Southern Perimeter (west / T4)

Planning

Best times

• ▸ Westerly days when 27L is departing
• ▸ Morning banks for heavy long-haul rolls
• ▸ Golden hour for side light on climb-outs heading west
• ▸ Refresh Radar after ~15:00 — LHR often switches landing/departure strips

Gear

Camera & lens

Sigma 150-600mm — long end for distant rolls and climb-outs.

Traffic

What you'll see

27L departure days: BA and partners rolling south, heavies rotating west, plus afternoon short-haul banks.

On the fence

Spotter tips

• ▸ Confirm 27L is the departure runway (often mixed with 27R ops through the day)
• ▸ Stay on public perimeter roads — do not block access or emergency gates
• ▸ Long glass helps; climb-outs head west into open sky
• ▸ On easterlies, southern departures flip to 09R — use Harlington (east) instead