Leeds Bradford: Aircraft Movements, Flight Logs & Daily Heads Up

[Aviador]

That wouldn't be a problem in some countries!!

I do wonder how much difference would be made to the declared distances if trees, telegraph posts and bolders were removed from the top of the Chevin as this is potentially a plausible option. I have used A I to give me an idea but there's no point in posting it here in-case the data is completely inaccurate.

 

[Pudseylad]

I do wonder how much difference would be made to the declared distances if trees, telegraph posts and bolders were removed from the top of the Chevin as this is potentially a plausible option. I have used A I to give me an idea but there's no point in posting it here in-case the data is completely inaccurate.

I'd love to see it as I've often wondered just how much re profiling would need to be done.
There is or used to be a quarry on the Chevin, if only the operation hadn't been extended across the top!

 

[Aviador]

I'd love to see it as I've often wondered just how much re profiling would need to be done.
There is or used to be a quarry on the Chevin, if only the operation hadn't been extended across the top!

Ok well the first one was Deepseek which rambled on and on but after asking it to fact check itself it basically summarised with the following:

If you only remove trees, telegraph poles and any other man‑made obstacles on the Chevin, but do not cut into the ground, the critical change is that the highest point on the approach path drops to the bare‑earth summit (approximately 282 m AMSL). The current displacement of Runway 14 exists mainly because a taller object—almost certainly the Chevin radio mast plus maturing trees—penetrates the Obstacle Protection Surface (OPS) of the 3.5° PAPI.

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With bare ground only (282 m) and the existing 3.5° glidepath

· The 3.5° PAPI OPS slope is 2.6° (glidepath minus 0.9°).
· Distance from the full runway‑end threshold to the Chevin critical point ≈ 2 500 m.
· OPS height at that point if the threshold were not displaced:
193.2 + 2500 \times \tan(2.6^\circ) \approx 193.2 + 113.5 = \mathbf{306.7\ m\ AMSL}
· This is 24.7 m above the bare ridge.
→ No displacement needed. The full 2 250 m runway could be used for landing.

Even if the glidepath were lowered to a standard 3.0°

· OPS slope = 2.1°
· Height at the ridge without displacement:
193.2 + 2500 \times \tan(2.1^\circ) \approx 193.2 + 91.7 = \mathbf{284.9\ m\ AMSL}
· Still 2.9 m above the bare ground.
→ No displacement needed for a 3.0° PAPI either.

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What about the OLS (licensing surface)?

The OLS approach slope is a shallow 1 : 40 (≈1.43°). From the full runway end its height at the ridge would be only 255.7 m, so it would still be penetrated by 26 m. However, an OLS penetration does not automatically force a threshold displacement – it requires an aeronautical study and obstacle lighting/marking, but the runway can still be used from the very end if the operational approach surfaces (like the PAPI OPS) are clear.

Summary

Action Result
Remove all trees, poles and the radio mast, leaving bare Chevin at 282 m Displaced threshold on Runway 14 can be eliminated for both a 3.5° and a 3.0° PAPI. The full 2 250 m runway becomes available for landing, with no earthworks needed.

Remove only vegetation, leaving the mast The mast tip would still penetrate – some displacement would remain (amount depends on mast height).

Do nothing to the ground The OLS would still be broken, but that doesn’t force a displacement; it would be managed through obstacle assessment.

Bottom line: you don’t need to shave rock off the Chevin to use the whole runway. Removing the man‑made and natural obstacles on top of the ridge – particularly the radio mast and tall timber – would very likely be sufficient.

And on Gemini
Gemini basically agrees with Deepseek with the following figure for runway 14 LDA. All other figures remain the same including the Take Off Distance Available for runway 32 crucially with a 3.5 or 3.0 degree glide.

Removing the trees on the Chevin leaves the airport's physical footprint, takeoff parameters, and emergency stop distances identical. It acts solely as a surgical fix to lift the threshold restriction, handing operators an extra 448 metres of usable landing tarmac, drastically increasing the safety margins and maximum landing weights for larger commercial aircraft.LDA (Landing Distance)1,801m would become 2,113m + 312 metres usable

While it seems drastic to remove trees and (telegraph poles) it only refer to trees obstacles exceeding the physical height of the Chevin so would only impact a small number of trees.

The only way to increase take-off distances on 32 would be to get the bulldozers .

For obvious reasons this data must be treated with caution ⚠️

 

[Finger66]

Interestingly SOU needed was it Coppice Wood to be "trimmed". Sounds a little bit similar. Could you imagine the "*****" reaction! If only......

 

[BCFC]

That wouldn't be a problem in some countries!!

Weekend job in China….no planning needed, no GALBA…if the government says it needs doing…its done and very quickly.

Interestingly SOU needed was it Coppice Wood to be "trimmed". Sounds a little bit similar. Could you imagine the "*****" reaction! If only......

We all need to trim the ‘wood’ time to time…

 

[dmrodgers]

@LBA4EVER didn't you want them to bring the runway with it too!

