Cairns Airport flooding - Sun 17th Dec
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Fred, being the man of marvels, will not even flinch over this.
Will take more than this to dampen his mood. (Pun intended)
Please stay tuned for the next episode of "PNG's Man of Marvels"
Will take more than this to dampen his mood. (Pun intended)
Please stay tuned for the next episode of "PNG's Man of Marvels"
Bad, real bad.
ATIS YBCS Z 170857
OPR INFO: CAIRNS TERMINAL INFORMATION ZULU.
CAIRNS AERODROME SERVICES NOT AVBL.
CAIRNS AERODROME CLOSED DUE FLOODING UFN.
FOR RESUMPTION OF AERODROME SERVICES REFER TO NOTAM.
CAIRNS TERMINAL INFORMATION ZULU
OPR INFO: CAIRNS TERMINAL INFORMATION ZULU.
CAIRNS AERODROME SERVICES NOT AVBL.
CAIRNS AERODROME CLOSED DUE FLOODING UFN.
FOR RESUMPTION OF AERODROME SERVICES REFER TO NOTAM.
CAIRNS TERMINAL INFORMATION ZULU
C1006/23
ILS MM 'ICS' 75 RWY15 U/S
FROM 12 170807 TO 12 180800 EST
ILS MM 'ICS' 75 RWY15 U/S
FROM 12 170807 TO 12 180800 EST
C1005/23
NDB 'CS' 364 U/S
FROM 12 170805 TO 12 180800 EST
NDB 'CS' 364 U/S
FROM 12 170805 TO 12 180800 EST
C1003/23
METAR/SPECI AND AD WX INFO SERVICE (AWIS) NOT AVBL
FROM 12 170740 TO 12 240000 EST
METAR/SPECI AND AD WX INFO SERVICE (AWIS) NOT AVBL
FROM 12 170740 TO 12 240000 EST
C1000/23
FIRE AND RESCUE COMPLETELY WITHDRAWN DUE FLOODS
FROM 12 170447 TO 12 172200 EST
FIRE AND RESCUE COMPLETELY WITHDRAWN DUE FLOODS
FROM 12 170447 TO 12 172200 EST
C999/23 REVIEW C993/23
RWY 15/33 CLSD DUE FLOOD WATER
FROM 12 170415 TO 12 172200 EST
RWY 15/33 CLSD DUE FLOOD WATER
FROM 12 170415 TO 12 172200 EST
C998/23
ILS GP 'ICS' 333.8 RWY15 U/S
FROM 12 170407 TO 12 180800 EST
ILS GP 'ICS' 333.8 RWY15 U/S
FROM 12 170407 TO 12 180800 EST
C997/23
LOC DME 'ICN' 109.5/32X RWY33 U/S
FROM 12 170406 TO 12 180800 EST
LOC DME 'ICN' 109.5/32X RWY33 U/S
FROM 12 170406 TO 12 180800 EST
C996/23
LOC 'ICN' 109.5 RWY33 U/S
FROM 12 170359 TO 12 180800 EST
LOC 'ICN' 109.5 RWY33 U/S
FROM 12 170359 TO 12 180800 EST
B109/23
ATS AT CAIRNS AERODROME SUBJECT TO CONTINGENCY
DUE TO OPERATIONAL RESTRICTIONS.
AERODROME CTL SER NOT AVBL.
MANDATORY BROADCAST PROC ON 124.9
APP (AND DEP) CTL SER PROVIDED TO SFC ON 118.4 MHZ. ALL AIRCRAFT
REQUESTING CLEARANCE INTO THE AIRSPACE MUST CONTACT 118.4 MHZ. NO
LANDING OR TAKE OFF CLEARANCES WILL BE ISSUED.
PRIOR TO OPERATING ON THE MANOEUVRING AREA PILOTS MUST:
1. OBTAIN A BRIEFING ON CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES FROM AIRSERVICES
AUSTRALIA ON +61 7 3866 3533.
