Brisbane Airport
The Brisbane Local Runway Safety Team (LRST) meeting held on 11 December 2025 at Brisbane Airport addressed several operational and infrastructure matters with direct safety implications. Key discussions included updates on temporary displaced runway thresholds, with Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) considering separate NOTAM publication to better meet different user group needs. Runway safety data was reviewed, including incursion and excursion statistics, with particular focus on stop bar–related incursions, reinforcing the need for continued vigilance and compliance.
The meeting also reviewed the early stages of the “opt-in” tailwind trial for departures on RWY 01R above 5 knots tailwind. Uptake has been minimal with most operators taking a position to not allow their pilots to participate. AusALPA reiterated concerns regarding safety and policy drivers behind the trial and suggested consideration of the European Runway Allocation Assist System (RAAS) as a more systemic solution; BAC indicated interest in further information.
Overall, the meeting demonstrated ongoing engagement on runway safety performance, infrastructure enhancement, and operational risk management, with continued union participation in LRST processes
Sydney Airport Master Plan 2045 – Pilot Briefing
Sydney Airport Corporation Ltd (SACL) briefed pilot representatives on the transition of the Master Plan 2045 from high level statutory planning into detailed engineering and delivery. The session confirmed that this phase is where structured pilot feedback has the greatest influence on outcomes. Airfield realignments, new rapid exit taxiways (RET) (including the long advocated 16R RET), intersection departure capability, taxiway loop development around T2/T3, terminal precinct redesign, freight expansion, and apron reconfiguration will all directly affect runway occupancy times, ground congestion, frequency loading, approach sequencing and overall safety margins. SACL acknowledged that previous pilot engagement has tangibly shaped priorities — notably RET development — and emphasised that further design validation relies heavily on operational input to bridge the gap between simulation modelling and real world cockpit workload.
Early, unified and technically robust pilot input ensures that safety remains the primary design driver, operational realism informs modelling assumptions, and future system changes support practical, workload appropriate flight operations.
Melbourne Airport
MEL LRST, confirmed that it would issue ‘BirdTAMS’ by the middle of the year.
Major projects discussed were the reduced flyover runway strip, approval has been given by CASA to use lit ‘X’ (crosses) to indicate runway closures.
IFALPA Aerodrome & Ground Environment (AGE) Committee
The first IFALPA AGE virtual meeting of 2026 progressed a substantial agenda focused on aerodrome design, visual aids, ground risk and emerging technologies. Several significant Position Papers (PPs) were advanced, reinforcing IFALPA’s proactive engagement in ICAO Annex 14 and global aerodrome standards development.
- A recently approved Position Paper on Runway Starter Extensions has now been published and will proceed to ICAO’s Aerodrome Design and Operations Panel (ADOP) for specification development. Considerable discussion centred on Ground Handling Automation, addressing increasing deployment of automated and autonomous systems driven by labour shortages and technological capability. IFALPA’s draft position affirms that automation is acceptable only where it demonstrably enhances safety, retains clear human oversight, and is supported by comprehensive risk assessment and regulatory clarity. Importantly, the draft was amended to reinforce that humans must remain present and readily available during automated ground handling processes.
- Two visual aid initiatives were consolidated. A proposed Position Paper advocating mandatory Visual Guidance Slope Indicators (VGSIs) on all runways (as an ICAO Standard) will now be combined with work on PAPI system calibration, prompted by a recent European event involving aircraft type specific PAPI settings. The combined paper will emphasise correct calibration to the critical aircraft, improved charting/AIP transparency, and enhanced pilot awareness of eye to wheel height considerations.
- Progress was also made on a Ground Collision Events Position Paper, expanding beyond stand clearance issues to broader accountability and risk mitigation themes, with further consultation planned including ACI input.
- A draft new Position Paper on Stop Bars, incorporating Runway Guard Lights, has been developed and circulated for committee feedback.
- A preliminary discussion occurred regarding the need for discrete emergency frequencies and English language proficiency requirements for Rescue and Fire Fighting (RFF) personnel, with further work to be progressed toward ICAO engagement.
This meeting reflects IFALPA’s continued influence in shaping international aerodrome standards and ensuring that pilot operational realities remain central to infrastructure, visual aid and ground environment policy development.