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$200m plan for backup WA airport
By Geoff Thomas, The West Australian, 4Feb17
A $200 million airport that could eventually become WA’s second international airport is being planned for Cunderdin in WA’s Wheatbelt.
The internationally rated airport will initially be a diversion airport for Perth.
It will cut airline fuel costs while attracting new airlines to the State because of the operational safety benefits it will offer.
WA-based Ascent Aviation’s plans to redevelop Cunderdin Airport with a 2600m runway with full international landing aids to meet diversion standards are well advanced.
The facility, expected to initially cost between $40 million and $60 million, will have the capacity for up to four A380-sized planes.
The cost benefits to airlines are significant because most international flights carry extra fuel in case they need to divert to Adelaide or Exmouth and beyond.
But some of those sites are up to three hours from Perth, whereas Cunderdin is a little more than 15 minutes away and it is not affected by the same weather that affects the coast.
One international airline told The Weekend West it would look at services to Perth once the airport was operational. Ascent Aviation’s founder and managing director Benjamin Reid said the first phase of the redevelopment was as an emergency alternative to Perth Airport, as outlined in the State Government’s State aviation review.
The second phase would be the development of a pilot training college, and the third phase the handling of cargo freighters.
Phases two and three would take the cost to $200 million.
The final phase could be as Perth’s second airport.
Cunderdin is 158km from Perth but is located on the Perth to Kalgoorlie rail link, thus a highspeed connection is possible.
“Airlines have to compensate for Perth’s isolation, and weather, by loading significant reserve fuel allowing the aircraft to carry on to the next suitable airport if they can’t land at Perth,” Mr Reid said.
“From the outset, we achieved superb in-principle support from major international airlines.
“We secured our foundation international airline customer and are in advanced discussions with the remainder of the key airlines.”
Mr Reid said the Shire of Cunderdin and the Wheatbelt Development Commission had been very supportive as had the WA Department of State Development.
Cunderdin ticks the boxes as alternative airport
Comment by Geoffrey Thomas
Of all the proposals for new airports in WA, the redevelopment of Cunderdin airport ticks all the boxes.
If WA is to reach its full potential it must have a vibrant aviation sector with the necessary supporting infrastructure and Cunderdin is the missing piece.
Perth is the world’s second most isolated capital after Honolulu and arguably the most isolated, when a suitable alternative airport is taken into consideration. This poses major operational problems for airlines which are costly and disruptive and that makes Perth a less attractive destination.
One Emirates diversion from Perth to Adelaide cost $500,000.
Perth presents particular fuel planning challenges and the airport’s location at the foot of the Darling Range can lead to weather problems such as severe turbulence off the hills and dense fog.
In 2012, air traffic controllers were forced to suggest Virgin Blue pilots use Rottnest as an alternative because of severe turbulence at Perth.
Airlines have to compensate for Perth’s isolation, and the weather, by loading enough reserve fuel so the plane can carry on to the next suitable airport if it can’t land at Perth.
Kalgoorlie is not suitable for the bigger sized planes that make up the bulk of international flights so the typical options are Learmonth or Adelaide and in some cases, Melbourne or Sydney.
Its proximity to Perth is just one advantage of Cunderdin.
When international flights divert to Adelaide, the crews are over their flight-hour limits, causing huge delays and inconvenience.
The president and chief executive of Cunderdin Shire believe there would be major benefits from this project, such as more jobs with follow-on benefits to schools, colleges and businesses.
They believe the redevelopment would boost the region — in the initial stages there is the flying school, maintenance and freight opportunities — as a potential second airport for Perth in the longer term.
With an international key airline aboard, the developers Ascent Aviation are now moving to the final phase of the project, converting that in-principle support into customer contracts.
Cunderdin as a diversion airport is a win-win for airlines, as they can load more passengers or freight in place of the fuel saved, not to mention the environmental benefits of the reduced carbon emissions.