Reply to: Heathrow Third Runway? Option?

[swamp]

You could land a seaplane in the Serpentine. Ready made airport next to Hyde Park Corner!

[Mich the Tester]

As shown, the proposed airport is in the arse end of nowhere.

They are proposing building a couple of tunnels, each looks around the size of the Channel Tunnel!

...and some people think sea planes are inefficient!

[swamp]

As shown, the proposed airport is in the arse end of nowhere.

They are proposing building a couple of tunnels, each looks around the size of the Channel Tunnel!

[MPwannadecentincome]

Apart from many other good reasons not to build an airport in the Thames estuary, there are a lot of birds living there, and birds can cause a few problems.

Hmmm so flying to Hong Kong is not a good idea then...

[expat]

Apart from many other good reasons not to build an airport in the Thames estuary, there are a lot of birds living there, and birds can cause a few problems.

Another good reason to reintroduce seaplanes?

[Mich the Tester]

Apart from many other good reasons not to build an airport in the Thames estuary, there are a lot of birds living there, and birds can cause a few problems.

Especially when they get anywhere near your wallet.

[swamp]

What is wrong with a new airport in the Thames Estuary? They could build a new Thames Barrier while they are at it......

Apart from many other good reasons not to build an airport in the Thames estuary, there are a lot of birds living there, and birds can cause a few problems.

[BrilloPad]

What is wrong with a new airport in the Thames Estuary? They could build a new Thames Barrier while they are at it......

[Mich the Tester]

Trouble is, those planes will have to fly over Kensington & Chelsea - increasing actually annoyance by a factor of 10* for people who actually matter.

Good. The place is full of Merchant Wbankers and oligarchs, so they should empty the plane's bogs as they fly over.

[pleomax]

Trouble is, those planes will have to fly over Kensington & Chelsea - increasing actually annoyance by a factor of 10* for people who actually matter.

* made up figure. Can't be arsed to look up the real one.

I bet if the third runway was going to be in those areas it would sundenly become not viable!

Hey we do not need green spaces anyway, lets start at dover and cement the whole of Uk over!

[expat]

Are you comparing like for like? The floats on existing seaplanes are based on 60 or 70 year old designs. Quite possibly new designs would be much more efficient. They could also be made to retract if the plane's fuselage is designed to fit them.

Please, let's have a bit more can-do around here. We're techies, not feeble minded managers. The likes of us built the modern world. Managers gave us the pet rock and merchant banking. We're standing on the shoulders of giants like Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Alan Turing and Barnes Wallis. Let's do them justice and stop trying to pretend things are 'too difficult'.

Absolutely: there was no thought for streamlining then. But floats could retract, or indeed be efficient without retracting (and possibly carry wheeled undercarriage inside).

And FFS let's not only have some can-do, but some do-first-and-sell-to-the-world.

[Moscow Mule]

Does a new runway matter? IIRC heathrow is near some of the biggest sheetholes in London, so it can hardly lower house pirces or make the area any worse.

Trouble is, those planes will have to fly over Kensington & Chelsea - increasing actually annoyance by a factor of 10* for people who actually matter.






* made up figure. Can't be arsed to look up the real one.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Another bean counter spoiling the fun. Look mate, banks aren't economically viable, neither are labour governments and neither are social security systems and none of them will get you from the Thames to Lake Tanganyika, but we've had all three for a long time.

any government.

Does a new runway matter? IIRC heathrow is near some of the biggest sheetholes in London, so it can hardly lower house pirces or make the area any worse.

Biggest sheetholes in the UK surely

would you fly in a plane built by someone with nothing better to do?

tim

All planes are built by someone with nothing better to do.

[Moscow Mule]

I've just found a way to eliminate the chav problem & & London's airport expansion issues -

Kill & Dump 2 million chavs in the Thames Estuary and use them as basis for building BoJo's new airport.

Sorted.

[Mich the Tester]

Large seaplanes are simply not economically viable to construct and run due to the size, weight and drag factor caused by the massive floats. You see, a standard commercial jet, neatly packs aways it's landing gear after take-off. If they were left down, the increased drag factor would double the overal fuel consumption. Floats are way too big to fold away.

Are you comparing like for like? The floats on existing seaplanes are based on 60 or 70 year old designs. Quite possibly new designs would be much more efficient. They could also be made to retract if the plane's fuselage is designed to fit them.

Please, let's have a bit more can-do around here. We're techies, not feeble minded managers. The likes of us built the modern world. Managers gave us the pet rock and merchant banking. We're standing on the shoulders of giants like Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Alan Turing and Barnes Wallis. Let's do them justice and stop trying to pretend things are 'too difficult'.