Index

• Recommendations
• PLANNING ISSUES
• SAFETY ZONES
• Safety is already COMPROMISED
• FORECASTS

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HISTORY

Since the FIRST Airport Master Plan was produced by G. H. & D. back in 1982,
there have been some 21 similar reports, and they have ALL said basically the same thing;

Even in the latest (No.21) in which Council attempted to pre-empt the final conclusion by it’s brief to the consultant to “maximize the existing facilities” (Page 88) -- The bottom line is;

Unfortunately for us ALL, Council made the wrong decision back in 1983 when it decided to upgrade the 18/36 runway for $9.8M in preference to the RECOMMENDED option of constructing the 13/31 Runway (And all it’s associated infrastructure, terminal, parking etc.) for $10.3M. (Estimates vide “1982 Master Plan F28 Upgrade” by G. H. & D.)
Yes - It’s easy to be wise in hindsight.
History has now proved how this short term SAVING has been the root cause of all the present problems. (Including the NOISE problem.)

But it now seems that Council is determined to compound it’s mistake by persisting with upgrades of the 18/36 instead of making a start on the 13/31 strip.
Indeed, some of the councilors who made the initial 1983 decision are still in power and refuse to accept that they did the wrong thing back then. Talk about STUBBORN !
They are claiming that Council can’t afford to waste money on an East/West strip and must therefore take the CHEAPER option available. -- Just like they did 17 years ago.

The sad thing about this Dog chasing it’s Tail scenario is that the $1/2M saved back in 1983 now will cost some $25M.
And if they procrastinate for another 10 years it will be more like $100M.

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RECOMMENDATIONS / OUTCOMES

The passenger traffic at the Sunshine Coast Airpot is rorccast to treble in the ncxt 15 ycars to 79000 annual passenger movements (with a peak hour throughput or 438 arriving and departing passengers).

The existing runway system can accommodate lhe forecast Growth in Trafic for the next 15 year period (to 2013).

The parallel taxiway to runway 18/36 will require upgrading to a standard to accommodate A320/B737 type aircraft (ultimalely to a full length parallel taxiway).

The RPT apron parking area will require expansion from the present 4 parking bays (for B737/A320) to 8 stands over the next 15 years.

Runway 13/31 and the associated infrastructure will not be required until beyond 2013.

Land reservation and protection of all operational requirements for a future runway 13/31 is required to allow for tile future development of the Sunshine Coast Airport for wide body aircraft, longer range services, unrestricted interstate operations and unrestricted regional international services.

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PLANNING ISSUES

Existing Runways Runway 18/36

Initial consultations at the commencement of the study with airport management and Maroochy Shire Councillors, highlighted the need to investigate options to maximise use of the existing runway system to postpone expenditure on a future runway system.

This may involve widening the runway from its present 30 metre width to 45 metres and exploring possibilities for lengthening the runway.

The existing runway, at 1,797 metres long, is sufficient to allow operations by jet aircraft on sectors such as to Sydney and Melbourne, although it is understood that the airlines operate B737 services weight limited (without a full passenger load) on the hottest days.
Proposed B737-300 operations to New Zealand (Freedom Air to Hamilton) would also operate at a less than full passenger load due to the limited ranway length.

Should Runway 18/36 be lengthened to Code 4 (1,800 metres or more) or widened to 45 metres, a 300 metre wide strip would need to be provided to allow non-precision (or precision) instrument approaches in accordance with RPA requirements.
A 300 metre wide runway strip could only be provided for Runway 18/36 if residential properties along the eastern airport boundary were acquired as this boundary is located at approximately 150 metres from the runway centreline.

Lengthening of Runway 18/36 by some 150-200 metres could be provided to the north, within the existing airport boundary. 
A lengthening to the north could provide an increased take-off run for take-offs to the south, which comprise some 70 percent of take-offs and longer landing distances from the south.

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Runway End Zones

Australian and international regulations and recommendations require the provision of safety zones at the ends of ranways.
These zones comprise two categories as outlined below.
Master planning for the Sunshine Coast Airport should provide for each.

Runway End Safety Area RESA

The RPA's define RESA's as "areas of ground at each end of the runway, symmetrical about the extended runway centreline and abutting the end of the runway, or stopway if provided".

The minimum length of a RESA is to be 90 metres for a runway suitable for aircraft with a Code number 3 or 4 and used by RPT jet aeroplanes (as is the case of the Sunshine Coast Airport). The width of the RESA should be at least twice the width of the associated runway, ie. 60 metres for the existing Runway 18/36 and 90 metres for a 45 metre wide ranway.

4 - It is noted that RESA's are currently not provided at the ends of the existing Runway 18/36.

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Public Safety Zones

The guidelines published by the Queensland Department of Housing, Local Government and Planning (February 1993) "Planning for Aerodromes and Other Aeronautical Facilities", suggest that a rectangular shaped safety area, centred on the extended runway centreline and adjacent to runway ends, be provided.

The Queensland guidelines are based on the types of aircraft that are intended to be served at the airport in order to determine the dimensions of the Safety Area.
For runways used by aircraft weighing more than 5,760 kg and all jet aircraft, the safety areas adjacent to runway ends should extend for 1,500 metres for a preferential take-off runway and 1,000 metres for other rumways. The width of the safety area should be 450 metres (225 metres either side of the extended runway centreline).
The area is already fully developed with the number of residents living in the public safety zone exceeding the upper limit recommended by Department of Housing, Local Government and Planning (1993) guidelines.

Runway for Code D Aircraft

The options available to accommodate Code D aircraft (eg'B767) at the Sunshine Coast Airport are to widen the existing ranway or to provide a new runway as proposed in previous master plans.

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5 - Annual Aircraft Movement Forecasts

RPT Forecasts

The major implications of the currently proposed Runway being relocated to the proposed positioning of Runway 13/3 1 are outlined below.

Impact on Local Amenity

The altered Runway proposal (Runway 13/31) will require aircraft to fly over previously unaffected residential areas. The changed positioning of the runway is likely to result in a number of existing and proposed residential areas being directly under the flight path of aircraft. 
The impacts will be in particular relation to an increase in noise.
However, the change in the orientation of the nmway and associated routes may result in several other existing residential area having an increase in residential amenity due to the flight paths being removed from their locality.

If reductions in the amenity of existing developed or designated areas can be established, the Act sets out appropriate steps to be taken by those who are adversely affected to claim compensation. In the case of proposed amendment to the Strategic Plan or planning scheme, such proposals must be advertised for public input and subject to final assessment by State and Local Governments before enactment.

Impact on Regional Capacity of Sunshine Coast Airport

Inherent in both the SEQ 2001 Regional Framework for Growth Management and the SEQ Integrated Regional Transport Plan is the requirement that the Sunshine Coast Airport will increase in capacity, efficiency and aesthetic impact on this area of the Sunshine Coast.

A Local Area Plan and Local Planning Policy have been adopted to ensure that development does not compromise the operation of the existing or future aeronautical facility.

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