Hobart airport virtual curfew - 10pm

[RooFlyer]

ABC Radio this morning reporting that a couple of late flights from Melbourne have been cancelled or turned around midflight because of runway works at Hobart Airport.

I think the focus of the runway works has recently changed and so the airport had imposed at 10 pm curfew which can be broken but only with substantial penalties.

So beware any late flights to Hobart for the foreseeable future.

 

[tassie6]

Had a couple of run ins with it in the last few weeks:

1. Some family was enroute back from NZ 2 weeks ago and the last QF MEL-HBA was cancelled while they were on the first leg, the plane scheduled wasn't going to be able to leave on time.
2. We were on the ~6am QF to MEL on Friday morning, and both the VA Melbourne and QF Sydney flights from the night before were cancelled, so we were the only flight going out early
3. Then coming back Sunday night on the 2030 QF MEL-HBA, was running a little late, at boarding they said if everyone could please expedite as much as possible to avoid the curfew, and we ended up landing at 2152 so had 8 minutes to spare...As soon as we taxied past, could see the convoy of ~50 pieces of construction equipment drive right out and onto the runway to get started.

I would avoid trying to catch the flights either late in or early out if possible for the next little while! I believe running until sometime after christmas, but could be wrong on that

 

[henrus]

Found articles with quotes from Hobart airport, sounds like cough that they've "worked closely" if it's now come down to a 10pm closure.

"Stage Two works on the middle of the runway are scheduled to start in October. This will include temporarily closing the runway each night after the last flight lands, upgrading an approximately 80 metre wide strip, and then reopening it before the first flight departs."

“We’ve worked closely with our overnight users to ensure alternate plans are in place to minimise any potential disruptions while this important work occurs."

 

[tassie6]

Virgin flight does U-turn over Bass Strait after missing Hobart airport curfew

A Virgin flight was forced to make an abrupt U-turn over Bass Strait less than half an hour from its destination after missing a runway curfew due to planned upgrade works.

www.abc.net.au

‘You can do the maths’

 

[henrus]

I get that they need to get the works done but in Sydney flights that are late always have priority over night works.

Some nights when stuff’s running late you can have aircraft that have requested push back prior to the 11pm curfew but have to wait 30-40 mins for actual takeoff due to the backlog. Any runway closures don’t kick in until after all major movements have occurred.

 

[RooFlyer]

@AviatorInsight or @jb747 would runway restrictions like this appear in a flight’s NOTAMs (appreciating that it’s a one runway Airport) or is it just a matter of the airline and flight crew ‘realising’ that there’s a restriction?

I get that they need to get the works done but in Sydney flights that are late always have priority over night works.

Maybe aviatorinsight can comment but I understand that you can land after 10 pm but there are substantial penalties. I imagine that since the works are in the middle of the runway there would be quite a bit of faffing around to clear the deck suitable for a landing.

 

[tassie6]

They are removing and replacing a piece of the runway every night. So they would need to not start at all for it to even be possible for someone to land.

With the result of not opening on time in the morning being disaster, and the amount of work to get done each night, if I was the contractor I would probably need to cancel the shift if had to delay the start at all. Given the amount of plant and personnel required: $$$$ claim against the airport for the delay

 

[markis10]

The works are both on notams and as an AIP sup, there is no closure as such to RPT, facilities such as lighting etc are available with 30min notification to the duty officer. Reduced runway distances are listed during WIP, that may mean some aircraft cannot cope but it’s not a curfew and to label it as such misrepresents the truth. There are no penalties in place, airports cannot set their own curfews as its crown land, albeit often leased to a private party and regulated by the Airports Act 1996.

 

[tassie6]

Thanks for pointing out the AIP Sup, found the link: https://www.airservicesaustralia.com/aip/current/sup/s24-h161.pdf

Extract from part of it:

STAGE 3B

6.1 Stage 3B works include a pavement overlay of the central portion of RWY12/30.

6.2 This stage will be in operation nightly, Sunday to Thursday 2200 to 0600 Local (1100 to 1900 UTC during Daylight Saving Time, 1200 to 2000 UTC other times), commencing 13 October 2024 to 10 June 2025.

