Hi again,

The visitor’s centre is a great feature and not something you’ll find at every major airport. It’s a museum which is free to enter. Situated along one of the runways, it provides great views of the airfield movements and terminals.

Inside the centre, there are two floors of fun – simulators, information on aircraft noise, customs stories, runway lights, a coffee/model shop, terminal models, T5 information and more.. it’s basically the history of Heathrow and what is expected for the future. Behind the museum is a 24 hour McDonald’s. As for how to get there, I’m not sure, but it’s next door to the Renaissance Hotel (quite a big, classy place), I’m sure the buses which frequently pass stop somewhere along by the museum. But for great views, Andrew’s (A330Crazy) suggestion of the Hatton Cross tube station is the best. Right at the end of one of the runways and aircraft passing no less than 20 metres above you! Easily reachable.

As far as I can recall, the runways are 9L/27R and 9R/27L, but where these are in relation to the spots named above, I honestly don’t know!

British Airways 757 departing.

Extremely poor quality, blame that on the digital zoom! I think this British Airways 757 was going-around, just randomly pulling out of the traffic pattern, moments before touching down.

Another Air Canada 767-200.

My favourite shot of the day. An EL AL 747-200 which was sat at the gate for quite a while finally pushed back and departed. A nice sight.

A low quality shot of the wonderful DC-10 aircraft of Bangladesh Biman. See below for the departure.

A duel. British Airways and Air Canada 747-400s meet up.

A Virgin 747-400.

British Airways’ gear goes up immediately after rotation.

Bangladesh DC-10 departure. One of only two tri-jets I saw at the airport today. The other being an MD-11 of what looked like Eva Air, being the other side of the airport, I was unsure.

Air Canada 747-400 departs.

One for Kabir, but didn’t go quite to plan. As we left the Visitor’s Centre, an Air India 747-400 taxiied to the runway. However, travelling at some speed, it was not easy to capture. However, you can still see the tail and the fuselage through the glass hut.

British Airways A319 cruises off whilst it’s gear goes up.

A great day, can’t wait until I fly out of the airport in under 4 weeks!