Heathrow Airport`s normal runway operating patterns will resume in September following…
Heathrow Airport`s normal runway operating patterns will resume in September following the completion of the airport`s £40m runway resurfacing project.
The project which has taken two years to complete and has involved more than 150 engineers, began in 2001 with the resurfacing of Heathrow`s northern runway. It will end in a few weeks with the completion of the re-surfacing of the southern runway.
To minimise the impacts on the local community and the airport`s flight operations, work has been undertaken at night-time largely between 10.30p.m and 6a.m Sunday night to Friday morning. Latterly this has meant closing the southern runway with the limited number of landings and departures at night taking place on the northern runway.
When the project is completed, our normal runway operating patterns and noise reduction measures (runway alternation and the Cranford agreement) will resume.
Use of the southern runway by Concorde has also been restricted throughout the works following a recommendation from Airbus (Concorde`s manufacturers). Most recently this has mainly affected departures. However, from Monday 1 September until its retirement in October, all Concorde flights will be able to use both runways.
Runway resurfacing has to be undertaken at busy international airports every 10-12 years in order to maintain the quality and strength of the asphalt surface, and to combat wear and tear from aircraft usage.
The £40 million project has also included upgrading of runway lighting to ensure that highest safety standards are maintained. Strengthening the runways will also assist Heathrow in accommodating A380 superjumbo aircraft, likely to come into service in 2006.
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