YPAD Air Traffic Operations

Adelaide International Airport consists of two intersecting runways in the

directions 05/23 magnetic and 12/30 magnetic.

Figure 1: Adelaide Airport Aerodrome Chart (Source: Airservices Australia)

Noise Abatement Terminal Area (TMA)

A curfew at Adelaide airport prevents This term is used to describe the
most passenger carrying aircraft from designated area of controlled airspace
taking off or landing between the hours of surrounding a major airport where there is
11pm and 6am. An aircraft must not take a high volume of traffic. The Terminal
off from, or land at, Adelaide airport Area (TMA) is a 36nm radial area
during a curfew period, unless the take-off surrounding Adelaide airport with a wedge
or landing is permitted under Part 3 of the to 110nm to the north to encompass
Adelaide Airport Curfew Act 2000. The RAAF Base Edinburgh.
preferred runways for noise abatement
during curfew hours are runway 23 and
runway 05.
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 Nomination Of Runways
The nomination of runway is determined
by Air Traffic Control (ATC) using a
preferred runway or take-off direction.
ATC shall not nominate a particular
runway for use if an alternative runway is
available, when:

Table 2: Runway Wind Thresholds

Dry Wet
Crosswind >20kts >20kts
Downwind >5kts >0kts
(*Please note that thresholds relate to
sustained wind gusts as well as mean
wind speeds.)

If possible, aircraft will take off and land

with a head wind. A tail wind on landing is
Figure 2: Adelaide Terminal Airspace acceptable up to 5 knots on a dry runway.
(Source: Airservices Australia) Tail winds are unacceptable on wet
runways. When departing with a tail wind,
Within the TMA there are a number of the take-off distance increases so the
corridors for arriving and departing runway length is important.
aircraft. For Jet arrivals at Adelaide airport When there is a crosswind component
corridors to the E and SE are critical; exceeding 20 knots, an alternative landing
whereas a corridor to the NW is important runway should be planned except where
for Turbo Prop and Jet arrivals and the crosswind components exceed 20kts
departures. for both runway options. Departures and
arrivals do not have to occur on the same
Aircraft Acceptance Rates (AAR) runway.
Runway configurations allow up to 48 Landing and take-off distances differ
movements (arrivals plus departures) per with aircraft-type, weight, atmospheric
hour at Adelaide airport. A maximum pressure and temperature. The active
planned aircraft acceptance rate (AAR) of runway will have to be able to
24 occurs during the use of both runways accommodate the majority of traffic.
for arrivals (refer to section below on
LAHSO). Note due to the lack of Forecasting for Adelaide Airport
sufficient consecutive arrivals in Adelaide Forecasters for Adelaide airport can
from LAHSO capable aircraft the AAR is contact NOCMET for information on the
not adjusted for LAHSO. operational effect caused by a TAF
Runway Direction amendment. Alternatively, forecasters
It is important to remember that although may contact Adelaide Approach or Tower
runway direction is annotated in magnetic directly if the need arises.
co-ordinates, wind direction is reported in Air Traffic Controllers are encouraged to
degrees true. The conversion for Adelaide contact forecasters when the need arises.
airportAdelaide Airport is as follows:
Peak Times
Generally peak demand for traffic
Table 1: Adelaide Runway Direction movements arriving at Adelaide airport
Conversion Table occurs between 8:30-11:00am and 5-
Magnetic True 7:30pm Monday to Friday and Sunday
050 042 evenings 5-7.30pm. Additional loads
120 115 occur on both a Tuesday and Thursday
230 222 evening due to mining industry traffic.
300 295 Peak departure demand occurs from 6-
7am Monday to Friday.
*Please note that you refer to a runway The forecasting of holding near or during
direction as it is being travelled on. Using these hours must be considered carefully.
RWY12 means landing and departing The amendment of TAF holding
towards the SE. This is the opposite of requirements affecting this period should
reported wind direction but in general be followed up by a call to NOCMET.
results in the runway in use being aligned
to the wind direction.

