Learn about flight paths and aircraft movements in your area
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Category: ool – What are the flight paths in my area
Gold Coast Airport has two runways; the main runway, Runway 14/32 (2.3 km long) is orientated north west – south east and the smaller cross runway, Runway 17/35 (0.6km) is orientated north-south.
Each runway is referred to differently according to in which direction it is being used, as explained in the following video.
For example the main runway is known as Runway 32 when used in a northerly direction and Runway 14 when used in a southerly direction. Runway numbering reflects the runways’ orientation and correlates with degrees on a compass. Runway 32 is 320 degrees.
Runway selection and seasonal winds
Runway selection is based on wind direction, weather conditions, traffic volume and other factors. Aircraft primarily take-off and land into the wind for safety and performance reasons. Therefore, as the wind direction changes the runway in operation may also change depending on the strength of the wind.
This means that Gold Coast’s seasonal wind patterns affect usage of the different runway directions. Throughout most of the year, the wind at Gold Coast Airport tends to be from the south to south-east which means greater use of Runway 14 with aircraft departing to the south and arriving from the north. During the spring months, the wind tends to be from the north which means greater use of Runway 32 with aircraft departing to the north and arriving from the south.
Gold Coast Airport also operates a Curfew that restricts some aircraft operations during the night.
An Instrument Landing System (ILS) is a navigational aid that emits radio signals to provide vertical and horizontal guidance to pilots landing in low-visibility and inclement weather conditions. This type of system requires a flight path that extends in a straight line from the runway.
Airports without an ILS can experience higher levels of missed approaches, unstable approaches and in some cases, diversions to alternate airports when safe landing is not possible.
The Gold Coast ILS
An ILS was introduced at Gold Coast Airport in early 2019. The below image shows the ILS flight path.
The ILS is designed so that arriving aircraft are vectored by Air Traffic Control within the triangular area between the dotted yellow lines (the ‘vectoring corridor’) to intercept the ‘straight-in’ ILS approach path (solid yellow lines).
ILS Flight Paths at Gold Coast Airport
Usage of the Gold Coast ILS
Analysis of flight tracks found that total ILS usage for a year (from February 2019 to February 2020) was 833 arrivals, which included 442 jet arrivals (53%) and 391 turbo prop/piston arrivals (47%). Turbo-props made up approximately 6% and piston aircraft approximately 41%. Piston aircraft are typically training aircraft under 5,700kg and therefore allowed to use the ILS under the NAPs (see NAPs section below).
On the busiest day of the year, the ILS was used 45 times. For the majority of the year (349 days), ILS usage was less than 8 arrivals per day.
Use of the ILS is seasonal due to weather patterns (e.g. storms and low visibility conditions). February 2020 was the most common month of usage, with 28% (235 arrivals) of all use occurring in this month. August 2019 was the least common month of usage with only 20 arrivals.
Jet aircraft (red) using the ILS to Runway 14 – February 2019 to February 2020
Jet aircraft are are broadly distributed (including those arriving from the south) as they approach to join the ILS. Once on the ILS their flight paths become increasingly concentrated.
Piston aircraft (pink) using the ILS to Runway 14 – February 2019 to February 2020
Piston aircraft remain more broadly distributed than jet and turbo-prop aircraft before narrowing their approach closer to the airport.
Turbo-prop aircraft (green) using the ILS to Runway 14 – February 2019 to February 2020
Turbo-prop aircraft are broadly distributed as they approach to join the ILS. Once on the ILS their flight paths become increasingly concentrated.
Noise Abatement Procedures for the ILS
Noise Abatement Procedures (NAPs) at Gold Coast Airport restrict use of the ILS except in the following circumstances:
when poor weather affects visibility
for operational requirements,
or during emergencies.
The objective of the NAPs it to limit the use of the ILS and minimise noise impacts on the community.
Weather
Weather conditions that affect visibility include low cloud and rain. When making an approach the pilot must be able to see the runway on reaching a prescribed altitude known as the “decision altitude”. If the pilot cannot see the runway by this point the landing will be aborted and a missed approach conducted. In a missed approach or “go-around” the pilot increases power, ascends and flies a circuit to prepare for a second approach. The decision altitude when using other approaches at Gold Coast Airport varies between 570 to 430 feet, while the decision altitude when using the ILS is reduced to 330 feet. Therefore the ILS provides more opportunity to land in poor visual conditions.
