- Aviation Rescue Fire Fighting Facilities, Navigation Aids and Digital Aerodrome Services project, Western Sydney International Airport
Airservices Australia
2.1Airservices Australia (Airservices) seeks approval from the Committee to proceed with its proposed Aviation Rescue Fire Fighting Facilities, Navigation Aids and Digital Aerodrome Services project at Western Sydney International Airport (WSIA).
2.2The Australian Government released its plan for the Western Sydney Airport in 2016, identifying the greenfield site at Badgerys Creek as the preferred airport location. The Commonwealth-owned Western Sydney Airport Corporation Limited (WSA Co) is responsible for the construction of the airport, including runways, taxiways, terminals, and supporting infrastructure. The airport is to be operational by December 2026.
2.3Airservices Australia will support the development and operation of Western Sydney Airport by providing essential aviation infrastructure, equipment, and services, in line with its responsibilities under the Air Services Act 1995. The proposed public works will provide: telecommunications, aeronautical data, air traffic control services, navigation services and Aviation Rescue Fire Fighting Services (ARFFS).
2.4The total estimated cost of the project is $98.9 million (excluding GST).
2.5The project was referred to the Committee on 29 March 2023.
Conduct of the inquiry
2.6Following referral, the inquiry was publicised on the Committee’s website and via twitter.
2.7The Committee received one submission and one confidential submission to the inquiry. A list of submissions can be found at Appendix A.
2.8On 12 May 2023 the Committee conducted a site inspection at Badgerys Creek. This was followed by a public and in-camera hearing on 15 May 2023 at Parliament House, Canberra. A transcript of the public hearing is available on the Committee’s website.
Need for the works
2.9As required by the Air Services Act 1995, Airservices will provide airfield navigational and surveillance equipment and infrastructure to enable the opening and safe operation of WSIA.
2.10Airservices considers that ‘the proposed works are a critical enabling element for the operation of WSIA, all works are scheduled to be operational by December 2026’.
2.11At the public hearing, Airservices told the Committee that it is particularly aware of the tight time frame the Government is working to in order to open the airport as planned. Regular governance meetings have been implemented ‘to ensure that the critical path through these works is very well understood’. Airservices considered that the risk that this project would not be completed in time is low.
2.12The works will include the construction of a Category 10 Aviation Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) facility. This will enable all anticipated aircraft to operate from the runway, ‘ranging from regional jets and turboprops to the largest aircraft in operation today’. The facility will ensure that the airport can support increasing numbers of Code F aircraft (such as the Airbus 380), and provide an alternative airport to Sydney’s Kingsford Smith Airport.
2.13The ARFF infrastructure will also include a Hot Fire Training Ground (HFTG) as required by the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 and the Manual of Standard Part 139H. This facility will ‘support fire fighter training including in the use of hot fires, tactical positioning and application of extinguishing agents’.
2.14Airservices specified that the training ground will be used ‘in relation to manoeuvring, the use of the vehicles, positioning, tactics and so on’. It was noted that the site will not support training with foam to eliminate any environmental impact. However Airservices advised this functionality was not required at WSIA, as all Airservices firefighters are required to rotate through the national Melbourne facility. This facility has the capacity for training in foam.
2.15Airservices also advised that it has not yet considered if the asset will be used for ‘other revenue opportunities in terms of the local fire brigades and so on, but [that the option was] certainly not out of the question in the future’.
Options considered
2.16In its submission Airservices outlined the options that were considered for the project to construct and install the facilities and infrastructure required for the WSIA. The two options were:
- Option A – ARFFS Station, HFTG, traditional air traffic control tower, navigation aids
- Option B – ARFFS Station, HFTG, navigation aids, Digital Aerodrome Service.
- Option B was assessed to be the preferred option, while Option A was discounted due to the control of a physical air traffic control tower.
- Airservices told the Committee that a Digital Aerodrome Services (DAS) solution would cost less than a physical air traffic control tower, and would enable ‘air traffic controllers to provide air traffic management services from a remote location using cameras installed at the airport’.
- Airservices considers that Option B delivers the following benefits:
- reduced asset footprint with DAS operations facility leased offsite and allowing scalability of service in the future
- cost savings by avoiding the cost of building and maintaining a physical control tower and expensive infrastructure
- introduction of DAS technology to enable safety enhancements through alerting and artificial intelligence functionality, the augmentation of human capabilities and removal of physical limitations such as line of sight.
- modernise aerodrome services to deliver safer, scalable and cost-effective aerodrome services through digital transformation.
- enables Airservices to meet its obligations and construct and install the required infrastructure within the time constraints for the opening of the new airport
- provides an ARFF facility capable of providing CAT 10 services to meet future requirements.
