> Current Operations & Business Context. Bankstown Airport Master Plan 2004/05. Bankstown Airport / Master Plan > 29

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1 Bankstown Airport Master Plan 2004/05 Bankstown Airport / Master Plan > 29

2 8.1 Bankstown Airport s Role in the Sydney Basin Bankstown Airport is the premier GA airport in NSW. In addition to servicing a market in its own right, Bankstown Airport makes a significant contribution to the overall efficiency of the aviation infrastructure in Sydney by separating smaller aircraft and GA activities such as flying training, corporate and charter from the larger Regular Public Transport (RPT) flights that make up the majority of the traffic at Sydney Airport. In addition to Bankstown Airport, there are a number of other airports operating within the Sydney Basin. The location and general role of these airports are summarised below and shown in Figure 7. A brief description of the aviation facilities and role of each airport is set out below. Sydney Airport Sydney Airport is the largest airport in the Sydney Basin, providing Regular Public Transport (RPT) services to domestic and international destinations. The airport serves as Australia s key gateway to the international air transportation system, handling approximately fifty per cent of all of Australia s international passengers. The airport occupies a 905ha site and has three runways. Sydney Airport serves approximately 30 per cent of Australian domestic passengers and the majority of international passengers. Typical aircraft using Sydney Airport include B747s, B777s, B767s, B737, A340s and A320s as well as relatively low levels of GA activity (helicopters, corporate, charters etc). Sydney Airport is 17km from Bankstown Airport. Camden Airport Camden Airport lies 62 kilometres south west of the Sydney CBD and two kilometres north west of the town of Camden. The airport occupies a 196ha site and has two GA runways, as well as two grass strips for glider activity. Hoxton Park Airport Hoxton Park Airport is located 45 kilometres south west of the Sydney CBD and 13 kilometres west of Bankstown. The airport occupies a 82ha site and has one sealed runway. The airport is used for flying training and private flying for both light general aviation aircraft as well as helicopters. Hoxton Park Airport is scheduled to be closed by Holsworthy Airport Holsworthy Airport is located within the Holsworthy Military Reserve, which has restricted public access. The airport lies 26 kilometres south west of Sydney and eight kilometres south of Bankstown. Access to the airport is restricted to only those operations authorised by the Holsworthy Range Control Officer. The airport is only suited to light aircraft. RAAF Richmond RAAF Richmond is located 43 kilometres north west of Sydney CDB. The airport houses the military aviation activities of the RAAF Heavy Lift Group. The airport occupies a 270ha site and has a single sealed runway. The government has committed to keeping RAAF Richmond in operation for military use through to Some civilian general aviation activity is allowed, including practice ILS approaches and gliding activity on weekends. Richmond is significant due to the impact it has on air traffic control and airspace management in the Sydney Basin. Other Airports There are a range of other GA airports within the overall region. These include Albion Park, The Oaks, Warnervale, Wedderburn and Wilton. These airports typically provide GA facilities and cater for activities such as private flying, flying training and sports aviation. The airport is used for sport aviation, private flying, flying training and ballooning activities, as well as serving as the Sydney Basin s gliding centre. > 30

3 > Figure 7 Airports Within the Sydney Basin LEGEND STRAIGHTLINE DISTANCE BETWEEN BANKSTOWN AIRPORT AND MAJOR CENTER/AIRPORT Bankstown Airport / Master Plan > 31

