UPDATE! Emergency Unfolding At Newcastle Airport

 BY IAN CROUCH

12.25pm Monday - the aircraft is safely on the ground and the occupants are not injured.

EARLIER:

Emergency services have been called to Newcastle Airport where a plane is circling after its landing gear failed.

A NSW Police spokesman says the emergency began to unfold at about 9.30am on Monday.

Reports say the Eastern Air Services Beech B200 Super King plane is currently circling above airport to burn off fuel before it attempts to land.

Newcastle Fire Command says there are three people on board. 

It's understood the aircraft  was meant to be travelling from Newcastle to Port Macquarie.

More than a dozen emergency service crews are at the airport including police, fire and ambulance crews.

The Hunter's Westpac Rescue Helicopter is also on standby.

A Beech B200 Super King plane is circling above Newcastle Airport

A Beech 200B Super King 

  

BREAKING! Staff And Passengers Intervene During Altercation On Flight To Newcastle

 BY IAN CROUCH

Staff and passengers have intervened after a young couple became involved in an altercation on a commercial flight from Brisbane to Newcastle on Wednesday night.

It's alleged the 21-year-old man struck the 19-year-old woman in the face during the incident.

Passengers assisted staff in separating the pair, who are both from Newcastle, and police were notified.

Officers met the aircraft on arrival at Williamtown and took the man into custody.

He was taken to Raymond Terrace Police Station and charged with common assault and endangering the safety of an aircraft.

The man was granted conditional bail to face Raymond Terrace Court on November 21.

Police say no-one else was injured or threatened during the incident.

First Bonza Flight from Newcastle to the Whitsundays Takes-Off

BY BLAKE QUINN

Newcastle Airport has announced the launch of Bonza's second inaugural flight this week, following the successful departure of the first ever flight connecting Newcastle to the Whitsundays Coast. 

The new route will operate twice a week, with flights departing Newcastle Airport on Tuesdays and Saturdays, with a total flight time of 2 hours and 35 minutes.

It's set to provide a unique opportunity for Hunter residents to affordably travel to one of Australia's most picturesque coastal locations. 

Bonza CEO Tim Jordan, says the new route also gives the community in the Whitsundays the chance to head down to the Hunter. 

"It's a wonderful opportunity for tourism in both directions," he said. 

The airline aims to encourage Hunter residents to ditch their oversees travel plans by making it easier for people in regional areas to experience the rich and vibrant destinations on offer in their own backyard. 

Image: Newcastle Airport

New Flight Paths Raise Concerns Over Noise Levels

BY OLIVIA DILLON

Port Stephens MP Kate Washington is seeking a briefing on how proposed changes to flight paths at Newcastle Airport will affect Hunter residents.

Airservices Australia, the government-owned corporation which manages air traffic, will this month, hold a series of community meetings, outlining their preliminary design for new departure and arrival flight paths at the airport. 

The proposed changes come after a study revealed a significant increase in traffic at Williamtown, together with the RAAF's new Joint Strike Fighter, would require an airspace redesign in accordance with international best practice. 

The company says the changes will better separate civilian and military aircrafts, and will see the introduction of new procedures to ensure safer and shorter runway approaches. 

However, when speaking to the Newcastle Herald, Ms Washington said she is seeking clarification on how both military and civil flight paths will impact noise levels, particularly in the Lower Hunter. 

"Without a complete picture of the potential increase to noise levels, it's difficult for residents to meaningfully engage," she said. 

On it's website, Airservices says noise levels have been taken into consideration during the design process.

"Where residential areas cannot be avoided, we have attempted to design the airspace so operations can be distributed and noise shared, and to avoid the most populated areas of these communities, where possible." 

Preliminary plans have been made for changed flight paths at Newcastle Airport. 

Election Race For Paterson And Hunter Heats Up: Joyce And Albanese Hit The Hunter

 BY IAN CROUCH

The race for the hotly contested seats of Paterson and Hunter ramps up today with Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and Opposition leader Anthony Albanese making key announcements.

