Pilots say Sydney overruns fall short

A Global pilots association has warned Sydney Airport’s $65 million runway safety modifications are not enough.

Sydney Airport has begun the last of six safety area extensions at the end of of the airport’s three runways, but the 90-metre addition falls short of recommendations.

The International Federation of Air Line Pilots Associations (IFALPA), which represents 100,000 pilots, has urged the airport to extend the safety areas to 240 metres, Fairfax newspapers reported today.

They also recommended Sydney Airport use specially designed crushable concrete to bring overrunning planes to a safe halt.

The concrete is a new method used in places with extreme climates, such as North America.
IFALPA spokesman Gideon Ewers told the paper he welcomed the extension but suggested costs prevented a bigger safeguard.

“While the airport is correct in their assertion that they will meet the minimum required by International Civil Aviation Organisation, the question arises why will they not meet the (240 metre) recommendation?,” he said.

In most overrun accidents Mr Ewers said, 90-metre safety areas would not be enough to bring planes to a safe halt.

“Without (the extra distance) there’s a big hole in the safety net,” he said.

Federal Minister for Transport Anthony Albanese, whose electorate of Grayndler is under the flight path, said the plan was unacceptable.

A spokesman for Sydney Airport Michael Samaras said there was no need to fUrther extend its runway safety areas because it was already meeting standards.

IFALPA said runway overruns occur once every ten days around the world and more than a quarter of recent fatalities have been the result of such incidents.

IFALPA said without their recommendations, accidents such as the Garuda crash at Yogyakarta in Indonesia last year, that claimed the lives of 21 people including five Australians, could still occur.