http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4604466.stm

What kind of mind-set is at work that you have a plane in very serious difficulty, and you decide to steer it over the most densely populated area of the country? This is insanity. As well as changing policy urgently, those who put such policies in place should be investigated and held to account for their behaviour. Looks like we have had a very lucky escape, but there are people drawing salaries who devised this situation and they need to be dealt with and removed, as I have no faith at all in anyone who could allow this to happen. This is simply ridiculous. Why on earth couldn't that plane have gone north up to Stansted?

:ohno:

Aren't the skies carefully mapped out such that airplanes must follow certain landing paths? I'd imagine London's skies are very crowded, so if a plane is in the area and can reach a path into Heathrow, then air traffic control can schedule it to land there instead of having it cross paths and risk a mid-air collision.

Well... maybe Stanstead would have been a better option?

Bloody hell that's not good

I remember watching a TV show about a guy who predicted the 9/11 attacts.

He also predicted a plane crash in central London...was nearly right. :crazy:

Maybe he had to land at Heathrow because of the long length of the runway as well? I duuno, but if not, it seems strange they didnt direct him to Stansted or Gatwick.

lol.. did anyone read about this:


Planes 'seen in close encounter'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4660644.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/uk_enl_1138567284/img/1.jpg

Officials have denied any breach of safety after two planes were pictured apparently flying perilously close together over east London.

The aircraft - a DHL plane and a Japan Airlines jet - were reportedly seen flying over West Ham FC's Upton Park ground just after 1500 GMT on Saturday.

The Civil Aviation Authority said no near miss had been reported and it was impossible to tell how close they were.

DHL said both planes had landed at Heathrow with no safety lapses.

The photographer who captured the image told the Sunday Mirror he started taking photos after seeing the planes apparently coming together "on a collision course".

lol.. did anyone read about this:


Planes 'seen in close encounter'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4660644.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/uk_enl_1138567284/img/1.jpg

Officials have denied any breach of safety after two planes were pictured apparently flying perilously close together over east London.

The aircraft - a DHL plane and a Japan Airlines jet - were reportedly seen flying over West Ham FC's Upton Park ground just after 1500 GMT on Saturday.

The Civil Aviation Authority said no near miss had been reported and it was impossible to tell how close they were.

DHL said both planes had landed at Heathrow with no safety lapses.

The photographer who captured the image told the Sunday Mirror he started taking photos after seeing the planes apparently coming together "on a collision course".

Its a scary photo, but they're hundreds of metres apart apparently.

Reminds me of the bit in Father Ted where Father Ted is trying to explain perspective to the Ardal O'Hanlon character "Those cows aren't smaller, they're further away!"

Obviously the JAL plane is a lot bigger than the DHL one.

You can't see the vertical separation. :)

^ Exactly, there were more than 1000 feet apart. I can see why they could look like they're colliding as it does seem like that when you view them from beneath.

In the paper it says they were 1000ft apart vertically and more than 3000ft apart in total... I'd say 1km is pretty safe :)