THIS Programme of improvements will allow the Airport to deal efficiently with the growth in traffic up to the level approved in the 1998 planning permission. Full details of the programme are on our OIP Page.
Navigational
Aids- see Map (142kb)
THE Airport is equipped with the Instrument Landing System (ILS) on both runways. The ILS is a radio system which transmits two beams, the localiser and the glide path. The localiser beam defines the centre line of the runway and extends along the approach path for 20 miles. The glide path beam defines the angle or glide slope at which aircraft should fly while following the localiser course to approach the runway, safely clearing all obstacles.
Linked to the ILS is Distance
Measuring Equipment (DME) located at the mid point along the
runway.
This equipment gives a continuous readout to approaching pilots showing
the distance to the runway threshold. This is achieved by the aircraft
"interrogating" the ground equipment which, after a fixed
delay, replies to the aircraft. Knowing the delay between transmissions
and the reply, the equipment in the aircraft calculates the distance
and displays it on the flight deck.
There are also PAPI lights (Precision Approach Path Indicators) which gives pilots a visual indication whether the aircraft is above, below or "on" the prescribed glide slope. Both the ILS and the PAPIs are set at 5.5 degrees. his compares with 3 degrees at conventional airports.
The
Airport also has a Non-directional Beacon (NDB) to which pilots can
steer using ADF (Automatic Direction Finding) equipment.
Weather information is continually broadcast to pilots using Airport Terminal Information Service (ATIS) equipment and the Airport has special equipment, known as a transmissometer, for measuring visibility.
Although it is uncategorised, London City conforms to the requirements of a Category One airfield.
THE Airport has three de-icing rigs for aircraft and one for the runway. There are two runway snow clearing vehicles.
THE Airport's Air Traffic Control (ATC) services are provided by the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) under contract. There is a staff of 11 controllers and four engineers who work in two shifts. The team is also responsible for the maintenance of the Airport's air navigation systems. For more detailed information visit our ATC and Aeronautical Data pages.
THE Airport's Fire and Rescue Service is fully equipped to provide an immediate response to an aircraft accident or incident. Visit our Fire & Rescue Page for more information
Since September 2004 the policing of the Airport has been provided by CO18 Branch of the Metropolitan Police which is responsible for airport security at both Heathrow and London City. The unit responsible for London City, which includes both armed officers and comminity support officers, operates from North Woolwich Police Station which was specially upgraded to provide a reporting base and an armoury for their use. A representative of the unit attends meetings of the Consultative Committee as an observer.
Airport security and policing have been issues for debate since 2002 when Sir John Wheeler was commissioned to carry out a Review of Airport Security. For more information visit the website of the Liaison Group of Airport Consultative Committees.
It will be noted that one of the issues under discussion is that of the cost of Airport policing where there are perceived inequities arising from the "designation" of some, but not all, airports under section 25 of the Aviation Security Act 1982. There are currently nine airports designated for policing purposes - Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Birmingham, Manchester, Prestwick, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen. The primary responsibility for policing activity at these airports lies with the Chief Constable and the airport manager is obliged to make such payments in respect of policing the airport as the manager and the relevant authority may agree. If they cannot agree, the Secretary of State may be required to determine the amount to be paid to the police by the airport manager (section 26(3)).
At it's meeting in January 2007 the Consultative Committee heard that the Metropolitan Police Authority had written to the Secretary of State for Transport, seeking the designation of London City Airport under these powers. This would mean that the owners would pay the policing bill instead of taxpayers as at present.
The Airport commented that the Secretary of State had said he would not be designating any more airports under the present arrangements which had been under review for some time. The Airport was sharing in the review process through the Airport Operators Association (AOA) but meanwhile it had rejected a request from the Metropolitan Police to make a voluntary contribution towards policing costs not least because the amount involved would have been four times the amount payable per passenger at Heathrow - a designated airport.
Members commented that in circumstances where the level of policing at the Airport seemed to be settled elsewhere, and the primary threat which gave rise to that policing arose from the actions of other bodies, it was unreasonable to expect the Airport to meet the cost. It was recognised that airports attracted “ordinary” crime and sharing in the cost of dealing with this could be seen as more reasonable
An independent Consultative Committee established by London City Airport pursuant to Section 35 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982
Chairman: John Adshead Secretary: Stuart Innes
E-Mail
Page last modified: 22 February 2008
Operations
Control Centre
