Neil's Adventures

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• A "special" visit to LSZH Control Tower •

A very professional place - I was very impressed by the tranquil atmosphere.

Photos: Neil Aird and Matthias Sieber © 06 July 2011

I begin to understand what is going on, thanks to the briefing of my guide Matthias. The two people to my left are the ones in charge. The gent controlling landings and take-offs, and the young lady, the ground activities for aircraft approaching/crossing the active runways. In this image we see a Swiss A320 lifting off, a Swiss A330 turning onto the active. Two Swiss A320 in the taxi mode.

Note: (from Matthias) In ATC slang ARRIVALS and DEPARTURES are the business of the approach radar controller (guiding them onto the final approach/ILS, then handing them over to the tower), respectively the departure radar controller (controlling and separating the planes on their standard instrument departure routes, called SID's, that are handed over to him/her by the tower, after they are airborne and until they reach an altitude or distance from the airport where they enter the airspace of the area controller – the airways).

"EDW404" HB-IHZ Airbus A320-214 on the take off roll at 10:32
Under ever watchful eyes and ears!
The lighter area is the zone controlled by the tower.
"EDW" Edelweiss Air and "SWR" - you guess!
"DCS119" D-ADCA Gulfstream 5 of Daimler Chrysler departs at 10:43.
A closer look. Does it make more sense now?
Swiss HB-IJF Airbus 320-214 (562) gathers speed. A Royal Jordanian Airbus A320 has just landed and approaches the active. A Montréal built Canadair CRJ -900 D-ACKL (15095) "Bad Bergzabern" of Lufthansa Regional waits patiently on the ramp for her turn for some action. CS-TNJ "TAP921" is heading for departure.
"TAP921" CS-TNJ Airbus A320-214 (1181) TAP Air Portugal takes to the skies while a Swiss A320 is given instructions, whether or not to cross the active.
Two heads are definately better than one!
Swiss Airbus A320 gets airborne, while Swiss RJ85 in the distance, climbs out to the west.
"No Matthias, I will not hold the microphone for this shot! - I'd better get back to work though, Air Berlin and SAS are waiting to cross the runway!"
"Ah - so that's how we get upstairs"
No reflections up here ;-) - wow!
Now for some time on the approach for RWY 16.
D-ABAP Boeing 737-86J (28070).
MM-62209 Airbus A319-115(CJ) (1795) Aeronautica Militare - Italian Air Force.
G-LCYL Embraer ERJ-190SR (346).
HB-JIX Airbus A320-214 (1210).
HB-IXO Avro RJ100 (E3284).
More coming shortly. I see them in the distance turning final . . .
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