Gold Coast finally gets an ILS

[MarkR]

THE controversial instrument landing system (ILS) for the Gold Coast airport has been approved by the Federal Government.

Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss has announced the $10 million ILS, which would prevent flight diversions from Coolangatta to Brisbane, will go ahead.


http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/gold-coast/gold-coast-airport-ils-approved/news-story/8747a20d551e695ec64d125e60c8fce7

About time, although one wonders if the cost is worth it given the increasing use of RNAV.

[Mick F]

The problem is though, at the moment RNP is only available to those operators who can afford to get all the necessary approvals and equipment and the access to the approaches.

It'll be a few years yet before RNP approaches become the norm.

Well done Gold Coast airport. And finally some sanity from the Federal Government.

Mick

[MarkR]

It'll be a few years yet before RNP approaches become the norm.


It's the norm for JQ & VA now, as well as QF, which of course is the majority of traffic into OOL, diversions into BNE have reduced significantly in the last 12 months as a result. Don't get me wrong, always happy to see safety enhanced where possible, just wish it was not so late in coming. GLadstone had an ILS very shortly after JET ops started thanks to the mining industry, politicians are always so slow to make a decision, even when lives are at stake.

[James Smith]

With the ILS being a straight in approach to runway 14, aircraft noise will be experienced by suburbs that have never experienced it before. It will be interesting to see how the noise issue is handled and whether straight in approaches are only used when the ILS is required.

I have always enjoyed watching the jets come around to join final approach over water only a mile or so from the shore when we have stayed at Surfers Paradise on holiday and the weather has been IMC. I presume that the new ILS approaches will be well inland abeam Surfers.

[Rowan McKeever]

Actually VA argued it DOES need the ILS as not all of its fleet are RNP-equipped and RNP-crewed. The overseas carriers also argued for the ILS.

I'd be curious to know, Mick, where you perceive there has been a lack of sanity from the govt? Not saying I disagree with you necessarily, just curious...

ILS, in and of itself, does not improve safety - rather it provides a mechanism to allow for approaches to be conducted in a greater range of conditions. Like any system, it is only as good or as safe as the person operating it. If that person is inclined to bust minima or behave in a cowboy-ish fashion, he or she will do so irrespective of whether they are flying a visual, RNP, GPS, NDB or ILS Cat III approach.

[Chris Z]

Hi James

You will still enjoy watching us shoot curved approaches overwater from Surfers even when the weather is IMC. I haven't met another airline pilot that will want to fly another 8 minutes to track up to Southport and turn around to fly the ILS unless it is operationally required..ie below the RNP minima.

If any of you could be bothered, take a look at the nonsense on the FB page 'Stop The ILS'. These folk can not be reasoned with. :rolleyes:

[Mick F]

It's the norm for JQ & VA now, as well as QF, which of course is the majority of traffic into OOL

Tigerair don't have RNP approval, and that's quite a few flights just there. Most business jets don't have the required approvals, and very few of the international airlines flying to the Gold Coast have RNP approval. Other operations like GA will probably never be able to achieve RNP approval.

I'd be curious to know, Mick, where you perceive there has been a lack of sanity from the govt?

I refer more to aviation infrastructure in this country, nothing specific about this ILS. Australia's aviation infrastructure is so far behind it's almost embarrassing. Part of the problem also lies with the general public. They don't want things like ILS's and new airports, yet will be the first to make their opinions known about the ability of an airline to complete their flight on time and without cancellation while the airlines utilise such a poor system.

ILS, in and of itself, does not improve safety

In this instance I disagree (RNP aside), because you're talking about offering a much safer precision approach that will provide straight in approaches, vs the current offset non-precision approaches that can require low level manoeuvring in jet aircraft.

Either way, this is a great step forward for the Gold Coast.

Finally....
I haven't met another airline pilot that will want to fly another 8 minutes to track up to Southport and turn around to fly the ILS unless it is operationally required

Here here!! The quicker the better. I just want to go home, not fly around for unnecessary amounts of time.

Mick

[MarkR]

In this instance I disagree (RNP aside), because you're talking about offering a much safer precision approach that will provide straight in approaches, vs the current offset non-precision approaches that can require low level manoeuvring in jet aircraft.


I agree that ILS is all about safety, had to laugh at Mr Ciobo, local MP, echoing the ILS is not about safety comment and then saying its a safe airport, given the two investigations into below minima ops by an international airline doing a non precision approach to that very locale.

[Matthew Chisholm]

Part of the problem also lies with the general public. They don't want things like ILS's and new airports, yet will be the first to make their opinions known about the ability of an airline to complete their flight on time and without cancellation while the airlines utilise such a poor system.


I have to disagree, majority of the general public wouldn't have a clue what an ILS is.

[Adrian B]

Are the charts out yet? I can't see them on the ASA site as yet.

Air Services Australia Charts (http://www.airservicesaustralia.com/aip/pending/dap/AeroProcChartsTOC.htm#G)

[Mick F]

There was a draft one under the Gold Coast ILS info page on the Airservices website, not sure if it's still there. But otherwise, you won't see an official chart for some time yet. They haven't even built the thing!

And Chisholm, there was a whole lot of people who suddenly knew a lot of stuff about ILS's when they were going through the consultation stage. But do I need to mention things like public opposition to Badgerys Creek Airport (there are signs in the Blue Mountains whinging about it because they don't want noise, yet they're probably likely to get less noise than they currently do!) and basically the expansion of any airport in the country? Or even the ridiculous noise laws, movement caps and curfews in place at Sydney Airport. It'd be nice if it could just operate as an airport and not a political toy.

Aviation is so strangled and constrained in this country, no wonder airlines struggle to make money here.

Mick

[Matthew Chisholm]

:eek: