GOLD COAST AIRPORT AIRCRAFT NAVIGATION MODERNISATION PROGRAM Airservices has embarked on a nation-wide program to assist aircraft navigation using satellite-assisted means when flying in Australian airspace. Landing procedures are being updated at over 50 airports across the country by 2018. To maximise the benefits of satellite-based navigation systems, a series of changes are scheduled to occur at Gold Coast Airport to 2018 in the following broad groupings. LINKS BETWEEN FLIGHT PATHS TO AND FROM THE NORTH AND EAST The majority of commercial aircraft operating at Gold Coast Airport are travelling to and from destinations to the south. For this reason, the flight path network comprising of arrival and departure procedures are well established. This is not the same for aircraft arriving to and from the north and east where there are gaps between procedures off the coast. Aircraft are manually guided between these procedures by air traffic control which is an acceptable safe practice when traffic levels are low. The ongoing growth in air traffic to and from the north and east now requires these flight paths to be linked up in order to ensure the highest levels of safety are maintained. Once this has occurred, pilots will be able to fly close to landing at the airport on autopilot without requiring the navigation assistance of air traffic control as currently occurs for aircraft travelling to and from the south. Any change to flight paths will occur off the coast and are not likely to be noticeable from land. SATELLITE-BASED PROCEDURES AS THE PRIMARY MEANS OF NAVIGATION FOR THE MAJORITY OF FLIGHTS There have been two broad forms of satellite-based navigation used by aircraft for landing: Required Navigation (), which provides horizontal guidance only, Required Navigation Performance - Authorisation Required (RNP-AR), known in Australia as Smart Tracking, which provides both horizontal and vertical guidance. A new navigation system called Barometric Vertical Navigation (BARO VNAV) has recently been developed to assist pilots when landing. BARO VNAV uses
satellite signals to position an aircraft horizontally and barometric pressure to control the vertical descent to the runway. A procedure will be established at the southern end of the airport which will be available for use by all suitably equipped aircraft. This will replace the existing proprietary procedure which limits use to specified airlines and aircraft types. The flight path will remain in its current location, offset to the east of the extended runway centreline. For aircraft landing to the southern runway end, a BARO VNAV procedure will be established within the runway-aligned existing flight path corridor. At the northern end of the runway, the existing offset procedure will be replaced with one that is more runway aligned. The portion of the flight path over water closest to the coastline and then over land will be within an existing flight path corridor. The Non-Directional Beacon (NDB) and VHF Omni- Directional Range (VOR) procedures involve tracking towards the ground-based navigation aids which are adjacent to, rather than in line with the runway. As the positions of the NDB and VOR on the ground are some 400 metres to the west of the runway, it is not possible for their new flight paths to be fully runway aligned. For this reason the new NDB/VOR flight paths will be five degrees to the east of runway alignment currently 11 degrees east of centre to the north and nine degrees east of centre to the south). FINALISE CONSULTATION FOR THE INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEM The Instrument Landing System (ILS) proposal received Australian Government approval in January 2016. It is anticipated the system and its new flight path will be available for use by mid to late-2017. In the three months prior to the system becoming operational, Airservices and Gold Coast Airport will provide follow-up information to remind the community about the purpose of the system, its expected level of use and the anticipated noise impacts of aircraft using this flight path. REVISED NOISE ABATEMENT PROCEDURES Noise abatement procedures are guidelines which aim to reduce the impact of aircraft noise on the community. They generally include procedures for preferred runway use and flight paths to reduce flights over residential areas. Working with Gold Coast Airport, respective airlines and the community Airservices intends to revise the airport s noise abatement procedures to create a baseline of expectation for aircraft to use alternate landing technology to the ILS and instead to use satellite-based landing systems whenever possible as being preferred over ground-based navigation systems. Finalising a draft change to the noise abatement procedures requires input from air traffic control to ensure the proposed wording is safe and practicable. The timing of any community discussion is yet to be determined. COMMUNITY CONSULTATION Airservices will present the Aircraft Navigation Modernisation Program for Gold Coast Airport to the community from June 2016 in conjunction with the airport s established community forums (Community Aviation Consultation Group and Aircraft Noise Abatement Consultative Committee) and its proposed Draft 2017-2021 Master Plan consultation. Airservices messaging will emphasise the introduction of new navigation technology Australiawide is non-discretionary and aimed to ensure the highest levels of safety assurance is achieved in accordance with ICAO and CASA requirements. For Gold Coast Airport, the community will be kept updated with the program s key elements as they are progressively rolled out through to the end of 2017. MORE INFORMATION More information is available at www.airservicesaustralia.com/projects/ aircraft-navigation modernisation-program or by contacting the Noise Complaints and Information Service on 1800 802 584 (freecall).
