Sustainability & Carbon Reduction Savings by Extending the Life of Mackay Airport Runway

Abstract

Sustainability & Carbon Reduction Savings by extending the life of Mackay Airport runway. Mackay Airport is an essential asset that provides the Mackay community with a vital gateway for both tourism and supports the activities of the mining and resources sector. The Mackay Airport team provide the safe operations and maintenance of the infrastructure assets at Mackay Airport as per CASA requirements. The operations and maintenance of the runway is integral in the safe movement of passengers and freight and the runway must also be maintained to the highest standards to reduce any risk to the airline operators. The presentation will provide details of the operation and maintenance standards implemented to ensure safe operations of the runway resulting from major variations in groundwater movement due to its coastal location. The Mackay Airport runway is a flexible pavement and last resurfaced with a 50mm layer of PMB asphalt in 2010 with another maintenance overlay planned for 2024/25. However, in 2018 due to early signs of surface cracking and ravelling the Mackay Airport team started to consider their options to extend the life of the runway. Due to budgetary constraints a runway overlay was the last option if they were unable to sustainably extend the life of the runway. Coincidentally, Sydney Airport was also reviewing options to extend the life of their runways and were undertaking trials of an innovative spray applied ‘Penetrative Asphalt Preservative’ (PAP) treatment. Representatives of Mackay Airport were also present at the trial conducted in the Touch Down Zone in June 2018. Most Australian commercial airports operate 24/7, with the majority of passenger flights ceasing by 10.00pm and recommencing by 6.00am the following morning. However, runways must remain accessible to RFDS and freight movements throughout the night. One of the key requirements of the Sydney Airport trial was to confirm that the application of the PAP during night operations, cured in sufficient time to apply line marking to any affected areas of the runway and maintain the runway friction characteristics when regular air traffic resumed the following morning. Following the successful application of PAP at Sydney Airport in May 2019, Mackay Airport was the second airport to apply PAP to sustainably extend the life of their runway during Oct/Nov 2019. The presentation will provide information on the performance of the PAP and the review being undertaken by Mackay Airport to reapply the PAP next FY to further extend the life of their runway.