Air traffic control advise pilots to use the ILS when:
the cloud base is at or below approximately 800 feet (244 metres), and/or
the visibility from the air traffic control tower looking out along the ILS flight path is less than approximately 4 kilometres.
Visibility from the control tower is assessed with reference to geographical features at known distances. The ILS is nominated for use once the visibility of Tugun Hill from the tower is reduced due to weather. Tugun Hill is located 4 kilometres from the tower.
Operational requirements
The NAPs for the Preferred Approaches for Runway 14 require that the ILS be used as the last priority approach, except due to weather or operational requirement. The NAPs priority order is:
‘Smart Tracking’ (RNP-AR) approach
Area Navigation (RNAV) approach or Visual approach
Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach
If a pilot requests use of the ILS due to operational requirements, air traffic control (ATC) must follow this request. To ensure safe operation of their aircraft, the pilot-in-command always has the final say about what type of approach they require.
Training
The ILS can be used for training purposes, but:
is not permitted for aircraft with a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) above 5,700kg
is permitted for aircraft with a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) below 5,700kg (light aircraft) only between the hours of 9am and 5pm local time.
Compliance with ILS conditions of use
Of the 442 jet aircraft that arrived on the ILS (from February 2019 to February 2020), 90% used it when ATC had nominated it as the approach due to the cloud base and low visibility conditions outlined in the NAPs.
Approximately 10% of jets used the ILS approach when it was not nominated by ATC.
Reasons for this are:
aircraft attempted to fly the RNP-AR or RNAV approach, and could not sight the runway at the required decision altitude so conducted a missed approach and were then directed by ATC to use the ILS approach due to visibility
pilots advised of critical operational requirements due to on-board navigational equipment issues or emergencies
airline crews prepared for approach using the ILS and either misunderstood the application of the NAPs, or were unfamiliar with operations at Gold Coast Airport.
The ILS was not used by jet or larger turbo-prop aircraft for training.
Analysis of overall arrivals to Runway 14 found that jet and turbo-prop aircraft are using preferred approaches in the order outlined in the NAPs:
48% used the RNP-AR procedures
17% used RNAV or Visual approaches
13% used the ILS approach procedure
Over 18% of general aviation flew visual or VOR approaches.
Gold Coast ILS Post Implementation Review
In 2020 we undertook a Post Implementation Review (PIR) of the Gold Coast ILS arrival procedures.
The Gold Coast is popular with domestic and international tourists and this creates demand for helicopter joy flights and scenic helicopter tours. In general, these operations increase when the weather is fine and clear and during holiday periods. There also tends to be an increase of this activity coinciding with Chinese New Year celebrations.
There are a significant amount of helicopters involved in recreational activities in and around the Gold Coast area. They operate from helipads in the Southport area, such as Sea World and the Marina Mirage. These helicopter activities are considered as ‘standard operations’ and are permitted.
An extract of the typical paths used by these aircraft is shown in the following image:
The majority of light aircraft and helicopters operate outside or underneath controlled airspace, and this is the case for the helicopters operating at the northern end of the Gold Coast. As the airspace is uncontrolled, these operations are not under the direction of air traffic control however Civil Aviation Safety Authority Regulations still apply and must be adhered to.
Helicopter tour companies use a number of noise mitigation strategies such as varying their tracking to ensure they are not overflying the same residences each flight. Pilots are instructed to climb as quickly as possible and to avoid situations that increase rotor blade slap.
Helicopters, like fixed-wing aircraft land and take-off into the wind for safety reasons. This means the wind direction at the helipad usually determines whether or not they depart to the north or to the south. While the scenic route is similar regardless of the departure direction, residents will observe flights in opposite directions at times and as a result the altitudes of the helicopters may differ between flights.
WebTrak My Neighbourhood (left) is an extension of WebTrak that presents historical information about aircraft noise and flight path use to provide an understanding of patterns over time.
Using this tool you can explore arrival, departure or both types of flight paths by month, quarter or year to see:
Below: a departure flight path ‘swathe’ with tag showing percentage of departure traffic, number of flights and hours of respite for that flight path in the selected timeframe
Below: Click the “i” on any flight path tag to see more detailed data