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Wind Forecasts Within the TMA, any thunderstorms
The TAF can be used by forecasters to within a 10nm radius present a specific
routinely provide information about problem for aircraft trying to join the initial
significant wind changes that affect ATC approach for Runway 23 or 05.
runway decisions.
Accurately forecasting a strong cross Fog
wind on a runway is important in planning. On average there are 4 fog events per
Instances can occur where a strong cross year at Adelaide Airport which occur
wind component is forecast for both between early April and early October.
runway directions. ATC has a process to The majority of fog events (approximately
deal with this issue. 80%) occur during June, July and August.
Wind is specifically critical to the It is important that forecasters reduce
Adelaide Terminal Control Unit (TCU). A the fog forecast period or remove fog from
late change of runway causes the manual the TAF through amendment when
recalculation of slots for arriving aircraft appropriate.
and can potentially cause aircraft to back Fog observed at YPAD is tactically
up in taxiways. managed in the Adelaide TCU. Low
A change of runway causes re-direction visibility procedures are instituted when
of aircraft leading to an additional 10- the Runway Visual Range (RVR) system
20min delay in arrivals during peak drops below 800m or when scattered
periods. cloud is observed below 300ft.
It can be common to see the sea breeze Low visibility procedures allow only the
affect an airport such as Adelaide but not movement of one aircraft at a time on the
Parafield or RAAF Base Edinburgh. The runway and taxiways
trending of a sea breeze is particularly
important to ATC at Adelaide airport.
Cloud/Visibility
Low cloud and/or reduced visibility on
Thunderstorms at YPAD
approach will necessitate the use of an
Thunderstorm cells identified on instrument approach when a visual
ATSAS/ATIFS within 10nm of Adelaide reference with the runway is not available.
airport affect the ability of aircraft to land Any instrument approach has a specified
and the provision of services to aircraft decision height (landing minima) at which
once on the ground. The movements of a 'missed approach' must be initiated if
aircraft into and out of bays are affected the required visual reference to continue
due to ramp closures and the removal of the approach has not been established.
ground staff from the tarmac. This decision height (DH) can vary and
Airline WHS regulations require the will depend on the available equipment for
removal of ground staff from the tarmac the runway. The DH is approximately
when a thunderstorm is within 5nm, with 250ft AGL for an Instrument Landing
an 'on-alert' status for a thunderstorm System (ILS) category 1, the most
within 10nm. This decision is an important common instrument approach on runways
part of the duties of the Virgin and Qantas at Australian major airports. Visibility and
meteorologists. cloud are less critical during take-off, with
In prolonged thunderstorm events this most commercial jet aircraft allowed to
can lead to an accumulation of aircraft depart with visibility over 550m.
waiting on the ground to be handled. Cloud and visibility have a large effect
Additionally the ability of forecasters to on aircraft arrival at Adelaide airport.
predict or recognise wind outflow from Adelaide airport have a Category 1 ILS on
nearby thunderstorms is important in the Runway 23. In spring, it is common to
management of tactical runway changes. have stream showers and low cloud to
force the use of the ILS at Adelaide
Thunderstorms in the TMA (36nm) airport. Scattered or more cloud below
Thunderstorms within the Terminal Area 2000ft can effect operations, as seen in
(TMA - 36nm) also affect operations. the Table 3.
Specifically thunderstorms lining the entry Further afield, cloud on and northwest of
corridors to the east and southeast of Mt Lofty Ranges to the northeast of
Adelaide airport have major impacts on Adelaide can cause problems for jet
traffic flow. aircraft from Melbourne. These aircraft
The ability to forecast organised are required to complete a 10-15nm
thunderstorms in these areas can provide visual approach for Runway 23 placing
Airservices the capability to open them at approximately 3200ft - 3800ft
additional corridors and re-route aircraft to initially on final approach. Aircraft unable
minimise delays. It is important to note to establish visual are redirected to
that thunderstorms typically stop Modbury for an Instrument (ILS)
operations from RAAF Base Edinburgh approach.
opening up the northern airspace to
commercial traffic.
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LAHSO
LAHSO is an acronym for "Land and Hold Short Operations." Land and hold short
operations are an ATC procedure intended to increase airport capacity without
compromising safety. The illustration below shows aircraft arriving to land on both
runways (Figure 3).
At Adelaide the most frequently used LAHSO configuration results in aircraft being
cleared to land and hold short on RWY 12 before the intersection of RWY 05/23. Aircraft
operating on RWY 05 or 23 are able to utilize the full length. It is common at Adelaide for
jet aircraft to land on RWY 23 or 05 with light aircraft landing RWY 12.
Most aircraft that use LAHSO at Adelaide can't use RWY 12 and hold short Runway
23/05 if there is any downwind on RWY 12 or the RWY 12 is wet.The ability to use
LAHSO during the peak air traffic period can reduce total air traffic holding from 180mins
to 20/30mins in most instances.

