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25th Jun 2014, 10:57
The Geelong Advertiser 25th June 2014
Major runway repairs take off at Barwon Heads Airport
A runway at Barwon Heads Airport will undergo major works to prevent avoidable closures. Source: News Corp Australia
A plane takes off from Barwon Heads Airport. Source: News Limited
BARWON Heads Airport wants to reduce avoidable closures through major repair works on its main runway.
The airport’s runway is closed for about 50 days per year due to a waterlogged surface, with the closures last year leading to a financial loss of about $310,000.
“The closure of the runway results in a significant financial loss,” a report prepared for owners Geelong Surfcoast Airpark Unit Trust reads.
‘Despite fine weather, operators still cannot fly for up to two weeks until the runway dries out and becomes serviceable again.”
Proposed works aim to create an all-weather runway, which could be used all-year round.
In a planning application to the City of Greater Geelong, the airport states that the $700,000 project to repair the runway and drainage works would have strong economic benefits.
“It is anticipated... existing businesses at the airport will expand by $4.422 million per annum and new business will gross $760,000 per annum.”
The airport said the repairs would not allow larger planes to use the strip, with the 750 metre runway length restricted to smaller aircraft.
Main flight paths wouldn’t change, but the works would allow planes taking off to the north to turn left sooner, avoiding flying over houses north of the runway north centreline.
Other stated benefits would include reducing noise to neighbours and surrounding wildlife.
“The sealing of the runway will allow planes to reach takeoff speeds much quicker, which in turn will ensure planes reach the critical 500 feet altitude earlier at which point (by law) pilots are free to manoeuvre to avoid flying over houses.
“Noise will also be reduced on approaches with pilots able to align with the runway much later on and again avoid flying over houses.”
Barwon Heads Airport is the only public use general aviation airfield on the Bellarine Peninsula and is Geelong’s only general aviation airfield.
Major runway repairs take off at Barwon Heads Airport
A runway at Barwon Heads Airport will undergo major works to prevent avoidable closures. Source: News Corp Australia
A plane takes off from Barwon Heads Airport. Source: News Limited
BARWON Heads Airport wants to reduce avoidable closures through major repair works on its main runway.
The airport’s runway is closed for about 50 days per year due to a waterlogged surface, with the closures last year leading to a financial loss of about $310,000.
“The closure of the runway results in a significant financial loss,” a report prepared for owners Geelong Surfcoast Airpark Unit Trust reads.
‘Despite fine weather, operators still cannot fly for up to two weeks until the runway dries out and becomes serviceable again.”
Proposed works aim to create an all-weather runway, which could be used all-year round.
In a planning application to the City of Greater Geelong, the airport states that the $700,000 project to repair the runway and drainage works would have strong economic benefits.
“It is anticipated... existing businesses at the airport will expand by $4.422 million per annum and new business will gross $760,000 per annum.”
The airport said the repairs would not allow larger planes to use the strip, with the 750 metre runway length restricted to smaller aircraft.
Main flight paths wouldn’t change, but the works would allow planes taking off to the north to turn left sooner, avoiding flying over houses north of the runway north centreline.
Other stated benefits would include reducing noise to neighbours and surrounding wildlife.
“The sealing of the runway will allow planes to reach takeoff speeds much quicker, which in turn will ensure planes reach the critical 500 feet altitude earlier at which point (by law) pilots are free to manoeuvre to avoid flying over houses.
“Noise will also be reduced on approaches with pilots able to align with the runway much later on and again avoid flying over houses.”
Barwon Heads Airport is the only public use general aviation airfield on the Bellarine Peninsula and is Geelong’s only general aviation airfield.