Gladstone Airport Instrument Landing System (ILS) Still Not Ready for Operation

The Gladstone Observer newspaper has recently reported that the much anticipated instrument landing system (ILS) at Gladstone Airport is having difficulty getting off the ground.  The ILS system recently underwent a weekend of extensive flight testing and calibration by AirServices Australia Hawker Beechcraft B300 Super King Air VH-FIZ.

File photo taken by Jamie C ©

Initial projections estimated that the $10.5million investment would be up and running by the end of 2013, however this will not be the case.  The Gladstone Airport Corporation has said that the project required further tests before it could be launched.  They are looking at a deadline in February of 2014.

In 2011, GLNG, QCLNG, APLNG and Arrow Energy injected funds into the project, after it was found that plumes from projects on Curtis Island could interfere with the safe landing of aircraft.