iscover
Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) has marked a major construction milestone, with works officially complete on its first runway.
The runway, which according to WSI will be able to serve 10 million passengers per year at its opening in 2026, is rated for up to Code F aircraft including the 747-8 and A380. It has been under construction since bulk earthworks contracts were awarded in 2019.
This content is available exclusively to Australian Aviation members.
A monthly membership is only $5.99 or save with our annual plans.
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
“The work to build our runway and supporting airside facilities has been years in the making – during which workers have literally moved mountains to create a modern, technology-enabled airfield that will soon welcome planes and passengers,” WSI CEO Simon Hickey said.
“Our runway will be equipped with modern technology and our rapid exit taxiways mean WSI’s average taxiing time will be around five minutes, significantly shorter compared to other airports around the world, which will get people home and away faster.”
The Airside Civil and Pavement Works package (ACP), led by CPB Contractors/ACCIONA in a joint venture, also included design and construction on elements such as taxiways, aircraft pavement markings, airside roads and landscaping.
“The site has been transformed to build our 3.7-kilometre runway, equipped with approximately 3,000 aeronautical ground lights and 348 high intensity approach lights, which will cater for up to 10 million annual passengers from day one of operations next year,” Hickey said.
“Part of our runway certification also involved a Piper PA-30 Twin Engine Comanche aircraft successfully completing multiple take-offs and landings on our runway in October last year to ensure the lighting and technology systems were operating effectively.”
According to CPB Contractors project director Christian Byrne, the construction “took an enormous effort from a large team”.
“Successful delivery of the ACP project required millions of tonnes of high quality, high strength, quarry materials to be sourced and imported into the site, then processed and placed in the aircraft pavement areas, to construct the aviation pavements to strict specifications,” he said.
“The aircraft pavements were constructed with an excellent team culture and commitment to working safely, and we developed and delivered an Australian-first paving methodology of ‘true-slip forming’ the concrete aircraft pavements – improving productivity and safety as well.”
QantasLink and Jetstar will be the first domestic carriers to fly from WSI. Singapore Airlines has also signed on as the airport’s first international airline, while Qantas Freight will be its first cargo carrier.
In March, the NSW government and WSI jointly launched a $16 million fund to entice carriers to the new airport.
