Western Sydney Airport (WSI) Discussion

[SYD]

I'm not against a second Sydney airport

That’s what I was questioning given that SYD is over capacity (and had been projected to be decades ago).

but just not where it's been plonked. Surely RAAF Richmond would have been a better place to start with. Oh, sorry, I forgot the noise issue...

There were other issues from memory - fog, already highly constrained for expansion and most importantly the runway was too short and constraints to extend.

Or failing that, just make Badgery's Creek a LCC, GA and freight airport. Oh wait, that's what it is.

Yes, to start with but that’s a good start.

Speaking of noise, getting those lumbering belly full freight flights taking off from SYD between 10pm and 11pm wouldn’t be a bad thing and help reduce the complaints about SYD’s very existence.

 

[clifford]

There were other issues from memory - fog, already highly constrained for expansion and most importantly the runway was too short and constraints to extend.

Ah yes, constraints. Looking at Google Maps it's obvious. But there we have it, a ready made airport with an extendable runway (to the dismay of local residents who may have to have their houses demolished).

But that's nothing, really, when considering the proposed Heathrow third runway. In that case whole suburbs (Sipson, Harmondsworth) will be impacted, with hundreds if not thousands of houses being demolished. In reality, I'm just being the Devil's Advocate and wouldn't want any housing to be demolished at all (even at Richmond). I just think the Badgery's Creek airport was a bit of a brain fart and should have been placed elsewhere. What about Wollongong or Camden or even Hoxton Park, where I used to live (yes, I know).

 

[moa999]

Richmond was considered multiple times, but issues such as fog, it's elevation (20m) and flood issues, and those flood issues preventing broader development around the area counted it out.

Badgerys (at 60km) is only slightly further out than Richmond (52km) from Sydney's centre and there is more growth to the SW than NW due to flood plain issues .

Where in Hoxton Park would you put an airport. Even if you took over the entire industrial zone that's about 1/4 of the Badgerys Creek land.
Let alone the amount of existing housing.

Anyhow. Apparently one of the last drone videos of WSI and surrounds, as a drone exclusion zone will soon be introduced as testing ramps up.

 

[Beano]

Here's a thought. WSIA may be a destination in it's own right, bright new shiny airport and lounges!

 

[Saab34]

Why don't we just wait and see what happens and if you get a choice between SYD or WSIA (or whatever). I think some unsuspecting travellers from AKL to WSIA, on the proposed Air NZ route, might get a surprise!

Many have been caught out with the old Melbourne (MEL) and Melbourne (AVV) trick also. I’m not sure how they will frame it perhaps Sydney (Kingsford Smith), Sydney (Western Sydney).

 

[AuSammy]

Many have been caught out with the old Melbourne (MEL) and Melbourne (AVV) trick also. I’m not sure how they will frame it perhaps Sydney (Kingsford Smith), Sydney (Western Sydney).

Any different to

LHR, LCY, LGW and 4 others
HND, NRT
JFK, EWR, LGA

And many others - Paris, Shanghai etc etc

 

[HS-TQE]

AirAsiaX for a while advertised OOL as "Brisbane (Gold Coast)" in their early pre-Covid years.

 

[Daver6]

Richmond was considered multiple times, but issues such as fog, it's elevation (20m) and flood issues, and those flood issues preventing broader development around the area counted it out.

Badgerys (at 60km) is only slightly further out than Richmond (52km) from Sydney's centre and there is more growth to the SW than NW due to flood plain issues .

Where in Hoxton Park would you put an airport. Even if you took over the entire industrial zone that's about 1/4 of the Badgerys Creek land.
Let alone the amount of existing housing.

Anyhow. Apparently one of the last drone videos of WSI and surrounds, as a drone exclusion zone will soon be introduced as testing ramps up.

Looks like only 7 airbridges? Doesn't seem like a lot for a new major airport.

Also, the comment that a second terminal will be duplicated on the other side. Has Sydney not learnt anything about having terminals far apart?!

 

[HS-TQE]

Looks like only 7 airbridges? Doesn't seem like a lot for a new major airport.

Also, the comment that a second terminal will be duplicated on the other side. Has Sydney not learnt anything about having terminals far apart?!

I'd suspect all the aerorbdige gates are Flex gates that can switch between international and domestic use.