2. OBTAIN A LANDING OR DEPARTURE TIME
3. IF DEPARTING, OBTAIN AN AIRWAYS CLEARANCE ON FREQUENCY 118.4 MHZ.
PRIOR TO ENTERING THE RWY FOR DEPARTURE, PILOTS MUST:
4. REPORT READY ON 118.4 MHZ.
5. OBTAIN DEPARTURE INSTRUCTIONS AND REPORT AIRBORNE WITHIN THREE
MINUTES.
AFTER LANDING, REPORT CLEAR OF THE RWY ON FREQUENCY 118.4 MHZ.
FROM 12 170900 TO 12 172000
ATS AT CAIRNS AERODROME SUBJECT TO CONTINGENCY
DUE TO OPERATIONAL RESTRICTIONS.
AERODROME CTL SER NOT AVBL.
MANDATORY BROADCAST PROC ON 124.9
APP (AND DEP) CTL SER PROVIDED TO SFC ON 118.4 MHZ. ALL AIRCRAFT
REQUESTING CLEARANCE INTO THE AIRSPACE MUST CONTACT 118.4 MHZ. NO
LANDING OR TAKE OFF CLEARANCES WILL BE ISSUED.
PRIOR TO OPERATING ON THE MANOEUVRING AREA PILOTS MUST:
1. OBTAIN A BRIEFING ON CONTINGENCY PROCEDURES FROM AIRSERVICES
AUSTRALIA ON +61 7 3866 3533.
2. OBTAIN A LANDING OR DEPARTURE TIME
3. IF DEPARTING, OBTAIN AN AIRWAYS CLEARANCE ON FREQUENCY 118.4 MHZ.
PRIOR TO ENTERING THE RWY FOR DEPARTURE, PILOTS MUST:
4. REPORT READY ON 118.4 MHZ.
5. OBTAIN DEPARTURE INSTRUCTIONS AND REPORT AIRBORNE WITHIN THREE
MINUTES.
AFTER LANDING, REPORT CLEAR OF THE RWY ON FREQUENCY 118.4 MHZ.
FROM 12 170900 TO 12 172000
Last edited by sunnySA; 17th Dec 2023 at 08:44. Reason: .
With 'hindsight' admittedly.....
But.....Here's an airport virtually 'surrounded' by the Barron River.... Ad Elev 6 ft or so........
There was plenty of warning given of the approach of the cyclone, so why did not the various operators / owners fly out to a 'safer' location, well S of the footprint?
Somewhere 'inland' perhaps?
Charters Towers sounds nice.....Elev 950ft Plus, ..or a weekend in 'Rocky'......
What a waste of some 'good' aircraft.
(Or maybe......?)
But.....Here's an airport virtually 'surrounded' by the Barron River.... Ad Elev 6 ft or so........
There was plenty of warning given of the approach of the cyclone, so why did not the various operators / owners fly out to a 'safer' location, well S of the footprint?
Somewhere 'inland' perhaps?
Charters Towers sounds nice.....Elev 950ft Plus, ..or a weekend in 'Rocky'......
What a waste of some 'good' aircraft.
(Or maybe......?)
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Operators did fly the aircraft out, they know what they are doing When the cyclone passed they where flown back in.
Then the rain came and more rain then most have seen in Cairns. Those aircraft in the photos have not moved in many years.
Then the rain came and more rain then most have seen in Cairns. Those aircraft in the photos have not moved in many years.
That's, what, 3 feet of water?!? Hardly serious flooding for Cairns.
There are going to be a lot of aircraft write offs. So many wet and soggy aircraft.
Q. What happened to the Belfast? Did it get more than a bird bath splash.
Think of any aircraft with magnesium components in the water.
The insurance companies are going to have their hands full with claims, in addition to all those cars around town that will also be write-offs.
Next question what happened down at Archerfield. Wind damage. Tie downs not holding. Cessna Caravan turned over. Said to have been 13 aircraft damaged as a result of the high winds.
