Master Plan 2009 - Sydney Airport

13.0 Safety Management and
Airspace Protection
Ensuring Sydney Airport is a safe and secure operating environment
is a high priority. From providing essential security infrastructure,
protecting the airspace, and providing a comprehensive safety
management system, Sydney Airport is committed to preserving
the ability of the airport to grow and continue to operate safely and
efficiently with respect to the existing runway infrastructure.
13.1 Safety management
Air transport is an extremely safe form of
transportation – the probability of an incident
during any single operation is extremely low.
Sydney Airport is committed to maintaining a safe,
secure and reliable airport operating environment.
Sydney Airport operates under a Safety
Management System (SMS) which is required
by Regulation 139.250 of the Civil Aviation
Safety Regulations 1998. The Civil Aviation
Safety Authority (CASA) has acknowledged that
the SMS outlines the processes for effectively
managing safety. This Master Plan was reviewed
in accordance with Sydney Airport’s SMS with
particular regard to issues such as security
and risk. The proposed on-airport land uses are
considered to be appropriate.
No legislation or guidelines exist at a
Commonwealth or NSW State level governing
permissible land uses with respect to aircraft
crash risk. On airport, issues relating to crash risk
are considered by Sydney Airport in the approval
process when assessing proposed developments.
Off-airport, land use zoning falls within the
jurisdiction of the surrounding local government
areas. Although no special arrangements have been
put in place by these authorities, Sydney Airport
will continue to work with them on a case by case
basis.
13.2 Security
In relation to security controls and outcomes to
achieve regulatory requirements, security measures
that are developed and applied are intelligence
lead and risk based to ensure compliance with
the airport Transport Security Program. SACL
undertakes security risk assessments based on
the threat level established by Government and
as articulated in the aviation security risk context
statements issued from time to time.
The level of physical security and procedures that
are implemented by Sydney Airport such as fences,
access control systems, CCTV, and the like are
designed, constructed and delivered against the
threat level and risk assessment to achieve the
desired security outcome.
There is no legislation at a Commonwealth or State
level governing physical security standards for
airports. Where applicable, Australian or overseas
security standards are considered, subject matter
experts are consulted and all developments are
subject to an internal security review.
13.3 Airspace protection
The protection of the immediate airspace around
airports is essential in ensuring and maintaining
a safe operating environment and to provide for
future growth. For this reason, it is necessary to
restrict some types of development and land uses
in the vicinity of airports. This is to guarantee that
designated airspace segments remain obstacle-free,
thereby contributing to the safety, efficiency and
regularity of aircraft operations.
Since Sydney Airport is able to control on
airport development activities, the primary focus
of airspace protection is in off-airport areas
and developments under the control of other
authorities. Airspace protection therefore involves
aspects of land use planning and development
control, which need to be managed cooperatively
with external responsible authorities.
The drawings of the Obstacle Limitation Surfaces
(OLS) and Procedures for Air Navigation Services –
Aircraft Operations Surfaces (PANS-OPS) surfaces
depicted in Figures 13.1 to 13.6 and described
below give heights (to Australian Height Datum –
AHD) above which developments both on and off
airport need to consider issues relating to obstacle
height. Detailed drawings of all of these surfaces
are available from SACL.
13.3.1 Obstacle limitation Surfaces
The OLS are a series of surfaces in the airspace
surrounding an airport. They are established
in accordance with International Civil Aviation
Organisation (ICAO) specifications, as adopted
by Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority
(CASA). Australia is a signatory to the Convention
on International Civil Aviation (Chicago 1944)
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