Airport makes use of quiet time
Auckland International Airport is bringing forward its runway pavement replacement work while operations are at a minimum during the Covid-19 outbreak. AIAL said on 11 May it had experienced a significant reduction in flights and passenger numbers, with aircraft movements currently 90–95 percent lower than a normal busy day.
“This project has been planned for some time, but it was clear that we had an opportunity to bring construction forward to the earliest available time while runway movements are at an all-time low.”
Construction began at the end of May and will last eight to ten weeks for the $26m project, using a displaced threshold method with the existing runway being shortened by 1.1km and aircraft continuing to operate while work is carried out safely on the main 3635m runway. At the airport’s opening in January 1966 the runway was 2590m long, with an extension to its current length carried out in 1973.
Under normal circumstances there could be a need for airlines to reduce aircraft weight, but AIAL does not anticipate this with fewer fully laden aircraft flying. The project is a critical component of Auckland Airport’s much-reduced infrastructure development programme over the next couple of years, one which prioritises selected capital projects focused on essential safety and asset maintenance.
The airport says these were originally planned to accommodate passenger numbers that were projected to double by 2044. “It’s extremely disappointing to put on hold much of the $1.2bn worth of construction projects already underway around the precinct prior to the Covid-19 outbreak. But with no certainty around when the aviation market will recover, it just isn’t realistic to keep progressing these projects at this point in time.”
The outbreak of Covid-19 and the re-duction in flights, particularly with large long-haul aircraft, presented an opportunity to have another look at the proposed construction windows.
The work will be delivered by Brian Perry Civil; and the project will create work for 150 people over the next three months and involve the removal and replacement of 280 slabs measuring 36m2 each in the eastern end of the touchdown zone. The project will see 12,000t of concrete laid 500mm thick to create the heavy industrial-grade pavement necessary to withstand landings of some of the heaviest and largest aircraft in the world, taking off at weights of up to 500t.
The contingent runway option, using the existing parallel taxiway, was also considered but the added complexity of converting the taxiway to a safe, operational runway in a short time frame meant it was not possible.
The main taxiway Alpha (parallel to the main runway) had been modified previously and designated as runway 23R/05L so that rehabilitation work could be completed on the main runway 23L/05R. After the work was completed, the temporary runway reverted to taxiway status, although the main runway retained its L/R designations.
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