Airport Live BBC 2 17/6/13 20.00

lord lucan · 12-06-2013 3:55pm #1

Heads up folks,BBC 2 are beginning a 4 part series called Airport Live that looks at LHR and all the various ops that go with a large international airport. Seems to be a mix of live and pre-recorded segments.

There's a few video trailers for the show here:http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p018t3xg

crosstownk · 16-06-2013 10:00pm

lord lucan wrote: »

Heads up folks,BBC 2 are beginning a 4 part series called Airport Live that looks at LHR and all the various ops that go with a large international airport. Seems to be a mix of live and pre-recorded segments.

There's a few video trailers for the show here:http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p018t3xg

Don't forget this one folks. Tomorrow night at 8pm on BBC 2. Sounds like its well worth a watch.

Sky box set on series link.......... It's running on Tues, Weds & Thurs too.

joegriffinjnr · 17-06-2013 7:43pm

Thanks for the heads up. Just hit the record button on the owl box.

donvito99 · 17-06-2013 8:06pm

Interesting so far, one EI a/c spotted already.

A320 · 17-06-2013 9:02pm

Good show,very good how some of it was live!!

youreadthat · 17-06-2013 9:07pm

Wonder what happened to Dan Snow.

jamo2oo9 · 17-06-2013 9:24pm

I really enjoyed it. Gave me such a nice insight to everyday ops of Heathrow. My dad seemed to enjoy it a lot and I definitely can't wait for tomorrow night's episode.

Bummer1234 · 17-06-2013 9:28pm

Great show... I really Enjoyed it and looking forward to tomorrows.

crosstownk · 17-06-2013 9:28pm

Interesting programme. I watched it with FR24 running on the iPad.

I'm looking forward to the next instalment.

WhatYaSay · 17-06-2013 9:37pm

Really enjoyed it tonight, fairly unbelievable access they've been given to the entire airport. Reminds how much I'm working in completely the wrong industry! How would those lads have gotten to aircraft dispatch, worked up from ground/baggage role?

17-06-2013 9:48pm

Aww no :mad:!- I'm after missing tonight's episode. And BBC don't do repeats as a rule. Will def be tuning in for the rest of it.

L1011 · 17-06-2013 10:01pm

inthehat wrote: »

Aww no :mad:!- I'm after missing tonight's episode. And BBC don't do repeats as a rule. Will def be tuning in for the rest of it.

BBC do a huge number of repeats. It'll either be on BBC4 in a few months or another BBC channel during the week. If its on after 11pm its probably a signed repeat, which are a little bit distracting to watch but if you want to see a show enough, you'll cope.

lord lucan · 17-06-2013 11:59pm

Excellent show,thoroughly enjoyed it and really looking forward to the following programmes.

Jhcx · 18-06-2013 12:29am

Was on the check in when got my notification. Thank god for iplayer. would love a lot of people to watch the show would give them a better insight into what really goes on. The passengers really dont know what is done

EI-DOR · 18-06-2013 1:36am

I really enjoyed it. Would make you want to become an ATC very easily. Looking forward to the remaining episodes!

Peregrine · 18-06-2013 1:56am

I didn't really expect much so I only recorded it to watch whenever. It seems you all enjoyed it so I must watch it tomorrow asap and catch the rest of it live.

conor_ie · 18-06-2013 9:39am

Fecks sake I missed it... anyone know where I'd be able to watch it online... bbc iplayer is a no no!!

Will defo record the rest of it!!

fryup · 18-06-2013 1:39pm

excellent programme

love to work in a airport, esp the job of towing the aircraft

Peregrine · 18-06-2013 2:44pm

Oh wow

When they said Airpot Live..they weren't kidding

Can't wait for today's episode now

highlydebased · 18-06-2013 5:19pm

Here's episode 1 on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozYdENqyu-g

Looking forward to tonights.

lord lucan · 18-06-2013 10:34pm

Tonights was pretty good too. They're really trying to cover as many ops as they possibly can. Even Mrs. Lucan who has zero interest in aviation took an interest in the show and was asking lots of questions. If it gives the non-aviation enthusiasts even a bit of an idea of what goes on behind the scenes at a major airport then it's doing something right.

dukedalton · 18-06-2013 10:42pm

I've watched both episodes so far and they've made for fairly informative and entertaining viewing. Personally I have found the best segments to be those that were pre-recorded; the interaction between the presenters and the workers during the live segments seems to me to be awkward and contrived. Which leads me to wonder, why did they decide to make this a live show? Why not make a recorded series instead?

lord lucan · 18-06-2013 10:53pm

dukedalton wrote: »

I've watched both episodes so far and they've made for fairly informative and entertaining viewing. Personally I have found the best segments to be those that were pre-recorded; the interaction between the presenters and the workers during the live segments seems to me to be awkward and contrived. Which leads me to wonder, why did they decide to make this a live show? Why not make a recorded series instead?