4 8.2 Aviation Infrastructure at Bankstown Airport Runways and Taxiways Bankstown Airport is served by four runways, three parallel runways including 11L/29R, 11C/29C, and 11R/29L and Runway 18/36. Turbojet aircraft are restricted to Runway 11C/29C. The wind coverage provided by the 11/29 orientation of the parallel runways is 99.8 per cent. In general, the direction of operations is equally divided between each runway end. The following table summarises the physical characteristics of each runway. There is a designated Helicopter Landing Site (HLS) located on a grass surfaced area in the north of the airport. While not formally designated as an HLS, helicopters also operate on the south west side of the airport. There is an extensive taxiway system at Bankstown, with 71 separate taxiways or taxiway segments at Bankstown, although some are used infrequently. In total, there are around 12.8km of taxiways at Bankstown Airport. The extent of the taxiway system reflects the dispersed nature of aviation facilities on Bankstown Airport and highlights a number of operational inefficiencies. The location of runways, taxiways and the HLS is depicted in Figure Aircraft Circulation The airport is served by an extensive taxiway network providing access to all runway ends, as well as exit taxiways from all runways. Full length parallel taxiways are provided along the outside of the outer parallel runways. The crosswind runway does not have a dedicated full length parallel taxiway. Loop taxiways are available around both ends of the parallel runway system allowing aircraft movements between the north and south sides of the airport without creating runway incursions. Taxiway access is available to aviation-related business surrounding the aircraft operations area with alternate taxi routes available to all facilities except those located at the most distant ends of the taxiway system. The extent of the taxiway system at Bankstown is the result of incremental development decisions over the years, combined with the widespread distribution of aviation-related uses around the airport. In some instances, taxiways may duplicate one another. The maximum pavement strength rating for taxiways on airport is 20,000kg. Taxiways rated to 20,000kg, are only available on a limited number of taxiways and taxi routes between the runways and the terminal. Passing bays are provided where single lane taxiways extend for long distances and an alternative taxi route is not available for bi-directional traffic. Engine Run-Up Bays are provided adjacent to the taxiways near the departure ends of all runways. All of the Run-Up Bays are sized to accommodate multiple aircraft at one time. Table 2 Runways at Bankstown Airport Runway Length Width Pavement Tire Pressure (in meters) (in meters) Strength Rating (in kilograms) (in kilopascals) Rwy. 11L/29R 1,100m 30m 16,000 kg 1050 kpa Rwy. 11C/29C 1,415m 30m 20,000 kg kpa Rwy. 11R/29L 1,042m 23m 5,700 kg 580 kpa Rwy. 18/36 800m 18m 5,700 kg 500 kpa Note: 1 Pavement concessions may be granted for aircraft exceeding 20,000kg with 24 hour prior notice. > 32

5 > Figure 8 Bankstown Airport Runways and Taxiways Bankstown Airport / Master Plan > 33

6 8.2.3 Aircraft Parking and Storage Hard surfaced aircraft parking aprons at Bankstown are located north of the parallel runway system and distributed around the terminal area complex, with the smaller aprons located within the hangar reserve areas. In total Bankstown Airport has around 70,600m 2 of paved aircraft parking aprons. In addition to paved parking apron, there is a total of approximately 45,000m 2 of designated grass surfaced small aircraft parking. Grass surfaced parking is available for both based as well as itinerant aircraft and is equipped with tiedown cables. This area is estimated to provide approximately 90 aircraft parking positions. At present, there is a significant amount of informal aircraft parking and storage occurring on grass surfaced areas at numerous locations around the airport. These informal parking areas are used only on occasional basis and create a number of operational issues. There are 90 separate hangar structures at Bankstown, 16 of which are owned by the airport. Not all hangars are used for aircraft storage. Additional activities taking place within the hangar buildings include aircraft maintenance, flying schools, executive flight operations, and air freight. Most of the hangars have annexes or space for supporting ancillary activities such as offices, classrooms, storage, workshops, toilets and kitchens Airport Lighting and Navaids The centre runway of the three parallel runways, Runway 11C/29C, is equipped with low-intensity runway lighting, runway threshold identification lights and with a PAPI Visual Approach Slope Indicator System at each end. The PAPIs remain in continuous operation during the hours the Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) is closed. When the ATCT is open, the PAPIs are available on request. Airservices Australia owns and maintains an electrical generator as a source of standby emergency power for the runway lights in the event of a power failure. Runway 11L/29R also has low-intensity runway lighting which is available when Runway 11C/29C lights are not operating. There are two illuminated wind indicators on airport, one located near the threshold for Runway 18 and the other near the threshold for Runway 29L. The airport has a Non-Directional Beacon (NDB) on site south of the runway system. The NDB is used by three of the non-precision approaches published for the airport Support Facilities and Services Bankstown Airport offers an extensive array of facilities and services, from initial flight training in fixed wing aircraft and helicopters, aircraft sales, service and maintenance for general aviation aircraft, small-tomedium freight and charter operations, and a passenger terminal capable of supporting RPT operations by both turbo prop and regional jet operators. The airport also serves as a base for the NSW Police Air Wing, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, the Royal Flying Doctor Service, the Forestry Commission, the Padstow College of TAFE, and the Aviation Studies program of the University of NSW Terminal Area Facilities The airport has a passenger terminal building, which is a single storey structure 715m 2 in size. Although there is no regularly scheduled passenger service at Bankstown at present, the building is used on an occasional basis for passenger processing for charter flights. It is estimated that the terminal has a passenger processing capacity of 170 departing passenger and 150 arriving domestic passengers per hour General Aviation Services There are approximately 100 separate aviation related businesses on airport. As noted above, these businesses are located in over 90 separate hangars and buildings around the airport. The businesses lease a total of 13.9 hectares of airport land, in addition to aircraft aprons, tiedown, and circulation/ movement areas. At present, airport land leases do not typically include automobile parking, which occurs along the streets and in common car park areas throughout the site. Both Runway 11R/29L and Runway 18/36 have no runway lighting. > 34

