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| Birmingham Airport completed the first phase of the commissioning of its 400 metre runway extension in the early hours of Monday 26 May 2014 with Thomson Boeing 737-8K5 G-FDZU on its way to Naples being the first aircraft to depart off the now extended runway at 0611.... |
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| .... with Emirates Boeing 777-31HER A6-EGN from Dubai becoming the first aircraft to land 2 minutes later |
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| The runway had been closed during the early hours of Monday morning to enable the contractors to commission the lightning, markings and signage in the "extended" runway layout - and remove the cones! - with the BHX Ops team performing final checks on the now extended runway just before 0600.... |
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| .... with the new runway lighting - which includes restored centreline lights - handed over to ATC this was then checked first for Runway 15 - illustrated - before changing to Runway 33 as above While the runway extension is now "open" it will not be used today/Monday pending the commissioning of Taxiway Sierra - the parallel taxiway - that is planned to take place in the early hours of Tuesday morning when the runway will again be closed - the new taxiway and with it access to the extended runway is planned to be operational at 0600 on Tuesday 27 May 2014 - after that time aircraft that require the "full length" of Runway 33 for departure will be able to access the runway via Taxiway Sierra |
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| Monday 26 May 2014 |