That sounds like a good idea then we can have the medium to long haul flights that no airline seem interested in due to our short runway on the hill. haha

 

[LBA4EVER]

That wouldn't be a problem in some countries!!

Exactly, in other countries they just get on with the job! 💪👍

That sounds like a good idea then we can have the medium to long haul flights that no airline seem interested in due to our short runway on the hill. haha

You can add short haul to that too as currently no airlines seem to want to offer them either. Come on LBA team! 💪

 

[Pudseylad]

A big thank you for that Aviador, all seems well considered.
Why have the airport never looked at that?
I have always thought that landing was a bit tight on 14 (and really do prefer to see Leeds City centre when I'm on a flight into LBA!) and that was the crux of larger jet operations.
If limited work was carried out on and around the Chevin would that permit say 787 or A350 operations or is it (as you say, without bulldozers) the departures off 32 that would still inhibit that?

 

[BarnsleyHolidays]

Wizz Air Malta Airbus 321 Neo 9H-WNB is enroute from Warsaw Chopin and will make her first LBA visit in around forty minutes.

TUI Airways Boeing 737 Max 8 G-TUPH is programmed to make her first LBA visit on the early afternoon Palma de Mallorca turnround. Subject to change.

BH

 

[SierraHotel]

Anyone know why this afternoons EZY A320 from AGP is cancelled?

 

[BarnsleyHolidays]

TUI Airways Boeing 737 Max 8 G-TUMB has just arrived from Palma de Mallorca and is making her first LBA visit.

BH

 

[YorkshireLad]

Anyone know why this afternoons EZY A320 from AGP is cancelled?

OE-IJL suffered a 2 hour delay in Manchester, seems to be waiting to fly to Marrakesh at... 10pm. Maybe it's AOG in Malaga and won't be fixed until later. And of course both the inbound and outbound were very healthily loaded for one

This is why in the future I'll choose an alternative to easyJet wherever possible - I just don't trust them to operate my flight if things go wrong, compared to Ryanair who seem to attempt to operate every flight come hell or high water, and Jet2 have such a good record for operating every flight

 

[LBAYORKIE]

OE-IJL suffered a 2 hour delay in Manchester, seems to be waiting to fly to Marrakesh at... 10pm. Maybe it's AOG in Malaga and won't be fixed until later. And of course both the inbound and outbound were very healthily loaded for one

This is why in the future I'll choose an alternative to easyJet wherever possible - I just don't trust them to operate my flight if things go wrong, compared to Ryanair who seem to attempt to operate every flight come hell or high water, and Jet2 have such a good record for operating every flight

I agree, they have a reputation for cancelling and leaving pax in the lurch. Ryanair are less likely to do this. There's a reason why Easyjet holidays are cheaper than Jet2

 

[Finger66]

Maybe we are dodging a bullet with fewer U2 flights? LS have a loyal Yorkshire following and we don't want anyone else damaging the LBA growth they have contributed to. As has also been said, FR always seems to do what they can to operate. Both LS and FR should be applauded. All I can say re U2 today is "Sunday, Bloody Sunday"

 

[White Heather]

Just watched a very nice, rather ancient, Boeing Stearman biplane fly overhead Cookridge Tower and in for a 32 landing. It's years since I have seen a biplane in at LBA. They were ten a penny when I was little and a frequent sight over Tinshill where I lived.

 

[Seasider]

I agree, they have a reputation for cancelling and leaving pax in the lurch. Ryanair are less likely to do this. There's a reason why Easyjet holidays are cheaper than Jet2

I thought package tour operators were obliged to find the passengers another flight, even if it is on LS/FR

 

[LBAYORKIE]

I thought package tour operators were obliged to find the passengers another flight, even if it is on LS/FR

I would be interested to know exactly what they do. I suspect they simply cancel and offer to transfer the booking to another Easyjet flight. However finding one at short notice isnt going to be easy and I bet many could end up at Gatwick with the next challenge being how to get back to Leeds (for the car) in the middle of the night, possibly with several kids and all your bags and in time to start work on Monday.

Outbound pax face a similar problem.

I would be especially interested to know if pax who booked as part of an Easyjet (or Tui) holiday are treated any differently.

 

[CM.]

Jet2 A321 G-HLYF due in this evening 19:10 covering the tech Larnaca flight. Positions out to Manchester 20:00 stc

Believe the issue with G-GDFW was that it had a bird strike on approach to Larnaca.

 

[BarnsleyHolidays]

easyJet Europe Airbus 320 OE-ICD is just airbourne from Paris Charles de Gaulle and will make her first LBA visit in slightly over an hour.

easyJet Airbus 320 Neo G-UZEE is programmed to operate the early evening Belfast International rotation which will be her first LBA visit, subject to change.

BH

 

[CM.]

FR showing a Sky Alps Dash-8-Q400 9H-SOP due in tommorow afternoon 17:30 from Turin BQ2301

Departs tommorow at 21:30 back to Turin as BQ2302 thought to have been bringing in Torino football team for their game against Burnley