Perth Airport is one of the most isolated airports in the world. Although the airport only has around 10 days with Low Visibility Operations (LVO) per year, the diversions are costly for airlines and inconvenient for passengers. ADB SAFEGATE is working together with Perth Airport, Airservices and West Coast Civil to weather proof the airport through an upgrade of its lighting infrastructure which will allow for Category III landings and make diversions a thing of the past.

Perth Airport is the fourth largest capital city airport in Australia. It is situated on the country’s western coast and blessed with clear weather almost all-year-round. But it’s also one of the most isolated airports in the world, so when it suffers from one of its 10 or so days of fog or haze per year, the diversions for airlines and passengers are extreme. International flights need to divert to Adelaide in South Australia, more than two hours away.

This means that every time there is a diversion, the airlines are burdened with costs for the additional fuel, and transport and hotels for stranded passengers. Even when fog is simply forecast, airlines must carry additional fuel to ensure they have enough to reach Adelaide, and shorter-range international aircraft often cannot use the airport because they are unable to carry enough fuel for a diversion.

The airport will now be weather proofed. Together with Perth Airport, Airservices and West Coast Civil, ADB SAFEGATE will work towards a CAT III upgrade for the airport. By completion of the project in 2018, aircraft will be able to land in low visibility conditions to a distance of 50m, down from the current 800m visibility. In this consortium, West Coast Civil will be undertaking all the civil works and construction, whilst ADB SAFEGATE will be responsible for supply, installation and commissioning of the systems and associated equipment.

Upgrading the airport to the maximum level of landing capabilities in LVO is a complex undertaking. The Individual Light Control and Monitoring System (ILCMS) will incorporate 3800 lights to ensure that the complete airfield is compliant to CAT III conditions at all times. ADB SAFEGATE will also interface the Airfield Lighting Control and Monitoring System (ALCMS) with Airservice’s Integrated Tower Automation Suite (INTAS) and ensure that the air traffic controllers have the operational tools required for low visibility operations. Along with the already existing gate solutions (Safedock & SafeControl Apron Management), Perth Airport will soon be capable of offering its airlines and passengers a seamless integrated flow that will lead the way in to the future for the capital city airports in Australia.

If you have any question, don’t hesitate to contact us at our Australian office:

ADB SAFEGATE AUSTRALIA Pty Ltd
Unit 8, 677 Springvale Road
Mulgrave
3170 Victoria
Australia
E-mail: australia@adbsafegate.com
Phone: +61 (0) 3 8545 1600
Fax: +61 (0) 3 8545 1699

ADB SAFEGATE is a leading provider of intelligent solutions that deliver superior airport performance from approach to departure. The company partners with airports and airlines to analyze their current setup and operations, identify bottlenecks, and jointly solve them using a consultative approach that enables airports to improve efficiency, enhance safety and environmental sustainability, and reduce operational costs. Our integrated portfolio includes solutions and services that harmonize airport performance, tackling every aspect of traffic handling and guidance, from approach, runway and taxiway lighting, to tower-based traffic control systems, and intelligent gate and docking automation. ADB SAFEGATE has more than 1,00 employees in more than 20 countries and operates in more than 175 countries, serving more than 2,500 airports.