Again the insurance guys will be burning the midnight oil on Christmas day with the Reindeers bring insurance claims to them.
R
Q. What happened to the Belfast? Did it get more than a bird bath splash.
Think of any aircraft with magnesium components in the water.
The insurance companies are going to have their hands full with claims, in addition to all those cars around town that will also be write-offs.
Next question what happened down at Archerfield. Wind damage. Tie downs not holding. Cessna Caravan turned over. Said to have been 13 aircraft damaged as a result of the high winds.
Again the insurance guys will be burning the midnight oil on Christmas day with the Reindeers bring insurance claims to them.
R
Salt water at one end of the airport and silt laden Barron River water to the north.
Control cables and pulleys will need to be slipped out and checked; at least by responsible owners and operators.
Control cables and pulleys will need to be slipped out and checked; at least by responsible owners and operators.
I spotted an S76 helicopter at Cairns airport on ABC News this morning. It didn't look submerged. Anyone know who operates an S76 up there? Or was it just passing through?
Update: I wonder if it is perhaps S-76C VH-IQG which has been pictured at Cairns several times on internet including in 2022:
https://www.airhistory.net/photo/524462/VH-IQG
Update: I wonder if it is perhaps S-76C VH-IQG which has been pictured at Cairns several times on internet including in 2022:
https://www.airhistory.net/photo/524462/VH-IQG
Last edited by Senior Pilot; 18th Dec 2023 at 03:45. Reason: Link
Thread Starter
The S-76 was donated to the Aviation training school in Cairns by Hevilift; along with the Falcon 10, and Piper Cheyenne II from Central Highlands charter in PNG.
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Credit per script on image
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Well.. it looks like the runway is still open. Getting on and off might be a challenge though!
(That's a great pic, BTW
)
(That's a great pic, BTW
)
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There's also a farcebook video doing the rounds, taken from the road past the GA area, showing a lot of cars partially submerged. Apparently a lot belong to FIFO workers, but I imagine there must be crew stuck elsewhere, dreading what they're going to find on their return. Tough situation all round, not least for the residents of Holloways, Machens etc.
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R22 to the rescue, in the rain.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-...per-/103244364
The Lion's Den had always been known as being able to withstand the worst flood the region had ever seen.
But now Mr Dear and his mates were watching the 143-year-old pub be consumed, trapping more than a dozen people on its roof.
"The story always has been up here, that the biggest flood went halfway up the bar.
"But in this flood there were 16 people on the apex of the Lion's Den roof, hanging on," he said.
As they watched, a mustering helicopter swooped overhead.
"I must say that this fella is the real hero of the story, his name is Magoo," he said.
The helicopter was a Robinson 22 — a tiny single-engine chopper with just two seats — so the rescue would be done one person at a time.
"He made 16 trips and landed on that roof in the pissing rain, where no other chopper pilot would fly," Mr Dear said.
"He rescued every one of those people.
"While we were rescuing these other dudes, he was just running people back and forward."
The Lion's Den had always been known as being able to withstand the worst flood the region had ever seen.
But now Mr Dear and his mates were watching the 143-year-old pub be consumed, trapping more than a dozen people on its roof.
"The story always has been up here, that the biggest flood went halfway up the bar.
"But in this flood there were 16 people on the apex of the Lion's Den roof, hanging on," he said.
As they watched, a mustering helicopter swooped overhead.
"I must say that this fella is the real hero of the story, his name is Magoo," he said.
The helicopter was a Robinson 22 — a tiny single-engine chopper with just two seats — so the rescue would be done one person at a time.
"He made 16 trips and landed on that roof in the pissing rain, where no other chopper pilot would fly," Mr Dear said.
"He rescued every one of those people.
"While we were rescuing these other dudes, he was just running people back and forward."
Last edited by RickNRoll; 19th Dec 2023 at 00:00.
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Here is coverage of the airport flooding via Australian Aviation magazine:
https://australianaviation.com.au/20...-jaspers-wake/
https://australianaviation.com.au/20...-jaspers-wake/