SUMMARY OF INITIATIVES North Landing Runway 14 Departing Runway 32 Replace existing with runway aligned NDB/VOR straightened (5 degree offset) Instrument Landing System Standard Arrival Routes (STAR) from north Standard Arrival Routes (STAR) from east (NZ) Standard Instrument Departures (SID) to north CASA and ICAO requirement for increased runway alignment Most of the existing and proposed flight path will remain over water Aircraft currently intercept this approach off the coast near Surfers Paradise, crossing the coast between Burleigh Heads and Currumbin Creek meaning aircraft are not runway aligned until between Currumbin and Tugun The new will have the over-water segment a further distance from the coast and be runway aligned from a point to the south of Burleigh Heads Aircraft noise is expected to fall within the existing flight path corridor CASA and ICAO requirement for increased runway alignment Aircraft currently break off the heading of 150 degrees when they become visual (before 700ft), then align visually with the runway - crossing the coast between Burleigh Heads and Currumbin and generally becoming aligned with the runway at a point between Currumbin and Tugun New flight path will have five degree offset, reduced from 16 degrees Aircraft noise is expected to fall within the existing flight path corridor for aircraft arriving north of the airport This procedure is currently used very infrequently Future use is expected to reduce to a maximum of nine flights in a full day, this runway is used for arrivals due to the increased availability of satellite based procedures Received Australian Government approval in January 2016 Aircraft will join the flight path at approximately Surfers Paradise Will mostly be used in low visibility conditions Increased noise impacts from Mermaid Waters to Burleigh Heads Extensive community consultation occurred April-July 2015 Follow-up community consultation will occur in the three months before the system becomes operational Will join existing flight paths close to the airport Reduced pilot and ATC workload safety improvement Provides for autopilot-managed tracking All change is over water August 2016 August 2016 Mid 2017 Late 2017
South Landing Runway 32 NDB/VOR straightened Replace existing with BARO VNAV New flight path for aircraft arriving from the north and east Standard Arrival Routes (STAR) from north Standard Arrival Routes (STAR) from east (NZ) Other Update Noise Abatement Procedures CASA and ICAO requirement for increased runway alignment Aircraft currently break off the heading of 310 degrees when they become visual, then track visually to align with the runway at a point generally between Chinderah and Terranora Creek New flight path will have five degree offset, reduced from 9 degrees Aircraft noise is expected to fall within the existing flight path corridor for aircraft arriving south of the airport This procedure is currently used very infrequently Future use expected to reduce to two flights in a full day this runway is used for arrivals due to the increased availability of satellite based procedures Provides vertical guidance for aircraft not equipped for Will use same runway aligned flight path as the existing procedure Not expected to be any change in noise impact Existing proprietary procedure is offset from the runway by nine degrees to the east of the runway centreline, forming a flight path corridor with the existing NDB/VOR procedure The new procedure will be available for use by all suitably equipped aircraft and will replicate the location of the current proprietary procedure (remain offset by nine degrees) Providing for increased use of this technology Expected to reduce the number of aircraft using the straight-in arrival flight path, especially during low visibility conditions Will join existing flight paths close to the airport Reduced pilot and ATC workload safety improvement Provides for autopilot-managed tracking All change is over water Options to be considered by industry and the community are expected to be available by late 2016 August 2016 Mid to late 2017 Mid to late 2017 Late 2017 Mid 2017
TIMELINE June 2016 Aircraft Navigation Modernisation Program for Gold Coast Airport presented to the community August 2016 Runway 14 - Replace existing with runway aligned Runway 14 - NDB/VOR straightened to five degree offset Runway 32 - NDB/VOR straightened to five degree offset Mid 2017 Update Noise Abatement Procedures Mid to late 2017 Runway 14 - Instrument Landing System commences operation Runway 32 - New flight path for aircraft arriving from the north and east. Runway 32 Replace existing with BARO VNAV Late 2017 Runway 14 - Standard Arrival Routes (STAR) from north Runway 14 - Standard Arrival Routes (STAR) from east (NZ) Runway 14 - Standard Instrument Departures (SID) to north Runway 32 - Standard Arrival Routes (STAR) from north Runway 32 - Standard Arrival Routes (STAR) from east (NZ)
Current flight paths Map data 2015 Google VOR Visual VOR
Future flight paths Map data 2015 Google ILS BARO VNAV VOR VOR Visual ILS
www.airservicesaustralia.com 16-088JUNE Corporate Communication