QUESTIONS are hanging over the October 18 reopening of Cessnock Airport at Pokolbin, which has been closed for five months for an upgrade but where users are still being warned that damage to the runway surface is "to be expected".
Owner and operator Cessnock City Council's airport coordinator Tony Allan told users by email on September 19 that the council had not accepted contractor Fulton Hogan's completed runway and apron surfaces and could not confirm a reopening date.
He said while the runway surface had been sealed, the underlying bitumen "designed to set and lock the stones onto the surface has not sufficiently hardened" and when warm became "loose and tacky".
The reason was unknown, he said, and Fulton Hogan was considering all options and had contacted "Australia's leading pavement experts for advice and potential solutions".
He said landing was not permitted on the 1097 metre runway "due to the potential for excessive risk to users", that tyres of landing aircraft could have a "shoving effect" on the runway that may create holes and that "wet bitumen covered stone" could damage flight control surfaces and tyres.
He said pre-organised departures were allowed for users who wanted to move their aircraft elsewhere.
"Council apologises for the delay in reopening, but a safe and CASA compliant surface is required before allowing flight operations to resume," he said.
Mr Allan wrote again to users on October 4 this week advising that, following a meeting with Fulton Hogan, a decision to reopen had been made "from industry expertise and advice".
"Based on this advice there will be documentation from Fulton Hogan to council regarding measures in place to repair minor damages and prevent scuffing and turning issues," he said.
"In the coming week Fulton Hogan will complete the runway, taxiway and apron sweeping, complete minor surface repairs... and ensure that all compliance matters outstanding are resolved.
"Council wishes to advise that some damage to the surface is to be expected and some minor works may need to be completed at certain times of the day if required.
"Night flying will not be permitted until council [obtains] sufficient data as to surface condition behaviour."
The Newcastle Herald asked the council and Fulton Hogan what works had been completed or what had changed between September 19 and October 4 to reduce the "excessive risk".
When the Herald visited on October 4 a carpet of loose stones could still be observed on one of the taxiways. A key pushed into the surface revealed it to be permeable and tacky, with advice the runway condition was worse.
A council spokeswoman said the council and the airport contractor, "accompanied by industry leading specialists", reviewed the runway condition on October 4 and "agreed the runway sealing had hardened sufficiently to permit opening within limitations to be advised by the contractor".
Users - which include businesses based at the airport - have mixed reactions about the reopening.
Some are relieved after months of rolling days and said they feel confident about the runway surface.
"Suddenly things have improved out of sight, so I'm much more buoyant," one said.
"The runway [will have] had another few weeks to properly cure and the surface is far more acceptable...I'm more than happy at the moment."
But others remain concerned about reopening the airport with caveats around further damage and questioned whether the works have been completed to a satisfactory standard.
Several said they did not want to be the first to use the runway and would wait some time before taking their aircraft onto the surface.
"I suspect we're all going to get out there and look at each other to see who is going to be first," one said.
"All it will take is for someone to do a heavy landing and it will scoop up the tarmac and cause a problem and it will be closed while they fix it... I wouldn't think [this is a job well done]."
Another said users were playing a waiting game.
"I believe Fulton Hogan have signed off on it and is saying it's okay and so what do you do when the contractor says it's good to go?" they said.
"We really have no choice... I won't fly in there until a week or two weeks after it's open, I'll watch what everyone else does.
"Can you imagine the blowback if something goes wrong and someone gets hurt?"
One said there were large question marks over safety.
"They said there could be problems, well what sort of problems? Are we going to sink into the ground? Will it be as soft as mud? We don't know," they said.
"What's going to happen if someone comes down, buries the nose wheel in the tarmac and flips the plane, there's a major accident, what happens then? Who carries the responsibility?
"Is it fit for purpose? If it's not fit for purpose go and redo it.
"If you buy something in a shop and it's not fit for purpose you have every right to get a refund. I wonder if we'll get a refund on the airport."
Hangar leasing fees have been suspended during the works, but users have still been paying insurance for their aircraft.
Their maintenance checks are valid for 100 hours or 12 months.
A Fulton Hogan spokeswoman responded to the Herald's series of questions with one-sentence.
"We will continue to work collaboratively with council to open the airport and note that both parties are committed to delivering this project to a high standard," she said.
The questions were also sent to the council.
"Throughout the Cessnock Airport upgrade project Fulton Hogan has worked collaboratively with council to overcome significant latent conditions encountered and both parties are committed to delivering this project to a high standard," the council spokeswoman said.
Then-Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Catherine Cusack announced on April 27, 2020, a $6.6 million state government grant from the Growing Local Economies Fund for the airport, which would be paired with $2.1 million from the council.
She said the runway had cracking and rutting and was too short to allow larger planes to land.
The council's Cessnock Airport Strategic Plan from 2018 had said both the length and strength of the runway restricted the size of aircraft that could use it and proposed an extension to 1400 metres "in order to ensure growth".
Ms Cusack said "vital upgrades" would include extension and reconstruction of the runway, widening and resealing of taxiways, development of parking areas to allow a wider array of planes to land and the establishment of an aviation museum.
She said the museum would "provide a greater experience for visitors who come to the Hunter by the airport arrivals gate".
Users said the runway and taxiways were planned to be asphalt but have been spray-sealed.
The runway has not been extended, the taxiways have not been widened and there has been no mention since about parking or the museum.
It is understood these works, after detailed estimates and with rising costs, could not be accommodated within the funding.
The council said in an October 21, 2021 statement announcing the tender had been awarded to Fulton Hogan that the work - intended to "unlock business investment growth" - included the widening and resealing of taxiways; provision of aprons and aircraft parking areas; improved fuel area access; runway rehabilitation; water and sewer connections; installation of non-precision GPS approaches for the runway and an upgrade to the eastern terminal.
It said all works must be completed by June 30, 2022, in line with the funding deed between the council and Restart NSW.
The council spokeswoman said this week the "approved project scope" included rehabilitation of the runway, widening of the taxiways to allow larger Code B aircraft, construction of additional parking areas, installation of water and sewer to the western terminal area, installation of a RNAV GPS approach system and an upgrade of the eastern terminal.
She said all of these items had been delivered, with the exception of the terminal upgrade.
The council voted at its September 21 meeting this year to borrow up to an additional $1.2 million to "complete" works.
It is understood the airport was planned to be closed from February 1 to 10 for testing to gauge what was required and then from April 1 to May 8 for works to be completed.
The Herald was told a weakened part of the runway was discovered during testing and a 200 tonne crane sent along to investigate damaged the surface further.
The decision was made to keep the airport closed until the works were complete.
But after a user meeting it reopened on March 4 with a shortened runway and closed on May 16 for works to be completed.
The expected completion date was moved from August 1 to to August 31, September 15 then October 6, partially due to poor weather.
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