New Zealand
Australia
Singapore
Rest of the worldExciting news for the Australian aviation and tourism industries, with the official handover and inaugural flight arrival on the Sunshine Coast Airport’s new runway ‘13-31’.
The new runway, which was delivered as part of the Sunshine Coast Airport Expansion Project (SCAEP), unlocks a new regional gateway to the world. It will also be a key driver for economic growth and development as the region prepares for the future post Covid-19.
Beca was commissioned by Sunshine Coast Council (SCC) to undertake the initial reference design for runway 13-31 in 2016. Beca was later contracted to John Holland Group by SCC to undertake the detailed design and provide construction phase support.
Sunshine Coast Airport Expansion Project Director Ross Ullman said the runway is a critical piece of infrastructure for the Sunshine Coast community.
“I have been very impressed with Beca’s collaborative approach, their responsiveness to our needs and the attention to detail which they have applied to this iconic project. They achieved a design timeline that exceeded my expectations,” said Mr Ullman.
Once complete, the new, longer runway will be 2,450m long and 45m wide, with a runway turning pad and connecting taxiways to the existing aprons, together with larger apron parking bays. It is designed to accommodate larger, wide body aircraft such as the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787, as well as all regular passenger transport aircraft.
A collaborative and integrated delivery approach enabled the design and construction phases to be completed within tight timelines, while meeting the business continuity requirements of Sunshine Coast Council and Sunshine Coast Airport.
“We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to work collaboratively with both Sunshine Coast Council and John Holland Group in the delivery of such an iconic project, that will boost opportunities in the region for generations to come,” says Craig Lee - Beca Managing Director - Australia.
When it has reached its full capacity, the runway will enable direct flights and improved connectivity to destinations across Australia, Asia and the Western Pacific.
Find out more about our initial work on the Sunshine Coast runway design here.
For further information on our aviation team, skills and achievements and how we are helping to shape the airports of the future, visit us here, or get in touch.