Scope of the works
2.20The scope of works under Option B includes five work elements:
- Work Element 1 – ARFF Station:
- office space to accommodate 18 members of the ARFF crew, training, maintenance and service teams, meeting and stand down rooms
- kitchen, gymnasium, dormitory, storage, laundry and amenities lockers and gender-neutral amenities
- personal protective equipment (PPE), breathing apparatus rooms
- communications rooms
- vehicle maintenance area for onsite Emergency Vehicle Technician (EVT) capability
- large tender bays to accommodate Ultra Large Fire Vehicles (ULFV) equipped with High Reach Extendible Turret (HRET)
- Digital Fire Control Centre
- Augmented Reality (AR)/Virtual Reality (VR) training area
- equipment and communications room to accommodate ARFF communications systems, Navigation Aids (NavAids) systems and Digital Aerodrome Services (DAS) onsite equipment (some Aerodrome Air Traffic Management (ATM) System and Visual Reproduction system Video Stitching servers). Other DAS equipment will be offsite (the VCS (Voice Control Switch) and the VREC (Voice/Video Recording) equipment
- provision of power and space for communications equipment to the Surface Movement Radar (SMR) and the Digital Aerodrome Services (DAS) camera mast
- staff car park with capacity for 55 vehicles
- capacity for future integration of an Electric Vehicles fleet
- fire training control room and amenities.
- Work Element 2 – Hot Fire Training Ground:
- aircraft fire simulator (a full-size mock-up of an aircraft fuselage used to simulate firefighting and rescue from an aircraft)
- structural fire training facility (used to simulate firefighting and rescue from a structure fire)
- motor vehicle pad
- training wastewater treatment and recycling system and equipment
- services and replenishment area for water, foam, LPG and diesel storage
- Work Element 3 – Navigation, Radio Fibre Network Communications System:
- Navigation – Instrument Landing System (ILS)
- Navigation – Distance Measuring Equipment (DME)
- Navigation – Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B)
- Surveillance – Advanced Surface Monitoring and Ground Control System (ASMGCS)
- Radio – Very High Frequency (VHF)
- Network – Fibre optic cabling
- Work Element 4 – Digital Aerodrome Services Camera Mast:
- mast (estimated to be 36 metres high) and cameras to be mounted on top of the camera mounting platform
- raft foundation suited to local conditions
- 16 high resolution cameras covering 360o of air space, four additional hotspot cameras and three Pan Tilt Zoom (PTZ) cameras with integrated light gun and one infrared will be installed on top of the mast
- cameras with the capability to capture aerodrome sound
- a material winch with capacity to lift more than 50 kg of material to the top of the mast
- an effective lightning protection system
- low intensity lights to fulfil aircraft warning requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 14
- a grill to prevent unauthorised access to the climbing ladder by unauthorised persons
- a climbing ladder system and a protective system to minimise risk of falling from heights
- a camera washing system that facilitates washing of the cameras at the top of the mast
- a cable tray / channel provided parallel to the fixed ladder systems for installation of cables
- Work Element 5 – DAS Operations Facility (a fit-out of an existing office space with a maximum of 201m2 at an offsite data centre):
- operations area with a floor space of 150m2 to accommodate a maximum of five controller working positions. DAS operational equipment will be installed at each of these working positions
- a stand down room with a floor space of 6m2
- a management area including briefing rooms, office space and meeting rooms with a floor space of 45m2
- a fit out and upgrade to ensure the facility is capable of achieving an aviation Zone 2 security requirements
- access to a conference room, kitchen facilities, change room, shower, other amenities and secure parking are expected to be shared at the data centre location
- other DAS equipment will be installed in an existing high secure equipment area that meets a minimum of Security Zone 3 requirements with access restricted to Airservices staff
- During the public hearing Airservices explained the purpose of DAS:
DAS will transform the way air traffic is controlled through digital tower technology and will enable Airservices to deliver a safer, scalable, agile and cost-effective approach to aerodrome services, including air traffic control. DAS is essentially the use of cameras and other sensors to provide the out-of-the-tower-window view. Air traffic controllers can be located at the aerodrome or elsewhere in Australia. DAS does not replace air traffic controllers; rather, it provides an enhanced tool for providing aerodrome services, as the visual heads-up display can be spliced with radar data, and additional safety alerting and functions can also be used. DAS is expected to provide a more cost-effective solution for providing aerodrome services to building and maintaining the traditional tower, which ultimately benefits our customers and the travelling public.
2.22The use of DAS at WSIA will be its first use in Australia. Airservices told the Committee that DAS has not yet gone through the regulatory approvals process in Australia. However some trial testing of the technology had been conducted at Kingsford Smith.
