EGLL London Heathrow - Real Traffic - Monday 6th August 2018

[james143611]

                                    

Here is my first custom schedule I've created for Tower 3D Pro! 

All traffic is based of Flightradar24 playback feature. This took longer than anticipated, as all departures are shown up as 00:00UTC, so I had to look at each plane that departed, search the flight number in FR24 Data search, scroll down to the 6th August to find it's booked departure time. So all departure times in this schedule are as booked, not what time they actually pushed back on the day. Arrivals, however, are exactly how they arrived on that day, in that order.

DOWNLOAD FILE

VERSION V1.1 WITH MINOR FIXES

https://www.dropbox.com/s/h5r85xc416svkg9/EGLL-Monday-2018-V1.1.zip?dl=0

INSTALLATION

First you need to backup your airlines.txt file in ..\..\Tower 3D Pro\Extensions\Airfields\EGLL to somewhere else, or rename it to airlines-BACK.txt

Then replace it with the airlines.txt folder in the ZIP file. This changes the airline CO (Continental) to CO (Cobalt Air) which is used once.

Then backup your schedule.txt file in ..\..\Tower 3D Pro\Extensions\Airfields\EGLL to somewhere else, or rename it to schedule-BACK.txt

There is various folders (0700 - 0900, 0900 - 1100 etc) each containing a schedule.txt file. This is 2 hourly schedules so pick one 2 hour session you wish to run and drop it where the original file goes. A full day schedule in one text file doesn't work, probably as the gates are overloaded! In reality a fair amount of aircraft are towed away from gates and parked up.

REALISTIC OPERATION

If you want to have the exact runway operations that were in use that day, then you should use 27R for the first hour of landings. Between 0600 and 0700 you should open up BOTH 27R AND 27L for landings. This is the hour when just about everything comes from the USA and Asia. There is arrivals just about every minute and both runways are used for landings. There are some departures, you can try and shoot these in gaps, or just hold them at the holding points, don't leave them at the gates or you'll get penalties!

From 0700 to 1500 you should use 27R for landings, and 27L for takeoffs.

From 1500 to 2300 you should use 27L for landings, and 27R for takeoffs.

The above is for real operations, but of course you can run it in any format you like!

 NOTES

- For arrivals on 27L, keep an eye on aircraft using Terminal 4 on the South side, you will need to give the 'Take Next Available Exit On Left' instruction, otherwise they will exit right, and then you have to taxi them round on A, crossing 27L to come back onto S. 
KLM, Air France, Air Malaysia, Korean Air, Gulf Air, Aeroflot, Saudia and Air Malta are ones that come to mind that use this terminal. 

- When using 27L for landings, FlyBe Dash 8's can take a long time rolling out to the turnoff. You'll find the aircraft behind is rapidly catching up and the runway isn't clear, meaning you'll have to give a go around instruction. If you can remember to look early when a FlyBe is calling in on approach, you can get the plane behind to land on 27R instead. I did this once and it works, as the Dash 8 is then (just!) clear for the number 2 arrival to land on 27L.

- Try to push back aircraft sooner than later. Sometimes T5 can become a mess and littered with BA arrivals and departures, but you can always use 'Hold Position' on taxiing arrivals so you have room to pushback some planes. Forgetting to do this results in waiting penalties. Once you've pushed one back or holding one at holding points you can delay them then if needed, you won't get peanalised.

- If you need to asses something, use the pause button! I had to try to figure something out on the taxiway route, and because I was distracted for no more than 10 seconds, I missed a landing clearance!

Demo video here:

 

I hope you enjoy it! I have tried each 2 hour slot and I have yet to get no penalties! Every time I seem to get at least one delay penalty.

If highly requested, I might try to carry on the weeks schedule, but it would only be if there's enough interest as it is tome consuming, and soon I'll need to buy another months Business subscription to FR24 for me to carry on Tuesday - Sunday schedule.

 

Any feedback is most appreciated!

 

James.

[Salad]

Thanks for the work and comprehensive notes James, looking forward to having a go at this.

I generally try to run as close as I can to reality (real world controllers would have a good laugh, but hey...) I also try and line up departures so that they alternate between going north/south and allowing required distance between heavies etc. It actually works quite well.

Graham

[james143611]

2 hours ago, Salad said:

Thanks for the work and comprehensive notes James, looking forward to having a go at this.

I generally try to run as close as I can to reality (real world controllers would have a good laugh, but hey...) I also try and line up departures so that they alternate between going north/south and allowing required distance between heavies etc. It actually works quite well.

Graham

Thank you! 

Hope you find it ok, yes I tend to try to space out heavies and A320 etc busses, firing out as many A319/320's/B737's etc out, then I try to give it two minutes, and fire out some heavies, and then a small gap before putting the smaller ones out again. Interesting to see this pattern on the FR24 playback.

I try to wait for something to touch down before giving clearance for one to take-off, as IIRC you can't have one on the finals and one taking off at the same time, but in busy periods it's quite often I forget that as I'm doing a thousand things at once.

I was trying these myself at 100% traffic levels, and scoring about 1,000 - 1,100 points (after the penalty points). Should be going in the real tower at that time and going 'right, hold my beer!' 🤣

[Salad]

LOL hard to do it all on your own. I have an excel just sitting offs creen with a list of destinations and the direction they will go after departure. I really hope the next version has the sector exit gates but that's another story...

I wasn't aware of the rule re waiting for touchdown before allowing a departure, must try it although I fear I will fail miserably.

[Salad]

Great schedule James, I've worked 0500-0700 "interesting" using both runways for arrivals and trying to squeeze departures in between. My goodness me don't they take forever to vacate as well as line up. It almost ended in tears a couple of times...

