QF: All flights into and out of Sydney cancelled due to fog

[Harpoon]

To upgrade to CAT II or III ILS will cost a lot of money. We'll pay for it throughout the year in ticket pricing.

I dunno....I don't think that's necessarily the case. Though who will ever know

Melbourne Airport/VIC Government/Airlines/whoever else is involved have obviously considered CATIII a worthy investment. Somebody has done the calculations and it's assumingly due to increase tourism and business revenue for Victoria with the intl termninal expansion, that the upgrade pays for itself.

 

[swimwxgirl]

As a Meteorologist for a major airline that flies into SYD I can tell you that SYD only fogs in maybe 5 times a year. They do forecast fog A LOT and those TAFs rarely verify. Why spend all that money to make it a CATIII airport when the amount of times it occurs in very minimal. Also, the pilots need to be certified to those criteria. Why waist a CATIII pilot on a flight to SYD when he would be more usefull for a flight to London.

 

[serfty]

G'day swimwxgirl, welcome to AFF

Thankyou for clarifying the situation with SYD ...

Cheers ...

 

[markis10]

AIPs' also lay out a list of aircraft priorities for ATC to operate, though I can't find it right now. Starts with Medical through to Private. I'll try and look it up tomorrow.

ATCs operate on a clearly defined priority system that does not have much commercial consideration:

ATC will regulate operations to minimise the possibility of conflict and, provided that safety is in no way jeopardised, will apply priorities in the following order:
a. An aircraft in an emergency, including being subjected to unlawful interference, will be given priority in all circumstances.​

b. A multi-engined aircraft which has suffered the loss of an engine and has not been subject to a SAR phase, or has not been considered under the provision of sub-paragraph

​

a. above, shall be granted priority for landing.​

c. An aircraft which has suffered radio communications failure will be granted priority for landing.

d. An aircraft which has declared a Mercy flight.

e. An aircraft participating in a Search and Rescue (SAR), Medical (MED 1), Hospital Aircraft (HOSP), or Fire and Flood Relief (FFR) flights shall be granted priority as necessary.
f. An aircraft operating under police callsign “POLAIR RED” or “FEDPOL RED” engaged in
operations where life is at risk.
g. An aircraft engaged in the personal transport of Heads of State or of Government, or other selected dignitaries on official visits to Australia, or the personal transport of the Governor-General or the Prime Minister.
h. A landing aircraft will have priority over a departing aircraft if the latter cannot take off with prescribed separation standards.
i. An aircraft landing or taking off will be given priority over taxiing aircraft.
j. An aircraft which is first able to use the landing area, or desired airspace, in the normal course of its operations will be given priority except:
1) an RVSM-approved aircraft will be given priority for level requests between FL290 and
FL410 inclusive over aircraft not RVSM-approved;
2) within ATS surveillance system coverage, identified aircraft will be given priority over nonidentified aircraft;
3) when significant economic benefit would result for a number of other aircraft by deferring this priority;
4) that a flight desiring to operate in other than the normal pattern for operational reasons will be given the same priority as other flights unless it involves a short-notice change to a clearance already issued to another aircraft (in this case, permission to operate will be deferred);
5) controllers may adjust priorities to consolidate a group of aircraft operating in other than the normal pattern in order to minimise conflictions or simplify traffic management; and
6) when prior arrangement has been made for AsA aircraft engaged in navigation aids checks, and a priority predetermined with ATC.

10.2 Training flights will be given the same priority as other flights except that:
a. flights operating in the traffic pattern in general use will be given priority over flights desiring to operate in conflicting patterns for training purposes;
b. when a training instrument approach is approved, priority will be given to that aircraft from the time it commences its final approach until the approach is completed.

10.3 Notwithstanding sub-paragraph 10.1 j., during periods when all requirements for operation in a capital city civil CTR or the overlying control area cannot be accommodated, priority will be given in the following order:
a. with equal status:
1) scheduled commercial air transport operations;
2) non-scheduled commercial air transport operations;
3) military aircraft (other than training flights);
4) aircraft engaged in the personal transport of:State Governors or the Administrator of the Northern Territory, State Premiers or Chief Ministers of Territories;​

5) aircraft participating in Medical (MED 2) operations;

b. with equal status:

1) general aviation aircraft proceeding to a primary aerodrome;
2) military and civil training flights; and
c. other operations.

10.4 Notwithstanding paragraph 10.3, at Sydney, the following order of priorities will apply:
a. with equal status:
1) scheduled commercial air transport operations into and out of Sydney;
2) non-scheduled commercial air transport operations of BA146 and heavier types to and from
Sydney (Kingsford Smith) aerodrome;
3) military aircraft, except training flights;
4) aircraft engaged in the personal transport of:State Governors or the Administrator of the Northern Territory,State Premiers or the Chief Ministers of the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory;​

5) MED 2 operations;

b. all other non-scheduled commercial air transport operations proceeding to and from Sydney (Kingsford Smith) or Sydney/Bankstown aerodromes not covered in sub-sub-paragraph a.(2.)
above, excluding balloons;
c. with equal status:
1) general aviation aircraft proceeding to or from Sydney (Kingsford Smith) or Sydney/
Bankstown aerodromes;
2) military and civil training flights; and​

d. other operations.