I think the live aspect was meant to give it an extra edge and give an idea of real time ops at the airport,like turnarounds for example. The original presenter pulled out due to family reasons at the last minute and the woman who is at the tower stepped in. Aviation is obviously not her forte,even admitting she doesn't like airports,and she looks a bit out of her depth. The guy,Dallas,seems very into it and seems to know a reasonable amount about the industry.

fryup · 19-06-2013 1:02pm

didn't realise there was so much to learn with the taxi'ing batts

A320 · 19-06-2013 1:05pm

fryup wrote: »

didn't realise there was so much to learn with the taxi'ing batts

There's not much.yer man fairly milked it!!!

Preset No.3 · 19-06-2013 3:08pm

Couple of points:

The A check of the 747 showed a video of checking the blades of the engines, did anyone notice the date on the screen. Sometime around 2011.

Also, Heathrow is an airport so several airlines are going in and out of there every day. This programme looks like a serious love-in for British Airways!! :mad:

Maybe the BBC could be a bit impartial and interview some Virgin, Aer Lingus, and other airline people and not just the BA ground crew, BA chief pilot etc.

In case you are not aware, but Aer Lingus is the 3rd largest holder of slots at Heathrow and not a look in for the green there.

BBC - VERY ONE SIDED!!! :mad::mad::mad::mad:

Cookiemunster · 19-06-2013 3:22pm

Preset No.3 wrote: »

Couple of points:

The A check of the 747 showed a video of checking the blades of the engines, did anyone notice the date on the screen. Sometime around 2011.

Also, Heathrow is an airport so several airlines are going in and out of there every day. This programme looks like a serious love-in for British Airways!! :mad:

Maybe the BBC could be a bit impartial and interview some Virgin, Aer Lingus, and other airline people and not just the BA ground crew, BA chief pilot etc.

In case you are not aware, but Aer Lingus is the 3rd largest holder of slots at Heathrow and not a look in for the green there.

BBC - VERY ONE SIDED!!! :mad::mad::mad::mad:

Didn't see last night but on Monday night they were in a Qantas A380 and a Singapore A380 and they compared BA turn around with a Virgin turn around. Hardly one sided.

Peregrine · 19-06-2013 3:26pm

Preset No.3 wrote: »

Couple of points:

The A check of the 747 showed a video of checking the blades of the engines, did anyone notice the date on the screen. Sometime around 2011.

Also, Heathrow is an airport so several airlines are going in and out of there every day. This programme looks like a serious love-in for British Airways!! :mad:

Maybe the BBC could be a bit impartial and interview some Virgin, Aer Lingus, and other airline people and not just the BA ground crew, BA chief pilot etc.

In case you are not aware, but Aer Lingus is the 3rd largest holder of slots at Heathrow and not a look in for the green there.

BBC - VERY ONE SIDED!!! :mad::mad::mad::mad:

A love in for British Airways?? In Britain?? By the British Broadcasting Corporation?

Somebody call the cops..

In yesterday's show Dallas was in a Qantas A380 being towed iirc and the two turnaround managers, one was BA other was Virgin.

BA chief pilot? I wouldn't know too much about this but..what would an EI chief pilot be doing in Heathrow? And in case you're not aware BA is much much bigger than EI in Heathrow, EI might be the 3rd largest slot holder but it's dwarfed by BA.

Edit: Sorry not yesterday's episode, Monday night's episode.

Shamrock231 · 19-06-2013 3:53pm

Isn't Aer Lingus now the second biggest operator of flights out of Heathrow since they started doing the Virgin Little Red flights?

Peregrine · 19-06-2013 4:11pm

Shamrock231 wrote: »

Isn't Aer Lingus now the second biggest operator of flights out of Heathrow since they started doing the Virgin Little Red flights?

Well..in 2012 they were the 5th largest airline operating out of LHR in terms of passengers. I'm not sure what the Little Red wet lease would do to the numbers this year but even then..that's just a technicality to the passengers and the show's producers isn't it?