7 A wide variety of flight training, aircraft sales and aviation maintenance, air charter and other aviationrelated services are available at Bankstown. Aviation support and service businesses at the airport are summarised in Table 3 below. Fuel service for both Avgas and Jet A1 is available from several providers providing a tanker service. The average daily number of aircraft visually recorded on the airport has remained relatively stable over the past three years, although activity levels have dropped in 2003/04, relative to previous years (see further discussion about traffic levels in Section 12). The types of aircraft typically using Bankstown Airport are highlighted in Figure 9. Table 3 Bankstown Airport Aviation Services Figure 9 Aircraft Types Using Bankstown Airport Service or Activity Number 1 Flying Schools, Flight Training & Flying Clubs 21 Aircraft Hangar Storage Facilities 65 Air Charter Operations 14 Aircraft/Aviation Sales, Maintenance, Repair 65 Other 13 Total 178 Note: 1 Businesses providing more than one service are counted separately in each service category Other Support Services The ATCT is located on the west side of the airport on land leased by Airservices Australia. The ATCT is located along the main airport entrance road southwest of the approach end to Runway 11R. This location is less than optimal and past studies have considered relocating the ATCT to a more central location along the runway system. Fire fighting services are provided by off-airport state emergency services. Fire hydrants are installed in the adjoining streets and around the building areas. 8.3 Activity Types at Bankstown Airport On any given day, Bankstown Airport accommodates between around 700 and 1,000 aircraft movements, with peak activity levels in excess of 1,000 aircraft movements per day. On average, around aircraft per day are visually recorded on the airport, with the majority of these actually based at Bankstown Airport. Other 3% Rotary 9% Turbo-prop 5% Twin-engine piston 21% Single-engine piston 62% Source: URS analysis The majority of aircraft identified at Bankstown Airport 62 per cent are single-engine piston aircraft. These aircraft are typically engaged in flying training, private flying and related activities. Twin-engine piston aircraft are the second largest category 21 per cent and these aircraft are typically involved in flying training, as well as charter, business/corporate and other aerial work activities. Helicopters are the third largest category of aircraft identified at Bankstown Airport 9 per cent. Helicopters are typically engaged in some training activity but also a large proportion of business and charter activity. A further 5 per cent of aircraft identified at Bankstown Airport are turbo prop aircraft, while the other category, at 3 per cent typically includes regional jet, military and overseas registered aircraft. Bankstown Airport / Master Plan > 35

8 8.4 Business Drivers As a business, Bankstown Airport has evolved from a government owned facility concentrating on the provision of aviation infrastructure to a mature, profitable, multi-faceted business focused on both providing high quality infrastructure to aviation users within the Sydney Basin and managing and developing its property assets. Aviation revenues have also improved, through a combination of aviation price restructuring, attracting larger, higher yielding aircraft, better management of utility networks and attracting incremental income from activities such as television and movie filming. Nevertheless, the funding of maintenance and upgrade of aviation infrastructure is still dependant on the revenue generated from all activities. In 2002/03, BAL generated revenue of $10.8m. Of this, around 13 per cent was generated from aviation and related activities, while 80 per cent was generated by property activities and a further 7 per cent from other activities (eg retailing and other management fees). Figure 10 Bankstown Airport Revenue Mix Other 7% Aeronautical 13% Property 80% Source: BAL Annual Report, 2002/03 Although a significant proportion of property revenue is generated from aviation related tenants, Figure 10 above highlights the contribution of property and other activities to the overall revenue of BAL and hence its ability to invest in the provision of infrastructure and services to all users. The relative contributions of aviation and property activities has remained largely unchanged over the past few years, despite the attraction of additional non-aviation activities, such as mobile phone towers, office/warehouse complexes and retail facilities such as Bunnings and Aldi, to the site. > 36

9 > Part B Development Concept Part B of the MP presents BAL s Development Concept for the airport in more detail. The proposed Development Concept for the end of the planning period 2024/25 is shown in Figure 11. For ease of explanation, the overall Development Concept is split into two categories: Aviation Development Concept; and Land Development Concept. The potential economic impacts arising from the Development Concept are also assessed. Bankstown Airport Bankstown / Preliminary Airport Draft / Master Plan > 37