F100's to Emerald for Qantas

[Traffic_Is_Er_Was]

Sounds just like BNE airport.

Apron congestion is not the reason for traffic holding into BNE. In fact 8 new DOM bays and 2 INTL bays scheduled for completion later this year. Only one runway (effectively) and too many acft wanting to use it at the same time is the problem. Second runway is coming but is not something that can be built overnight. Carparks may not be seen as necessary, but they are. They also are relatively cheap and quick to build and they pay for themselves quickly, unlike RWY's TWY's Aprons etc, and are not such political footballs. Taxiing/manoeuvering acft need a lot of room, which means a lot of extra bitumen, for maybe not much extra gain. Unfortunately, everything these days has to have a reasonable ROI. Nothing gets up that would be just "nice to have". Airlines all want more facilities, but don't want to pay for any.

[b55]

Brisbane Airport Corporation is like the Emerald Council because they are not willing to invest in their airport's infrastructure to keep up, let alone stay slightly ahead of, the public demand for that service that they are in the business of supplying, an airport not a shopping mall and carpark .

"too many airplanes wanting to use one runway..."????!!!!! Exactly right.
A second runway only when it suits the BAC's profit needs. Exactly right.

People don't come to the airport primarily to park their car and buy a hamburger and shop. They come to the airport to get on an airplane. BUT WAIT!!, KEEP the people waiting longer and longer in the terminal waiting for their late a/c to arrive because of one runway, and presto a captive market...cars parked for longer times, buy a book to read with a glass of wine or perhaps a coffee or two with that box of delish donuts.
From this pilot's point of view airports that don't provide the needed infrasturcture for it's primary responsibility, its purpose in being, are compromising the safety of the traveling public. Emerald needs to get building the needed ramp space ASAP and BAC needs to build the second parallel runway ASAP. Its a SAFETY THING AND THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT TOO.

[noclue]

Re Brisbane:
2020 is a long time to wait for a runway that is needed today.
What will be needed in 2020?

[BPA]

At least they have a date for a new runway, unlike SYD where by 2020 they will still be talking about a 2nd airport.

[Fieldmouse]

Quote from some conference papers the other day

FUNDING SECURED FOR APRON EXTENSION PROJECT – EMERALD AIRPORT

Aviation Projects is pleased to have assisted Central Highlands Regional Council in securing funding for the Emerald Airport Apron Extension Project under Round 2 of the Regional Development Australia Fund grants program. The comprehensive submission prepared by Aviation Projects was one of eight successful applications out of a total of 87 projects in Queensland that progressed past the Expression of Interest stage.

So its coming.

[Traffic_Is_Er_Was]

Brisbane Airport Corporation is like the Emerald Council because they are not willing to invest in their airport's infrastructure to keep up

1.3 Billion for the 2nd runway and 7 years to construct. How about you pay the interest on that loan?
Like it or not, airports are a business nowadays. Just like airlines. If the numbers don't add up, it doesn't get done.

From this pilot's point of view airports that don't provide the needed infrasturcture for it's primary responsibility, its purpose in being, are compromising the safety of the traveling public

From my point of view, a pilot who knowingly operates into an airport that doesn't have the level of infrastucture that he believes is necessary for the safety of his passengers is compromising their safety far more.

[travelator]

Perhaps all the airlines should start charging fuel costs incurred due to holding/sequencing back to BAC. If airports want to be businesses then they need to be financially responsible when they fail at producing the purchased product.

Not having a second runway is costly. Right now it is costing the airlines (without whom the airport shops and carparks would be empty).

[Tidbinbilla]

Back on topic, please. This is about EMERALD, not Brisbane.

[b55]

You are exactly right. The Pilot In Command is ALWAYS held responsible for the safety of the flight. Australian pilots are doing a dam good job of it despite the infrasturcture providers. Corporations know this and rely on it to put profit before safety on their priority list. I don't expect ANY assistance from BAC on the matter of safety, only the bare minimum of their legal responsibility as an airport. And that is exactly what we pilots are getting from them. Thanks alot. Next time YOU fly think about it, we do every day.
p.s. this applys to Emerald too.

[Fieldmouse]

In defence of airports like Emerald

Back in the good old days, an airline (and there were only 2 really) would go to the department and say - "We'd like to introduce this aircraft into Australia, we'd like to fly it here and here.... at these frequencies". What would follow would be a detailed look at impacts on infrastructure and the economics of the deal, whereupon the department would usually say no, or occasionally, yes, but not until we extend this one, widen this one, and change this apron.

The department understood that airports are fixed assets and aeroplanes are not. Investment, particularly in regional airports, is not a popular use of ratepayers money, or taxpayers money back in the day.

New aprons, runways and terminals can be built for an airline that decides 12 months later to up sticks and move to another route. The aeroplane keeps making money but the airport suddenly can't service the loan.

Emerald, like many others, has been caught out by the speed of growth which has been stagnant for the previous 30 years. Often, what used to be a common user apron is now off limits to all but screened services, meaning yet more infrastructure needs to be built because of a minister's whim.

A department of aviation would have had oversight of all this, but of course we don't have one do we.

[falconx]

well how has it been since QQ took over the QF services?