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
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.
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.
SATELLITE-BASED PROCEDURES AS THE PRIMARY MEANS OF NAVIGATION FOR THE MAJORITY OF FLIGHTS
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.
There have been two broad forms of satellite-based navigation used by aircraft for landing: Required Navigation (RNAV), 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.
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
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 Smart Tracking 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 Smart Tracking proprietary procedure which limits use to specified airlines and aircraft types. The Smart Tracking 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 RNAV 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 OmniDirectional 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 RNAV with runway aligned RNAV
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 RNAV 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
ircraft currently break off the heading of 150 degrees when they A 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
ircraft noise is expected to fall within the existing flight path corridor A for aircraft arriving north of the airport
This procedure is currently used very infrequently
uture use is expected to reduce to a maximum of nine flights in a full F 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
ollow-up community consultation will occur in the three months F before the system becomes operational
Will join existing flight paths close to the airport
Standard Arrival Routes (STAR) from east (NZ)
Reduced pilot and ATC workload – safety improvement
Provides for autopilot-managed tracking
Standard Instrument Departures (SID) to north
All change is over water
NDB/VOR straightened (5 degree offset)
Instrument Landing System
Standard Arrival Routes (STAR) from north
August 2016
August 2016
Mid 2017
Late 2017
South Landing Runway 32 NDB/VOR straightened
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 Smart Tracking
ill use same runway aligned flight path as the existing RNAV W procedure
Not expected to be any change in noise impact
xisting Smart Tracking proprietary procedure is offset from the E runway by nine degrees to the east of the runway centreline, forming a flight path corridor with the existing NDB/VOR procedure
he new Smart Tracking procedure will be available for use by all T 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
xpected to reduce the number of aircraft using the straight-in arrival E flight path, especially during low visibility conditions
Standard Arrival Routes (STAR) from north
Will join existing flight paths close to the airport
Reduced pilot and ATC workload – safety improvement
Standard Arrival Routes (STAR) from east (NZ)
Provides for autopilot-managed tracking
All change is over water
ptions to be considered by industry and the community are O expected to be available by late 2016
Replace existing RNAV with BARO VNAV
New Smart Tracking flight path for aircraft arriving from the north and east
August 2016
Mid to late 2017
Mid to late 2017
Late 2017
Other Update Noise Abatement Procedures
Mid 2017
TIMELINE June 2016
Aircraft Navigation Modernisation Program for Gold Coast Airport presented to the community
August 2016
Runway 14 - Replace existing RNAV with runway aligned RNAV
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 Smart Tracking flight path for aircraft arriving from the north and east.
Runway 32 – Replace existing RNAV 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)
Map data © 2015 Google
RNAV
RNAV
VOR
Visual
RNAV
Smart Tracking (RNP)
VOR
Smart Tracking (RNP)
Smart Tracking (RNP)
Current flight paths
Map data © 2015 Google
ILS
BARO VNAV
RNAV
VOR
VOR
Visual
RNAV
Smart Tracking (RNP)
Smart Tracking (RNP)
ILS
Smart Tracking (RNP)
Future flight paths
www.airservicesaustralia.com 16-088JUNE Corporate Communication
