Scone airport (YSCO) closing for a month
 

For those that aren't aware, Upper Hunter Shire Council is spending megabucks on an upgrade of their airport to build a new warbird museum & terminal, in addition to a new parallel taxiway & repairing the existing runway.

They have decided to close the entire airport for a period of 4 weeks from 09 November until 05 December, assuming the weather cooperates and doesn't delay things further. There will be no fixed wing ops, no helicopter's in support of firebombing, nothing at all will be permitted except ground access to your aircraft if hangared there - not that you can actually go anywhere mind you! Additional works are currently taking place and will continue beyond the closure period, including the new TWY A tie-in to the 29 threshold and adjacent properties, drainage, and a new fencing proposal that will make the picturesque rural views of Scone look like Guantanamo Bay - complete with barbed wire...:ugh:

I presume the RNAV approach will not be NOTAM'd as not available, but I wouldn't put it past the airport manager to do so, "just in case" someone tries to land off said approach! If you routinely use Scone as part of a Navex or just as stopover for fuel or a piddle, doublecheck your NOTAMS for the next month or two!

Speaking of having a piddle:
 

The Airport Manager has also told us that ALL USERS of Scone Airport will need to be inducted to the site.

ALL users.

She has confirmed that not only the "resident" inmates will be subjected to this torture, but if you stop for a piddle you will be forced to complete the induction before you are allowed back airside.

Yes Minister!
It makes "Utopia" on the ABC look like light entertainment :rolleyes:

Sounds like a HR manager.

I would just piddle on her shiny designer shoes, it helps keep their lustre.

KRviator,

You need to read the NOTAM

Helicopter Ops are permitted on a different runway. I thought Columbia USA had one of their PNG registered Civil Chinook's (H47) at Scone, parked since last fire season.

I was not aware that RNAV/GNSS approaches were the domain of the airport operator; are they going to have the approaches withdrawn from every FMS nav computer in the world?
Nothing makes sense !
.

I do believe you've misunderstood the NOTAM, OU. In a meeting with the Airport Manager and Council on 15/10 and again 29/10 she made it perfectly clear nothing will be operating there. The entire AD will be closed, including the runway, for resheeting, lighting and drainage upgrades. AIUI, the helicopter NOTAM is there to stop helicopters approaching directly to their normal parking spots, which are currently occupied by construction equipment, fencing & drainage and workers moving back and forth. I didn't see a CH-47 there the last couple times I flew in, but I wasn't looking for one either.

As for the approach, you're spot on, no they can't delete it from the databases, but they can NOTAM (or at least ask) for it to be NOTAM'd NOT AVBL, same as if a crane or similar obstacle was in the OLS for that approach temporarily. And I wouldn't put it past the airport manager to try that on, to "just make sure" no one even tries to use Scone during her little upgrade.
Here's one of the construction drawings I managed to get a photo of last week showing the airside works & new taxiway.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...16ef82fe_c.jpg

At least it's not scone for good...

Ok bad Sat morning dad joke :ugh:!

Ok I laughed at my own joke Cirriusly!

The council advised operators late last year that they would be closed for 10 days! The unions must have moved in and made it 4 weeks :-)

KRviator,

Apologies!

The plan was to do it in thirds, so that ~900m of the runway could be useable and then closed only to do the middle.
That is what was in the tender won by Daracon.

The plan changed to close the WHOLE runway without telling those of us who rely on it to feed our families - Upper Hunter Shire changed it just before the contract signing, then told the operators.

That is typical government diabolical behaviour. Of course they offered you all adequate compensation during the closure? Hope you have something else sorted out, is there a highway nearby?

At YMBA. which did have its development problems, over-engineered, drains as big as the Suez canal and zig-zag system taxiways...at least they just cut the runway in half.
There were a few isues with a/c turning up at night...and no lighting yet, or landing on the working section and then having trouble finding place to taxi off. Poor signage /or none caused some to get lost and stuck because they could go no further !
Proved to be good for those who landed anywhere on the full strip, now with only a short bit , better accuracy needed. Plenty of go rounds to see.

No lights until January?
 

Just re-reading the MOWP looking for more landmines.

It looks like the PALC box will not be delivered until December and the lights won't be commissioned and operating until January.... weather permitting.

Estimated lost revenue for ECAM and Airspeed now $200,000 before the runway has even closed; over $300,000 for the 4 weeks, and more as the closure drags on.

The Mayor is saying they will save $2m by doing the runway in one go, instead of in thirds. My mates in road construction tell me that's horse****.

Where'd you find the MWOP HL?

I'm still going through the Environmental Factors report they gave me last week and ohhhh boooyy, am I going to have some fun next meeting!

What, it wasn't sent to you?
wasn't sent to me either!

In fact it was sent to nobody at all until after the dirt started moving :rolleyes:

I will see if I can sent it to you

I feel sorry for the businesses that operate up there...

• On 31/10 the NOTAM said it would be closed from 1600 AEDT on the 8th November.
• On 05/11 the NOTAM said it would be closed from 1600 AEDT on the 9th November.
• 0n 06/11 the NOTAM now says it will be closed from 0500 AEDT on the 9th November.

And UHSC reckon's they're on top of "consultation"....:ugh:

Just a bit of a follow-up. The runway is open, the new parallel taxiway is (mostly) open. The runway lights did work before they installed a PAL but now they might work, or they might not. I've not seem them on since mid-February.

ERSA says "RWY 11/29 - AD LGT on HN", except they aren't. Nor is there an entry for a PAL frequency in either the current ERSA entry, nor the March 25 revision and there is no NOTAM about the lights.

The AD Manager says they can't update the ERSA until CAsA sign off on the lights, but didn't twig that not having a NOTAM saying they aren't on HN could be an issue. I think they eventually understood the risk, but if you plan night ops into Scone, it might pay to phone ahead to find out what lighting is, or isn't, available.

FWIW, they advised the PAL is going to be on the CTAF frequency.

Brilliant. A short conversation on the CTAF between 2 aircraft in daytime will turn on the lights? "ABC, are you in the circuit?"
Pause. "ABC has landed"
Pause. "Thanks mate"
PING! And a month later, the council sees the electricity bill and decides to raise the landing fees.

Does not usually work like that. During daylight hours activating the PAL only activates the PAPI if installed. A lumitrol in the circuit ensures that the runway lights themselves are only switched on at night or in low light situations such as dusk. There may be several light intensity settings as well also controlled by the lumitrol.