KLN94
20th Jul 2004, 20:47
Bankstown pitches for commuter take-off
By Brian Robins
www.smh.com.au
July 21, 2004
Bankstown Airport is preparing for a runway upgrade which would allow it to begin regular commuter flights.
The airport wants to extend its main east-west runway by 200 metres to enable it to handle fully loaded aircraft carrying up to 100 passengers, says a draft plan to be released today. But airport management has ruled out handling larger planes.
The longer runway would permit aircraft such as the BAe146, the Fokker F100 or Saab to use the airport when fully loaded, which they are now unable to do.
Following changes to air traffic flows introduced at Sydney Airport last year, regular commuter traffic in and out of Bankstown would be most likely limited to about 12 flights a day.
Any greater level of activity would interrupt the east-west runway at Mascot.
"These would be niche services, out of the mainstream, similar to the low-price carriers you now see overseas," said Bankstown Airport's chief executive, Kim Ellis. "Conceptually, these would be services to secondary airports such as Moorabin in Victoria, to Coffs Harbour or the Gold Coast."
The draft plan shows that the airport in Sydney's south-west expects traffic to increase by 70 per cent over the next 20 years. It is one of the busiest airports in Australia, with about 250,000 take-offs and landings a year, mostly involving light aircraft.
The number of annual movements is expected to rise to 424,000 by 2025.
The extension of the main east-west runway is one of the plan's main proposals. They also include closing the rarely-used north-south runway, which handles crosswind traffic.
"The cost of maintaining runways we don't use is quite high," Mr Ellis said.
The airport insists that if the planned changes were approved, they would not result in larger aircraft using Bankstown.
"We understand that the community will be concerned about proposed changes to aviation and offer firm assurances that there are no plans to allow larger aircraft to operate from Bankstown airport than the aircraft which currently use the airport," Mr Ellis said.
The airport expects regular passenger services would take advantage of take-off and landing charges that are cheaper than at Mascot.
Bankstown Airport is owned by a private consortium, which bought it from the Federal Government for $211 million late last year. It will also take control of airports at Hoxton Park and Camden.
Last month there were 19,602 take-offs and landings at Bankstown, ranking it as Australia's third busiest airport.
But Mr Ellis said the 424,000 movements predicted for 2025 would still be 15 per cent below the number during the 1988-89 pilots' strike.
Airservices Australia, which regulates airspace and operates air traffic control, has warned that the loss of a government subsidy may force it to increase charges. This could have a significant impact on the level of aviation activity.
"Airservices Australia is talking to people about it. It is creating a fair bit of uncertainty," Mr Ellis said.
Briefings on the draft plan will begin with community groups from today, before it is finalised and presented to the Federal Government for approval.
By Brian Robins
www.smh.com.au
July 21, 2004
Bankstown Airport is preparing for a runway upgrade which would allow it to begin regular commuter flights.
The airport wants to extend its main east-west runway by 200 metres to enable it to handle fully loaded aircraft carrying up to 100 passengers, says a draft plan to be released today. But airport management has ruled out handling larger planes.
The longer runway would permit aircraft such as the BAe146, the Fokker F100 or Saab to use the airport when fully loaded, which they are now unable to do.
Following changes to air traffic flows introduced at Sydney Airport last year, regular commuter traffic in and out of Bankstown would be most likely limited to about 12 flights a day.
Any greater level of activity would interrupt the east-west runway at Mascot.
"These would be niche services, out of the mainstream, similar to the low-price carriers you now see overseas," said Bankstown Airport's chief executive, Kim Ellis. "Conceptually, these would be services to secondary airports such as Moorabin in Victoria, to Coffs Harbour or the Gold Coast."
The draft plan shows that the airport in Sydney's south-west expects traffic to increase by 70 per cent over the next 20 years. It is one of the busiest airports in Australia, with about 250,000 take-offs and landings a year, mostly involving light aircraft.
The number of annual movements is expected to rise to 424,000 by 2025.
The extension of the main east-west runway is one of the plan's main proposals. They also include closing the rarely-used north-south runway, which handles crosswind traffic.
"The cost of maintaining runways we don't use is quite high," Mr Ellis said.
The airport insists that if the planned changes were approved, they would not result in larger aircraft using Bankstown.
"We understand that the community will be concerned about proposed changes to aviation and offer firm assurances that there are no plans to allow larger aircraft to operate from Bankstown airport than the aircraft which currently use the airport," Mr Ellis said.
The airport expects regular passenger services would take advantage of take-off and landing charges that are cheaper than at Mascot.
Bankstown Airport is owned by a private consortium, which bought it from the Federal Government for $211 million late last year. It will also take control of airports at Hoxton Park and Camden.
Last month there were 19,602 take-offs and landings at Bankstown, ranking it as Australia's third busiest airport.
But Mr Ellis said the 424,000 movements predicted for 2025 would still be 15 per cent below the number during the 1988-89 pilots' strike.
Airservices Australia, which regulates airspace and operates air traffic control, has warned that the loss of a government subsidy may force it to increase charges. This could have a significant impact on the level of aviation activity.
"Airservices Australia is talking to people about it. It is creating a fair bit of uncertainty," Mr Ellis said.
Briefings on the draft plan will begin with community groups from today, before it is finalised and presented to the Federal Government for approval.