Landing On The (disused?) Runway In LGW — Civil Aviation Forum

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Landing On The (disused?) Runway In LGW

Thomsonfly From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2005, 229 posts, RR: 5
Posted (1 year 9 months 6 days 7 hours ago) and read 2318 times:

Hi
I landed back from IBZ on a ZB A321 in the early hours of Sunday 21st Aug. Much to my surprise, we landed on the shorter northern runway (08L/26R) which I thought was only used as a taxiway these days? Would this be due to maintenance? There was a Virgin 744 landing in from BGI shortly behind us, but I'm guessing that would have had to be switched back to the main runway?

Just odd, but made a nice change!

6 replies: All unread, jump to last

RubberJungle From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2010, 290 posts, RR: 0
Reply 1, posted (1 year 9 months 6 days 7 hours ago) and read 2252 times:

This NOTAM shows the runways are occasionally switched:

RWY 08R/26L CLSD. RWY 08L/26R IN USE 1440-1620. LGT FOR CLSD RWY
AND PARALLEL TWY NOT VISIBLE ON APCH. THERE IS A 10 MIN CHANGEOVER
PERIOD WHEN NO RWY WILL BE AVBL. LAST DEP 5 MIN BEFORE CHANGEOVER. 23 AUG 14:30
2011 UNTIL 23 AUG 16:30 2011. CREATED: 23 AUG 09:34 2011

JRowson From United Kingdom, joined May 2004, 345 posts, RR: 13
Reply 2, posted (1 year 9 months 6 days 7 hours ago) and read 2147 times:

It's been used a fair bit at night over the last few months due to maintenance works on the main runway. Feels very weird to be floating half way down the airfield before touching down.

James Rowson. Canonite and lover of all things L. JAR Photography.

clydenairways From Ireland, joined Jan 2007, 1003 posts, RR: 0
Reply 3, posted (1 year 9 months 6 days 7 hours ago) and read 2147 times:

Its not a disused runway, it's a backup runway used when required.
Aeronautical is published and kept up to date for that runway.

Thomsonfly From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2005, 229 posts, RR: 5
Reply 4, posted (1 year 9 months 6 days 4 hours ago) and read 1773 times:

Thanks for the info, I can see why people would think/consider it as 'unused' as it's not main operation. Was interesting though.

Thanks again

Babybus From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2003, 3514 posts, RR: 6
Reply 5, posted (1 year 9 months 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 1471 times:

Any aircraft can use the alternate runway. I remember 744s landing on it in the past.

They do tend to come in very low over the terminal which can be a bit scary.

and with that..cabin crew, seats for landing please.

skipness1E From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2007, 2382 posts, RR: 0
Reply 6, posted (1 year 9 months 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 1396 times:

I was flying GLA-LGW on a Sunday evening a few weeks back when the Captain came on the PA to apologise for being a half hour late out of Glasgow and to advise we would be holding for 40 minutes shy of Gatwick as they were on 26R. The landing capacity is massively reduced as Taxiway J cannot be used as the same time as something is using 26R / 08L as a runway.
Awesome landing as we were so high on the approach and then had to taxi all the way towards the North Terminal, under the bridge and all the way back round to pier one. Longest hold in the captain's career and longest taxi at Gatwick ever.

Was quite chuffed to do it, also a little jealous that the A319 that was taking me MAN-LGW a few weeks later landed on 23L at MAN!

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