enforceable ILS FLIGHT PATH RESTRICTIONS
Use of the Gold Coast's ILS flight path is heavily restricted: The two components of the rules applying to the ILS flight path are (1) the overarching conditions in the AAT’s orders and (2) the criteria for bad weather referred to in Noise Abatement Procedures:
Airservices Australia has developed critiera for use by Air Traffic Controllers that defines "bad weather". They are contained in Noise Abatement Procedures (NAP) and apply ONCE the conditions in the AAT's order have been met. For example, when the weather conditions referred to in the NAP exist the ILS cannot be used unless OTHER FLIGHT PATHS ARE UNAVAILABLE, as this is a condition of the order.
Airservices has not provided details of whom they consulted in the development of these criteria, despite the AAT's order requiring consultation with all airlines. We are therefore unaware of whether they were developed by Airservices Australia independently.
Following are detailed technical explanations of each, and summaries of the main points. Because there are some other circumstances in which use of the ILS will be allowed, the criteria has been set out in a decision tree format to help explain the decision making process. Please note that other than in bad weather, use of the ILS for other reasons such as emergencies should be rare.
restrictions in detail
#1. Conditions ratified by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal regarding use of the flight path
Taking account of relevant sections of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975 (Cth), the Administrative Appeals Tribunal decided that the decision of the Federal Government on 19 January 2016 to approve the Major Development Plan regarding the installation of Gold Coast Airport ILS is to be varied by the following conditions:
All aircraft approved by CASA should use the existing RNAV-RNP, RNAV-X and W-RNP flight path approaches unless another approach is operationally required or required for emergencies.
All aircraft not approved by CASA to use the existing RNAV-RNP, RNAV-X and W-RNP flight path approaches must use either the new RNAV-Z flight path approach or visual flight path approach (Surfers to Mermaid Beach introduced August 2016) unless another approach is operationally required or required for emergencies.
The ILS can only be used by aircraft approved by CASA to use the ILS when the flight path approaches set out above are not appropriate due to any of the following:
in circumstances where increased cloud coverage and reduced visibility require the use of the vertical guidance and better landing assurance provided by the ILS. Airservices will develop, in consultation with all airlines, Gold Coast Airport, and Airservices’ Air Traffic Control Tower and Terminal Control Unit, the prescribed cloud base and visibility at which the ILS flight path approach will be nominated, and that criteria will be recorded in the document titled Moreton – Gold Coast Tower Coordination and Standard Operation Procedures” (Standard Operating Procedures). [Refer below “NOISE ABATEMENT PROCEDURES” to review these criteria.]
when operationally required; or
required for emergencies.
The visual flight path approach (Surfers to Mermaid Beach introduced August 2016) cannot be used by heavy jets, excluding Australian and New Zealand operators, unless:
specifically requested by the pilot and the pilot has reported the landing runway in sight; or
the straight in approach other than the ILS approach aid is unserviceable.
Aircraft must not use the ILS flight path approach for tracking convenience and practice autolands, and must not use the ILS for recency requirements and traffic sequencing.
Aircraft above 5700kg must not use the ILS flight path approach for training unless operationally required.
All of the above apply to all aircraft operating at the airport (including those exempt or holding a dispensation from the Airport curfew period).
Airservices will engage in consultations with the objective of reducing noise impacts arising from the use the ILS by light aircraft (being below 5700 kg) for training.
Light aircraft using the ILS will be subject to a booking system and scheduling.
Summary of decision criteria and diagrammatical representation of guidelines
To see a diagrammatic representation of the assessment required before deciding whether the ILS is accessible click here.
#2. Decision criteria for Air Traffic Controllers and pilots: “noise Abatement procedures”
Airservices Australia has developed the following guidelines for bad weather use of the ILS flight path:
Air traffic control can advise pilots to use the ILS when weather conditions do not permit the use of the alternate noise preferred navigation approach flight paths into the Gold Coast.
Once this has been determined, an assessment will be made of whether the height of the cloud base is at or below approximately 800 feet and/or the visibility from the tower looking out along the ILS flight path is less than approximately 4 kilometres. The air traffic controller will nominate use of the ILS if either of these conditions exist.
Air traffic control will make decisions to nominate the use of the ILS in advance of an aircraft arriving at the airport and this may require a prediction by the controller of the weather conditions up to 30 minutes prior to landing.
Airservices will report all instances of non-compliance to the Gold Coast Airport Noise Abatement Consultative Committee (ANACC) and the Gold Coast Airport Community Aviation Consultation Group (CACG)
Read the presentation made by Airservices Australia to Gold Coast CACG (Gold Coast Airport Community Aviation Consultation Group) on 7 November 2018, detailing the rules they will implement and oversee regarding the controlled use of the ILS flight path. Read the presentation.
Additional conditions imposed by the AAT that facilitate our inclusion in the Airport’s Consultative Committees
Conditions imposed upon the Airport as a result of our action through the Administrative Appeals Tribunal included:
Community committee membership of the Gold Coast Airport Airport Noise Abatement Consultative Committee (was replaced in 2024 with more meetings of the Community Aviation Consultation Group)
Representation at the Gold Coast Airport Community Aviation Consultation Group.
Our Association president attends them regularly.
Explanation of flight path use by Airport COO
Listen to what Gold Coast Airport COO said about the likely frequency of use of the ILS in fine weather, in this interview with ABC's Nicole Dyer.