2.23In relation to the use of DAS, Airservices also addressed the offsite operations facility and backup options:
Fundamentally, the provision of the operations room in a data centre is such that it allows for future capability to bring other airports into that centre and to control those locations, providing extra contingency opportunity as well for operations remotely from anything in the Sydney basin per se.
The worldwide model successfully implemented throughout Europe, the United States and the United Kingdom is such that the digital tower replaces air traffic control from the physical tower on the airfield in total, and this is proven technology around the world. Australia's adoption will be such that Canberra and then Western Sydney will be our first two. The idea is the backup is no longer required on the airfield in that sense.
2.24Airservices anticipates that the ARFF station will have a design life of 25 years for operational areas and the DAS mast.
2.25Airservices’ submission to the Committee includes figures which depict floor plans and layouts of the work elements.
Stakeholder consultation
2.26The following internal stakeholders were consulted during the design phase of the project:
- operational staff
- ARFF Standards
- environment and sustainability
- engineering, technical and maintenance staff
- project staff and work health and safety specialists
- human factors specialist
- physical and cyber security.
- Airservices told the Committee that the project team has continued to engage key internal stakeholders through the distribution of project newsletters, and through staff forums/workshops, aimed at informing and updating staff on the project’s progress.
- Further engagement with internal and external stakeholders commenced in August 2022. This engagement included airport and relevant government departments.
Cost of the works
2.29The total cost of the proposed project is $98.9 million (excluding GST). In its submission to the Committee, Airservices included a cost breakdown of the project elements.
2.30The ARFF elements of the project have an estimated cost of $86 million. This is based on analysis of the concept design by the Design Consultants’ Quantity Surveyor (QS), and an independent QS. The cost includes all construction and consultant costs, design fees, fit-out costs, internal labour, travel, as well as a travel, risk and contingency provision.
2.31The Navigation, Radio and Communications Systems element of the project has an estimated cost of $9.5 million. This estimate is based on analysis of civil works for standard equipment installation required for the new runway. A QS also independently conducted a comparison with actual costs obtained from comparable projects. The cost includes all construction and consultant costs, design fees, fit-out costs, internal labour, as well as a travel, risk and contingency provision.
2.32The Digital Aerodrome Service Camera Mast has an estimated cost of $1.72 million. This estimate was developed based on similar a similar scope of work for the installation of a DAS camera mast at in Canberra.
2.33The Digital Aerodrome Service Operations Facility fit-out has an estimated cost of $1.72 million. This estimate is based on the scope of work for previous similar fit-outs in Melbourne and Brisbane.
2.34Airservices notes that it will run value management workshops to review design options with the aim of identifying the preferred design option that satisfies the requirements of the project and provides the best value for money for the Australian Government.
Revenue
2.35Airservices operates on a fee-for-service basis, charging airlines and aircraft operators for its services. This revenue funds its capital expenditure requirements, and specifically the Airservices Investment Plan.
2.36Airservices notes that:
Charges levied are subject to extensive consultation with these customers and are regulated by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) under the Prices Surveillance sections of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010.
Public value
2.37Airservices considers that this project will be a key enabler for WSIA to reach operational status. The December 2026 opening of WSIA will improve access to aviation services for the Sydney region and will resolve long-term aviation capacity constraints. Airservices states that the opening of WSIA will also ‘contribute significantly to the economic and social outcomes for the region and the Australian community more broadly’.
2.38Short-term employment will also be generated by the project during the construction and installation phases.
Committee comment
2.39The Committee did not identify any issues of concern with the proposal and is satisfied that the project has merit in terms of need, scope and cost.
2.40The Committee encourages Airservices to consider allowing other fire brigades to utilise its Hot Fire Training Ground if practical, as it will be an important training asset that could benefit the wider community.
2.41The Committee was pleased to hear from Airservices that it considers the possibility of the project not being completed in time as low. It encourages Airservices to make every effort to ensure that it meets its required timelines.
2.42Having regard to its role and responsibilities contained in the Public Works Committee Act 1969, the Committee is of the view that this project signifies value for money for the Commonwealth and constitutes a project which is fit-for-purpose, having regard to the established need.
2.43The Committee recommends that the House of Representatives resolve, pursuant to section 18(7) of the Public Works Committee Act 1969, that it is expedient to carry out the following proposed works: AirservicesAustralia – Aviation Rescue Fire Fighting Facilities, Navigation Aids and Digital Aerodrome Services project, Western Sydney International Airport.
2.44Proponent entities must notify the Committee of any changes to the project scope, time, cost, function or design. The Committee also requires that a post‑implementation report be provided within three months of project completion. A report template can be found on the Committee’s website.
Mr Graham PerrettMP
Chair