A Fix for Sydney Airport’s Problems?

“Well, CE, it’s, well — complicated.” BO shuffles some papers and looks nervous. “Planning data shows that KSA will be overloaded by the year 2005, and we have made plans to build a new airport at Badgerys Creek. Here, I’ll show you on this VTC,” he says, pointing to the location. CE looks at the VTC and the number of airfields scattered around the Sydney area and a small alarm bell sounds inside his head — ‘something does not ring true here’, he thinks.

“How many movements per hour do we get at KSA?” he asks.

“Well, if we push it, and with both the parallel runways operational, we get almost 70,” BO replies.

“What about the cross runway? I did not see it being used, and there was a hell of a crosswind on — (he looks at the VTC) ~ runway 34 when we arrived. The pilot damn near put a wingtip into the ground on one gust,” CE comments.

“We have canned all operations on 07-25 because it is just too dangerous,” offers BO.

CE face darkens slightly. “Simultaneous operations are dangerous are they?” he asks with a touch of sarcasm. “Tell, tell it to the Marines son — there are any number of airfields using SIMOPS in the US of A, and throughout the world. The accident records at those places don’t support the argument that it is ‘too dangerous’.” CE peers at the small map of KSA on the VTC. “Hell, with this runway layout you should be able to get 100 to 120 movements per hour using all three runways simultaneously. Anyway, let’s move on — tell me about Badgerys Creek.”

BO does not like the direction this briefing is taking, and starts to sweat profusely. “Badgerys Creek has been selected after exhaustive studies as the most cost effective solution to providing additional air traffic. There are a couple of minor unresolved issues such as providing transport to and from the new airport, and some local groups are already starting to lobby the Government over the noise issue.”

CE grunts again. “Minor problems such as transport infrastructure eh? Resuming land to build a transport link is hardly ‘minor’. Then there is the capital cost, plus lobby groups who resist change to say nothing of the additional travel time and cost after you get on the ground. Who wants to spend an hour and half in the air and another hour and a half on the ground? This type of setup causes enormous resentment — look at Tokyo — it takes an age to get into town and costs 200 bucks in a taxi!” CE, still a bit jet lagged, is feeling crotchety. He thumps the table, making BO jump. “Safe and expeditious travel — that’s what airplanes are all about. Our job is to make it both safe AND expeditious for air travellers! That’s my definition of SIMOPS!”

CE returns to his examination of the VTC. “What’s this airfield here?” he asks, jabbing his finger towards Bankstown. BO says that Bankstown is the General Aviation airfield and points to the airfield diagram next to KSA.

“Hmn,” CE muses, “three parallel runways, each 3000 feet long — you could put a lot of secondary traffic in there and make space for the big boys at KSA. What’s this?” he asks, pointing at a broad brown strip running past Bankstown.

BO starts to get an inkling of where the Chief is heading. “Well Sir, that’s the new freeway into Sydney. It’s great, you pay two dollars to bypass the crush at Liverpool and Parramatta and save at least an hour getting to the City. If you are catching a plane from KSA, you can weave through the last 10k of street and connect to the KSA boundary road and go direct to either the domestic or international terminal. Pity it’s not freeway all the way”, BO offers.

“That just might be the solution,” CE suggests, “extend the freeway or put spur lines on the railways for airport express services connecting both Bankstown and KSA to the city. A lot of cities in Europe have train stations inside airport terminals and it works a treat — you use the same luggage trolleys and the travel time and costs are low. Where would the GA aircraft go though?”

BO points to Camden and Hoxton Park. “Hoxton Park is a bit small and there are houses close by. Camden already has a lot of GA traffic, especially sports aviation, but could take some more. We could not divert all the Bankstown GA aircraft there though, not unless there was some major development. If Badgerys Creek goes ahead, it would complicate traffic patterns to provide flying training areas.”

