Skytrans TWB-SYD

[lloyd fox]

Plans for air services take off

Adam Davies | 20th October 2011

The Toowoomba business community has applauded a proposal by Skytrans to operate regular passenger flights out of Toowoomba airport.

Proposed daily flights to Sydney, Roma and Gladstone are due to commence by January.

Senior Skytrans executives met with business leaders at City Hall on Tuesday, where the plans were unveiled.

Local business owner and Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce president Geoff McDonald said regular services were long overdue.

"This is very exciting news for not only the business community, but also for the people of Toowoomba," Mr McDonald said.

"Regular services have been long overdue and it will certainly open up a plethora of opportunities for the city," he added.

The Chamber, along with The Chronicle, launched a campaign two weeks ago requesting the community to register their support and interest in destinations prior to Tuesday's meeting.

"Skytrans were shocked at the level of community support and feedback that was received by the Chamber within such a short period.

"They were certainly surprised and now realise that there is overwhelming interest and a market here for services.

"I have to applaud The Chronicle for their support in this matter. It has been fantastic," Mr McDonald said.

Despite the services being largely targeted to business and industry personnel, Mr McDonald said that it was the first step to further connecting Toowoomba with the rest of the country.

"Skytrans have made it quite clear that they are not targeting the leisure market to begin with.

"Apart from the mining and resources sector, a huge amount of interest was shown from businesses such as the University of Southern Queensland.

"However, as the services become established that certainly will most likely change," Mr McDonald said.

[Radi K]

Should do well

[Jarden S]

Good for them it takes a lot of guts to open up a new route a big risk, hopefully it gets fully supported by the TWB comunity. They have another Q300 coming, it maybe the aircraft to start the new flights. As soon as they start a TWB service QF or VA will follow as don't want to be left behind on any oppurtunity.

[Rob R]

Don't think you will get a Q300 out of there, some goes for the ATR72. Q200's and the old 100's are the biggest aircraft that could operate out of there and carry the required payload and fuel.

[James S.]

That's good for them as it will limit competition opportunities, all I can think of are Q-Link Q200's (Not sure about the Saab?) or Pelican J32's (if they have the legs to fly that far).

Will be great seeing Skytrans in Sydney, I have a mate that's a Dash captain with them!

[Rowan McKeever]

I thought the recent upgrades were to allow up to Q400? And I know I've seen somewhere (elsewhere on this forum?) that Skytrans' plan was to base a Q300 in TWB.

[Max C]

Won't get a Q400 in and out of TWB unfortunately!

[Rob R]

TWB is 2000 feet AGL so all aircraft take a big performance hit. The current runway is just over 1100m and come mid NOV it will be just under 1400m which is the best they can do due to it's location. So perhaps in winter the Q300 might be able to operate, but for year round ops the 100 or 200 is the only way to go.

You can forget the J32, at 2000 feet AGL it would need 2000m+. The 1900D could do it,as years back the company I worked for looked at the 1900D for ops out of TWB and the figures we got was 1200m was the magic number.

[Jarden S]

TWB main runway 11/29 is 1401m.
Q400 has range of 2522km take of run at MTOW is 1402m
Q300 has range of 2034km take off run at MTOW is 1178m
Q100 has range of 1889km take off run at MTOW is 800m

So all could possibly fly into/out of TWB. Does the airport have a RESA?
Source:wiki

[Rob R]

Those are sea level figures. The 1401m is the physical length come mid NOV but 2 eng aircraft are required to meet 1.6% for take off so in the 11 direction the distance that can be used is 1219m and for 29 it's 1401m. You must also consider the rejected take off and to do this you need the ASDA distance and at TWB in both directions this is 1341m. Finally there is the landing distance to consider and at TWB this is 1221m. So as you can see just because the runway is 1401m it doesn't mean you can use 1401m. In the case of TWB you would need to base your payload on the 1219m as it is the most limiting.

Source: Airservices Australia ERSA 17th Nov 2011