Here are the passenger numbers:

BA - 31,675,000
Virgin - 3,710,000
Lufthansa - 2,386,000
AA - 2,229,000
Aer Lingus - 2,069,000

So British Airways carried 15 times more passengers than Aer Lingus and 10 times more than Virgin from Heathrow in 2012. In terms of movements Aer lingus is the fourth largest, but BA is still 14 or 15 times larger. Of course there were more BA flights in the show than EI, Preset No.3.

Shamrock231 · 19-06-2013 4:18pm

I wasn't disputing that Virgin and others carried more passengers, they use much larger planes so that's certainly going to be the case, though in terms of flights into and out of LHR, I think EI now operate the second largest number.

A fraction in comparison to BA who own just over half the slots at LHR, EI operate about 4% of the slots, so that'd be a clear explaination of why BA was such a presence in the show.

Reoil · 19-06-2013 4:38pm

Preset No.3 wrote: »

Couple of points:

The A check of the 747 showed a video of checking the blades of the engines, did anyone notice the date on the screen. Sometime around 2011.

Also, Heathrow is an airport so several airlines are going in and out of there every day. This programme looks like a serious love-in for British Airways!! :mad:

Maybe the BBC could be a bit impartial and interview some Virgin, Aer Lingus, and other airline people and not just the BA ground crew, BA chief pilot etc.

In case you are not aware, but Aer Lingus is the 3rd largest holder of slots at Heathrow and not a look in for the green there.

BBC - VERY ONE SIDED!!! :mad::mad::mad::mad:

Jesus, some people will complain about anything.

spank_inferno · 19-06-2013 8:45pm

This show is facinating!

jamo2oo9 · 19-06-2013 9:14pm

Preset No.3 wrote: »

Couple of points:

The A check of the 747 showed a video of checking the blades of the engines, did anyone notice the date on the screen. Sometime around 2011.

Also, Heathrow is an airport so several airlines are going in and out of there every day. This programme looks like a serious love-in for British Airways!! :mad:

Maybe the BBC could be a bit impartial and interview some Virgin, Aer Lingus, and other airline people and not just the BA ground crew, BA chief pilot etc.

In case you are not aware, but Aer Lingus is the 3rd largest holder of slots at Heathrow and not a look in for the green there.

BBC - VERY ONE SIDED!!! :mad::mad::mad::mad:

I hope you watched tonight's show because it wasn't "one-sided" with features of Virgin Atlantic and British Airways. It was nicely split up so this should make you happy. BBC aren't one sided as you exclaimed previously so just be patient.

EI-DOR · 19-06-2013 9:16pm

Yes it is absolutely brilliant. Even has the rest of the family sitting down to watch it!

robertxxx · 19-06-2013 11:11pm

See how quick them lads replaced a bit of the runway the size of a football pitch!! Should of got that crew for the m50 upgrade and it would of being done in a month!!

Would love to be an ATC doing the night shift there, something eery about the place at night

Preset No.3 · 20-06-2013 1:42am

jamo2oo9 wrote: »

I hope you watched tonight's show because it wasn't "one-sided" with features of Virgin Atlantic and British Airways. It was nicely split up so this should make you happy. BBC aren't one sided as you exclaimed previously so just be patient.

Yes I saw the virgin bit tonight, but all in all it is still very 1 sided towards BA. Now if you would like to climb down off your high horse that would be great.

Preset No.3 · 20-06-2013 1:44am

Reoil wrote: »

Jesus, some people will complain about anything.

Yes and I like complaining over the constant BBC bias!

Peregrine · 20-06-2013 1:57am

Preset No.3 wrote: »

Yes and I like complaining over the constant BBC bias!

British Broadcasting Corporation

The clue is in the name really

Also BA accounts for half of LHR's traffic, of course there are more BA stuff on the show.

seven_eleven · 20-06-2013 2:07am

I've only watched the first episode, but I didn't see much bias for British Airways.

They did a walk around of a Singapore Airlines and Virgin than anything. Lots of shots of Aer Lingus, American, several Middle Eastern Airlines, and more.

Davidth88 · 20-06-2013 8:26am

One of the best of these programmes I have ever seen TBH

For once they are not concentrating on Johnny No mates who has forgotten his passport and has to phone his dad to get it , or Mr Angry who has turned up late and is not let on.

