The Gold Coast Airport apron has delivered up to four additional aircraft parking spaces, in a $16 million reconfiguration, as the airport experiences its annual peak travel period.
Aircraft positions have been created for the project, with four Code C (narrow body) or three Code E (wide body), which was rolled out in a live operational environment over 19 months.
Gold Coast Airport Chief Operating Officer, Marion Charlton, said: “The new apron layout gives us the ability to easily switch between narrow and wide body aircraft, depending on demand.
“Having more parking space also reduces the potential of aircraft having to hold on taxiways while waiting for a parking position to become available.”
He said that as well as additional capacity, the reconfiguration provides more flexibility during peak times and busy periods.
A major component of the project involved relocating jet fuel hydrants to align with new parking positions, which was a project managed by Caltex.
The project includes the relocation of all existing aircraft bays along the front of the terminal, 900m new underground hydrant pipe to reticulate fuel, 236 welds on the hydrant pipes, 31 new hydrant points for refueling, and two new underground valve chambers. More than 20,000 labour hours went into the mechanical works alone.
Shane Rooney, Manager of the joint venture between Caltex and BP for fuel operations at the airport, said: “Safe and reliable fuel infrastructure is a critical part of airport operations, so we are pleased to have worked closely with Gold Coast Airport to successfully deliver a project that will support its growth into the future.”
Mr Rooney said the joint venture was proud to have supported an important project for the future of Gold Coast Airport.
This project follows the airport’s $86 million air-side upgrade in 2018, which delivered a 20,000sq m apron expansion to facilitate four additional aircraft, and a new taxiway.