“If Badgerys Creek goes ahead,” CE comments. “If all the local resources are used to capacity, building an expensive new airport might not be necessary for some considerable time. Anyway, what’s this?” CE asks pointing at RAAF Richmond. “This area has a lot of airspace, is already on a railway line, and at a glance there seems to be space for another cross runway.”

BO pales at the suggestion. “That’s a RAAF air transport base” he replies.

“Well, is there any possibility of moving them?” CE asks, “many USAF bases are being closed and operations consolidated into fewer locations — it saves the military considerably on overhead costs. Airports and military bases are expensive to run, so the fewer the better.”

Something jingles in the dark recesses of BO’s brain. “I have heard that the RAAF are considering moving air transport operations north to be closer to the Army bases. This will cut down on air transit time for Army support. Amberley near Brisbane has been suggested, Williamtown is another possibility and Dubbo another.”

CE ponders for a moment, then asks, “what is the chance of making this sort of change?”

BO looks nostalgic and says, “back in the good old days when the Department was responsible for both airports and airways, we had the span of control and authority to make strategic changes. Now it is much harder, as we have to negotiate with the Federal Airports Corporation, and while we are optimising air routes and they are optimising returns on each airport, the total solution can be very sub-optimal. To make matters worse, the Government is looking to sell all the airports. That will make it virtually impossible to have a highly efficient air transport system.”

CE ponders for a moment, then comments, “Yes, well selling the farm makes the bottom line look real fine for a year or so, but if the end result is an inefficient system that spawns new airports just to cope with demand, the long-term costs are horrendous. The nation pays forever after. Of course, there is an alternative strategy that has been proven just to the North”, CE says, “the Singapore solution. They found a similar problem with rising demand for air services, increased demand for land and high infrastructure costs. They bit the bullet, moved military training from Changi to Tengah, built a brand new, high capacity airport at Changi, and closed the international airport. That land has been returned to community use and now has some very attractive housing in place. Two airfields are now doing the work of three, and I bet they are laughing all the way to the bank.”

“Let’s sum up”, suggests CE. “KSA has the capacity to double the current rate of movements, if all three runways are used. There could be additional capacity for large public transport aircraft if commuter and private aircraft are positioned at Bankstown. An express transit train could be used to move passengers and freight from Sydney to Bankstown via KSA, or via an extension of the freeway going past Bankstown. If the RAAF pulls out of Richmond, some GA aircraft could go to Camden and some to Richmond which would be the preferred location for flying training because of the availability of airspace released by the military. Long after you and I are gone, Richmond could even be the site of the second Sydney international airport.”

“How do we do the planning?” CE asks. “Some of my buddies in Boeing have told me they have bought some fancy planning software from Australia to create a new airways system in China. Do we have that available here?”

“Yes we do,” says BO enthusiastically. “We have a whole Section devoted to the evaluation of airspace use — it’s the Research and Development Section of the Planning and Development Division — and staffed by a very professional and dedicated group of people. They use some powerful workstations and can simulate everything right down to movements on taxiways. The system can objectively determine how many aircraft can use the airports and airspace, and how many conflicts occur. They…” BO was just warming to the subject when CE holds up his hand to call a halt.

“I get the drift son. You have the general idea. Make up a direction for me to sign to task the R&D Section with the development of the Sydney Basin Airspace. Make sure it includes an instruction that ICAO separation standards will be used — I don’t want anybody ‘gaming the system’ to derive the assumptions they need to prove that the present system mandates the building of Badgerys Creek. It looks too damned expensive when you consider what facilities are already in place. I’ll make a start by offering the media the observation that SIMOPS at KSA do not present the high risk that is currently being touted. We’ll take it from there.”

BO, a politically astute animal, knows immediately what the reaction will be if CE makes such a statement. Should he warn CE about the political sensitivities of the KSA air traffic arrangements? He has not enjoyed briefing CE, and thinks, “no — he’s a big boy and gets paid a hell of a lot more than me. Let him find out for himself.” As he departs, he sees CE looking at the VTC and shaking his head in bewilderment at the ‘Australian Way’ of ‘safe and expeditious’ airspace management.