I get a little annoyed everytime whatsherface says , ' see that 'plane with the big fat nose , that's a 747 ' but I guess a lot of people wouldn't know that.

The painting thing last night , 20k dots that have to be removed by hand !! Blimey !!!!

Impressed with the NATS people , very very professional.

There is a slight BA bias , but tell me this , if RTE did a programme from DUB , would there be an EI bias ? By bias , I mean they seem to have more access to BA than anyone else

Ohhhh , BTW , those cars being transported by Virgin ...... whoooaaaaaa !

peter1892 · 20-06-2013 8:41am

Its been really enjoyable so far (and far better than Channel 4's current aviation related programme).

Storm 10 · 20-06-2013 9:12am

The best programme I have ever seen about the workings of an Airport, the one thing that really impressed me is the Nats guys and the way that the presenters are never made to feel as if they are in the way when people are rushing in and out of the cockpit to get papers signed off, They all smile and answer any questions, the Virgin girl last night was very impressive on her job. It never ceases to amaze me why RTE would never do a programme like that at Dublin, tonight should be good if the promised weather happens.

Well done BBC and the presenter who stood in at the last moment as Dan Snow had family issues.

Tenger · 20-06-2013 9:45am

While the theory of the operation is not new to me, I think this is a great show. (Reminds me very much of some very old BBC shows in a similar vein from the 1980's) Great show for non-aviation workers.
As stated above its great to see the inner workings rather than focus on the reality show individual drama of passengers.

As for any "....BA Bias"....well it was always going to happen. LHR is their base....I'm sure as soon as they were asked to get involved they realised they couldn't let anyone else get the limelight. Its easy PR for them. Statistically every 2nd plane you see in LHR will be BA anyway. (If it was DUB then it would have to be EI or FR)

One gripe would be that the turnaround segment in Part 2 didn't have a timer onscreen showing that they were against the clock. I remember an old documentary/live broadcast that had a pair of Harrier's complete a rearm/refit/recrew turnaround in 19 mins...with a timer counting down. Looked more frantic that that BA turnaround.

dukedalton · 20-06-2013 9:45am

These people harping on about "bias"- has it ever occurred to them that BA is far and away the largest operator at Heathrow? Or that they are the de facto national airline? Or that perhaps other airlines were asked to participate but chose not to? Or to just sit down with a cup if tea, relax and enjoy the show?

lord lucan · 20-06-2013 10:35am

Another programme on BBC 2 after airport live tonight, flights and fights,the story of low cost Airlines. Should be interesting.

flazio · 20-06-2013 12:21pm

I remember one of the questions covered last night came from a viewer in Dublin. Any Boardsie want to own up to it?

Shamrock231 · 20-06-2013 12:21pm

I remember thinking that too, not me though...

Peregrine · 20-06-2013 12:24pm

Davidth88 wrote: »

For once they are not concentrating on Johnny No mates who has forgotten his passport and has to phone his dad to get it , or Mr Angry who has turned up late and is not let on.

God, I hate those shows. It gives you the impression that it's actually about aviation but then it's just a show where they talk to nannys waiting from their sons coming home from Australia. I think TV3 ran a show like that called Dublin Airport recently, not sure if it's still on. I stopped watching after the first episode.

Davidth88 wrote: »

I get a little annoyed everytime whatsherface says , ' see that 'plane with the big fat nose , that's a 747 ' but I guess a lot of people wouldn't know that.

Yeah it is a big annoying but it would help to reach out to a bigger audience because you'd be surprised how many people don't know.

flazio wrote: »

I remember one of the questions covered last night came from a viewer in Dublin. Any Boardsie want to own up to it?

So it seems I wasn't the only one who thought that haha

Anybody want to get our name up there again? Come on guys, some of yous are pilots, e-mail a good question from 'Bord Seys' or something from Ireland :pac:

spank_inferno · 20-06-2013 8:35pm

Savage looking fire engines.

Peregrine · 20-06-2013 9:07pm

spank_inferno wrote: »

Savage looking fire engines.

Yeah they are savage. Rosenbauer Panthers, most airports have been buying them the past few years. I think one of the firemen told me that the tyres themselves cost €8000 each :eek:

Baldonnel has 2, Belfast, Waterford and Doengal use them in Ireland. Possibly more.

Here's the one in Baldonnel:

Airport Live BBC 2 17/6/13 20.00

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