Got through 0700-0900 results...

Just one issue, BAW233 at 0845 hrs shows up twice but with two different aircraft types.

Thanks again, what a blast!

[pete_agreatguy]

@james143611, mind if I add your schedule to my main list?

[james143611]

12 hours ago, pete_agreatguy said:

@james143611, mind if I add your schedule to my main list?

No problem at all, thank you 🙂 

[corrigancr]

On 2/9/2021 at 7:01 PM, james143611 said:

Thank you! 

Hope you find it ok, yes I tend to try to space out heavies and A320 etc busses, firing out as many A319/320's/B737's etc out, then I try to give it two minutes, and fire out some heavies, and then a small gap before putting the smaller ones out again. 

 

You wait 2 minutes between a narrow-body departure and a heavy departure? What's the purpose? A narrow-body is no wake turbulence risk to a heavy... I understand the other way round. 

[james143611]

On 2/20/2021 at 5:30 AM, corrigancr said:

You wait 2 minutes between a narrow-body departure and a heavy departure? What's the purpose? A narrow-body is no wake turbulence risk to a heavy... I understand the other way round. 

There is a table somewhere but for the life of me I cannot find it anywhere now typically!!

Sorry I meant firing out the narrows, then as many heavies as I dare squeeze out THEN leave a two minute gap for the turbulence category, which I think was 120 seconds.

You are right I don't think there is one for narrows and heavies, there must be something for the Dash 8, I do leave a small gap before sending a 747 off after a Dash has gone off, seeing as it takes some time for it to get speed it seems 😄

[Salad]

I have aWake Turbulance Catagories.docx sheet with the times on it but I go off another I found which has distances. Much easier than looking at the clock I can use the range rings as a guesstimate.

[MJKERR]

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[Salad]

Thanks for that MJKERR, out of curiosity when does the 90 seconds start, commencement of takeoff roll or when the wheels leave the runway?

[MJKERR]

X

 

[Salad]

Interesting, thanks for posting.

[MJKERR]

X

[Kenno]

Hi, and thanks for posting James. I have been waiting for someone to dig into the archives and post a real schedule for Heathrow - my favorite airport.

I've been doing some compiling - mostly to even out the departures so there's not as many planes calling for push back at the same time. A minute between push backs is most useful.

However I have discovered the schedule block 15.00 to 17.00 does not work. I am assuming there are errors in the schedule file.

I did find the 16.00 departure to DOH has airline QA on the last item, this should be QR. I also found the 15.00 arrival from EDI should be airline #B not BA.

I corrected both, but still no planes when launching Tower.

I'm not sure if I'm missing something, or any other errors. Does anyone else have this issue, and any solutions?

Thanks.

[hexzed]

Line 30

has a comma instead of a colon.

Fix this it should work 🙂

[Kenno]

Thanks hexzed, well spotted. Yes that did the trick. All good.

Thanks again to James for posting the schedule. I know it must have taken ages to put together.

[james143611]

Thank you @Kenno and @hexzed

I've uploaded a new file in the original post with Version 1.1, fixes are:

- Deleted duplicate BAW233
- fixed error with BAW715, replaced 16,30 with 16:30
- typo with code QA, corrected with QR
- type with code BA, corrected with #B

Thank you all for the help with the errors

@Kenno you are right it did take ages 😄 I'm sorry for the 3 - 4 blocks of departures at the same time. I did try to spread it out a bit by not having anymore than 3, with sometimes 4, at any one time calling for push. The problem is Flightradar playback feature doesn't show the booked departure time for historic playback. I purchased the Business account hoping it would be easy, but it wasn't! I couldn't just go by what time they appeared on the map as that would take ages to find each one on a congested ground map, so I had to click on each one that was taking off the runway, search for the flight number in FR24, scroll all the way through it's 3 year history for that flight to August 2018 and find out it's booked departure time, and rinse and repeat for the next one!

It was the only way I could find of doing it and not missing out a flight. Arrivals were just done as they came in on the playback.

@Salad in terms of departures in the morning when it's dual arrivals, yes squeezing out departures is just a waiting game unfortunately! I noticed on the FR24 playback that they were pushed back a bit late (probably as there was no rush!) and then they just sat at the holding point until the dual landings eased off!

 

[MJKERR]

X

[Ron C]

On 2/22/2021 at 4:33 PM, Salad said:

I have aWake Turbulance Catagories.docx sheet with the times on it but I go off another I found which has distances. Much easier than looking at the clock I can use the range rings as a guesstimate.

Thank you for sharing your wake turbulence sheet.  Agree about it being easier to use the range marks than constantly having to have to look at the clock (especially when you are busy).  What source did you use for your sheet? 

 

On 2/22/2021 at 5:04 PM, Salad said:

Thanks for that MJKERR, out of curiosity when does the 90 seconds start, commencement of takeoff roll or when the wheels leave the runway?

 In case your question hasn’t been answered yet, I offer the following.  I don't know about non-US ICAO procedures, but according to FAA Order JO 7110.65y, “Air Traffic Control” para 3-7-6e2 (refers to wake turbulence departure separation minima) “Takeoff clearance to the following aircraft should not be issued until the time interval has passed after the preceding aircraft begins takeoff roll”.  I hope this helps.

[Salad]

Thanks for that Ron C, the chart I found whilst researching Dubai on release which is here...

https://www.skybrary.aero/index.php/Airbus_A380_Wake_Vortex_Guidance

-Graham

[Ron C]

@SaladThank you.

-Ron

[MJKERR]

X

[MJKERR]

X