Barnaby Joyce will announce a Coalition pledge of $55 million to upgrade the terminal at Newcastle Airport to international standard.

It will provide for a new double-storey terminal building to cater for larger planes and keep domestic and international travellers separate.

Work is due to start in October to complement the $66 million upgrade of the runway, which is due to start this month.

The airport falls in the Paterson electorate.

The Nationals leader will also announce $56 million to ease congestion on Mandalong Road at Morisset after Labor committed $30 million to the project last month

Meanwhile, Anthony Albanese will announce Cessnock Hospital will host a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic if it wins government.

The hospital is in the heart of Hunter electorate

Cessnock is the first clinic named under Labor's $135 million four-year plan.

Labor holds the seat of Hunter by just 3 per cent, while Meryl Swanson holds Paterson for the ALP by a margin of 5 per cent.

Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce

 

Labor leader Anthony Albanese

Fire Crews Called To Fire On Plane At Newcastle Airport

 

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) responded to a fire on board a small passenger aircraft, landing at Newcastle Airport at Williamtown, on Tuesday afternoon.

The pilot had sent a radio message around 12.30pm, stating that a large amount of smoke was filling the cabin.

FRNSW crews, together with the RAAF Fire Brigade, liaised with airport staff and boarded the plane after it landed safely.

The smoke was caused by a small electrical fire in the aircraft's lighting compartment.

The fire had self-extinguished.

Two crew and four passengers were assessed by Australian Defence Force medical staff and were released without injury.

NSW Police and NSW Rural Fire Service also attended the incident. 

 

Newcastle Airport To Get $66m Upgrade

 BY IAN CROUCH

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is flying into Williamtown this morning (Friday 7 May, 2021) to announce federal funding for a major upgrade at Newcastle Airport.

$66 million will be included in next Tuesday's budget to upgrade the airport runway to international standard, allowing larger aircraft like Boeing 777's and Airbus 330s to land in Newcastle.

It's envisioned twice daily international flights will operate out of Williamtown along with daily direct domestic flights.

It's expected the project will create 4,400 jobs, with the upgrade coinciding with major works at the RAAF base to support the F-35 fleet.

The upgrade is expected to generate an extra 850,000 visitors to the Hunter and add $12.7 billion to the region's economy over the next 20 years.

Work is expected to start later this year and should be finished in 2023, subject to parliamentary approval.

The PM will also hold the National Cabinet meeting today from the RAAF Base.

Jetstar Flights Resume At Newcastle Airport

BY IAN CROUCH

Jetstar will resume flights into and out of Newcastle Airport from late this afternoon.

The airline has been grounded for months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first flight is due to arrive from Melbourne at about 5.10pm, with a return flight departing about 40 minutes later.

Jetstar previously announced it would resume flights out of Williamtown from June 26, but has brought the date forward due to demand.

Partnership Established To Save Koalas

BY ARIANA GATTI

A new partnership has been brought to light between aviation centre, Newcastle Airport and animal conservationist association - Port Stephens Koalas.

The two businesses are joining together to reduce koala motor vehicle injuries and fatalities within the Port Stephen's and surrounding areas.

Newcastle Airport has so far provided the necessary funds to install a mobile warning road sign, which will bring drivers' attention to keep an eye out for any koalas that may be wandering about.

With active and numerous populations of native koalas around the Williamtown, Tilligerry Peninsula and Nelson Bay regions, the sign will encourage drivers to slow their speed to at least 40km/h.

The mobile sign will have the ability to be moved across the Port Stephen's area, becoming operational from tomorrow, the 29th of June.

Port Stephens Koalas Secretary, Ron Land, says the mammals have been caught up in many accidents so far around these areas, with the number of fatalities looking considerable high over the past few years.

"We lost at least 32 koalas around 2016 and 2017, which is a worry considering we are trying to protect the species", he says.

"There has already been some fatalities so far this year, even one just two days ago; which is not a good sign as they are meant to be in hibernation around this time of the season".

Image Sourced: https://www.portstephens.nsw.gov.au/your-council/news/unanimous-support-for-$3m-koala-hospital-at-one-mile