6.3 Runway closure Sunday to Thursday 2200 to 0600 Local (1100 to 1900 UTC during Daylight Saving Time, 1200 to 2000 UTC other times).

 

[RooFlyer]

it’s not a curfew and to label it as such misrepresents the truth.

I guess no ''curfew' is actually a curfew if there are any landings possible during it, such as at Sydney Airport for instance?

Thanks for the NOTAMs advice. As I thought, use is possible during the works but with a bit of faffing around. I wonder if the Airport keeps on past 10 pm the workers who must be present to accept an aeroplane landing and de boarding on the off chance that an aircraft deems it necessary to continue and land?

 

[tassie6]

I guess no ''curfew' is actually a curfew if there are any landings possible during it, such as at Sydney Airport for instance?

Thanks for the NOTAMs advice. As I thought, use is possible during the works but with a bit of faffing around. I wonder if the Airport keeps on past 10 pm the workers who must be present to accept an aeroplane landing and de boarding on the off chance that an aircraft deems it necessary to continue and land?

The extract I got from the AIP sup, above, says that the runway is closed. In the document there are other stages where the runway is shortened (while they do the extremities at each end), but if it is closed there is no way someone can land? Hence the turn around, and effective mislabelling as a ‘curfew’

 

[markis10]

If a flight is running late during stage 3b I would be surprised if they started work before its arrival, as per the quote from the airport spokesperson re last flight

 

[tassie6]

Which quote?

Pretty clear from the article the plane had to turn around because it was running late and would arrive past 10pm

 

[jb747]

Pretty clear from the article the plane had to turn around because it was running late and would arrive past 10pm

If they say they're going to close at a certain time, you can be pretty sure that that is exactly what they'll do, and you need to plan accordingly.

 

[AviatorInsight]

would runway restrictions like this appear in a flight’s NOTAMs (appreciating that it’s a one runway Airport) or is it just a matter of the airline and flight crew ‘realising’ that there’s a restriction?

Maybe aviatorinsight can comment but I understand that you can land after 10 pm but there are substantial penalties. I imagine that since the works are in the middle of the runway there would be quite a bit of faffing around to clear the deck suitable for a landing.

Absolutely they would appear in the NOTAM package. I would also expect them to be written on the flight plan as part of the dispatcher’s notes to the crew. Just like PER are doing works to runway 03/21 we will be (should) notified on the flight plan and then I will also go in and verify on the NOTAM itself.

Usually when runway works are being done that runway is unusable for that period of time until released back to the airport.

If the equipment could vacate then the NOTAM will reflect this saying that I can be used with say 30mins prior notice, or for emergency aircraft only. But this isn’t the case with HBA. The airport is closed and cannot be used during those times.

It’s not like there’s another runway they could land at (LST with a bus drive anyone?).

 

[RooFlyer]

Thanks @AviatorInsight . I thought I heard on the radio that plane could land if it elected to and ( and pay a penalty) but obviously that’s not the case.

During the day they now have four red-ish lights either side of the runway about where the works presently are. I guess that’s just a caution as to a non 'homogenous' ( patchy) surface or to keep to the centre line?

 

[AviatorInsight]

Thanks @AviatorInsight . I thought I heard on the radio that plane could land if it elected to and ( and pay a penalty) but obviously that’s not the case.

During the day they now have four red-ish lights either side of the runway about where the works presently are. I guess that’s just a caution as to a non 'homogenous' ( patchy) surface or to keep to the centre line?

If it’s about half way between taxiway C and D then they are the precision approach path indicator lights (PAPI). These guide us on a 3° approach to touch down about 300m from the now displaced threshold.

 

[RooFlyer]

Curfew not to apply between December 20 to January 6.

https://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/hobart-airport-will-lift-10pm-runway-curfew-over-hectic-christmas-new-year-period/news-story/e52d63675f03d728e1640d9bb76c8618

 

[henrus]

Curfew not to apply between December 20 to January 6.

It wouldn't surprise me if they had no intentions of works during that time anyway but will now spin it off as a PR thing.

 

[markis10]

It wouldn't surprise me if they had no intentions of works during that time anyway but will now spin it off as a PR thing.

It’s always been on the plan :
No works will be undertaken during Christmas break - 20 December 2024 to
05 January 2025 and the Easter break - 18 April to 22 April 2025.