(Source: http://www.cfinotebook.net/graphics/operations/terminal/land-and-hold-short-operations)

Figure 3: Depiction of Land and Hold Short Operations (LAHSO)

Meteorological conditions that restrict the use of LAHSO are scattered cloud at or below
3100ft, visibility below 8km, and reported wind shear. These criteria are in addition to the
wind thresholds for the runways. A forecast SE or SW wind direction producing <20kts
crosswind on the runways is optimal for LAHSO.

Parafield Airport Effects

Low visibility conditions (<5000m or <2000ft) at Parafield airport can affect Adelaide
airport. Aircraft maintaining visual conditions at Adelaide may completing a right turn onto
final for runway 23 as illustrated in Figure 4. If IMC (Instrument Meteorological Condtions)
exist at Parafield forcing the use of runway 21, the number of potential traffic conflictions
above the Port Adelaide area increases signficantly. This runway configuration
increases workload and complexity leading to increased delays to Parafield departures.

When both Adelaide and Parafield are in IMC conditions aircraft arriving Adelaide are
required to track via Modbury onto the ILS approach for runway 23. They then overfly
Parafield well above any departures, reducing workload and complexity.
Low cloud (<2000ft) to the northeast of Parafield restricting visual conditions at VFR
waypoints Substation and Damwall (near Little Para Reservoir) also effects operations at
Adelaide airport. The inability for aircraft to enter Parafield from the northeast often
results in additional aircraft moving through the Adelaide controlled airspace.
When Runway 05 is in use at Adelaide and Parafield is on Runway 21, non jet
departures from Adelaide will turn intially to the North West restricting Parafield
departures using the Ruwnay 21 to depart.

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 (Source: Google Maps)
Figure 4: Map showing visual right base onto short final Runway 23 at Adelaide
Airport and IFR departure track Runway 21 at Parafield Airport.

Reciprocal Runway Operations

Low visibility conditions (<3000m or BKN<1000ft) with a northerly wind component at
Adelaide airport can lead to reciprocal runway operations on runway 05/23. The
nomination of runway 23 for the purposes of an ILS approach may not be appropriate
given the associated wind direction. Departures, particularly those who are performance
limited, will request Runway 05, while arrivals will require Runway 23 to take advantage
of the lower landing minima.

For simplicity, the meteorological conditions which cause a change in operational

requirements at Adelaide airport have been summarised in Table 3.

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 Table 3: Summary of Decision Point Triggers
Phenomena Criteria Potential Effect
Cloud ≤ 4000’ Instrument Approach over land approaching from
(>3octas) East RWY 23/05 Centreline
≤2500’ Instrument Approach RWY 05, 23 or 30
≤2000’ Instrument Approach RWY 12
Non VMC inland
<1500’ Non VMC circuit area and coastal
≤1000’ Expect 23 ILS RWY 23
≤200’ Low Visibility Procedures
Visibility <5000m Expect Instrument Approach and Non VMC
<4000m Expect ILS approach RWY 23
≤1500m Low Visibility Procedures
X-Wind >20kts Change of runway
Downwind >5kts/0kts Change of runway
(dry/wet)
>0kts RWY12 LAHSO not available
Runway Wet LAHSO not available
Condition
(Coastal refers to offshore flights between Largs Jetty and MLIT not above 500ft)

Summary - Weather Effects at Adelaide Airport

The effect of weather at Adelaide airport is summarised in Table 4 & 5.

Table 4: Coastal Procedures Criteria

(Source: Airservices Australia)

Table 5: Runway Rates at YPAD

(Source: Airservices Australia)

This is a reference card intended to educate users on the phenomena that affect Air Traffic Flow
Management (ATFM) and is based on information obtained from Airservices Australia. The card
was accurate on 24/12/2015 – Version 3.0, but may be subject to short term changes that are not
reflected in this document. There may also be other factors beyond the meteorological conditions
affecting ATFM on any particular day. Airservices Australia, NOC should be contacted for all day of
operations information related to arrival/departure rates and runway configurations. Please email
any feedback, corrections or comments to SRAT@bom.gov.au.

www.bom.gov.au

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