There is a lot of non-contact bays on both sides which could be used for the JQ (and potentially QFLink E190) operations as well, considering JQ will be the largest domestic carrier (building up to 10 aircraft) at WSI when it initially opens.

 

[Harrison_133]

Looks like only 7 airbridges? Doesn't seem like a lot for a new major airport.

7 wide body contact bays, or they can be used for 2 narrow bodies at once instead. 13 airbridges in total.

 

[Daver6]

I'd suspect all the aerorbdige gates are Flex gates that can switch between international and domestic use.

There is a lot of non-contact bays on both sides which could be used for the JQ (and potentially QFLink E190) operations as well, considering JQ will be the largest domestic carrier (building up to 10 aircraft) at WSI when it initially opens.

Why build a brand new airport that doesn't have enough airbridges though? Using stairs etc is so 1950s.

 

[HS-TQE]

I would tip the QF Group (both QFLink and JQ) would prefer to use the aerobridges where possible, but if there are some int'l departures at the same time, some of the JQ or QFLink flights would be pushed to the non-contact bays.

The only benefit if you're on a JQ or QFLink flight parked at a remote bay, it's a short walk from the terminal rather than getting a bus to the plane like in most other locations around the world.

 

[SYD]

Looks like only 7 airbridges? Doesn't seem like a lot for a new major airport.

Isn’t that 1 more than HBA?

Also, the comment that a second terminal will be duplicated on the other side. Has Sydney not learnt anything about having terminals far apart?!

The master plan has the existing terminal duplicated as a mirror image - so like a H shape*.

I might be wrong but even the current terminal isn’t the full length of half that “H”. So could be extended in 3 or so phases.

*there’s some artist impressions floating around with the full size terminal surrounded by aircraft but no apparent way for people to get to it!

 

[Daver6]

Isn’t that 1 more than HBA?

Burn. However, HBA isn't new. Wasn't it built by convicts a while back? I bet @RooFlyer has researched it and can tell us what the cattle runs were used for historically

 

[AuSammy]

Why build a brand new airport that doesn't have enough airbridges though? Using stairs etc is so 1950s.

You don't need aerobridges for a chief raison d'etre of the airport - freight - no self loading cargo.

Also the main initial passenger airline is JQ and they mostly haven't used them on flights I have been on.

 

[clifford]

You don't need aerobridges for a chief raison d'etre of the airport - freight

Quite so, and that's how it'll be for quite some time. And, as for Hoxton Park, don't you remember that there used to be an airfield there? I lived quite close to it for a while. Admittedly, things have moved on a bit since then....

Which Prime Minister can we thank for the joy of having Badgery's Creek?

 

[SYD]

Which Prime Minister can we thank for the joy of having Badgery's Creek?

Technically there’s a very long line if you include those who couldn’t make a decision…

 

[RooFlyer]

Also, the comment that a second terminal will be duplicated on the other side. Has Sydney not learnt anything about having terminals far apart?!

It'll be attached back-to-back.

Looks like only 7 airbridges? Doesn't seem like a lot for a new major airport.

Isn’t that 1 more than HBA?

Actually 7 more than HBA

Burn. However, HBA isn't new. Wasn't it built by convicts a while back? I bet @RooFlyer has researched it and can tell us what the cattle runs were used for historically

In 1948 in a major nation-building initiative PM Ben Chifley announced £760,000 to build a new airport at Llanherne. The airport has been sucking the Commonwealth teat ever since - so, thank you.

Llanherne was the name of a very early farm in the area and it is likely that convicts were employed cleating and levelling an early version of the runway.

Note that the entire WSI airport and transport works has been built in the time of the current expansion of HBA.

 

[dajop]

Note that the entire WSI airport and transport works has been built in the time of the current expansion of HBA.

Really? I’m not sure I believe you about this.

Surely the expansion of HBA wasn’t completed that quickly.

 

[AuSammy]

It'll be attached back-to-back.





Actually 7 more than HBA



In 1948 in a major nation-building initiative PM Ben Chifley announced £760,000 to build a new airport at Llanherne. The airport has been sucking the Commonwealth teat ever since - so, thank you.

Llanherne was the name of a very early farm in the area and it is likely that convicts were employed cleating and levelling an early version of the runway.

Note that the entire WSI airport and transport works has been built in the time of the current expansion of HBA.

Can someone please post the fact check URL