Brisbane Airport has rolled out a fleet of new distinctive yellow airside safety vehicles to enhance safety across the Brisbane Airport (BNE) airfield.
Brisbane Airport Corporation Head of Airside Operations, Peter Dunlop, said there is an obvious safety benefit to the new look fleet.
“The striking yellow design is far more visible when viewed across the airfield, from the Air Traffic Control Tower or from aircraft. We also want to differentiate ourselves from the dozens of other white service vehicles that operate across the airport,” Mr Dunlop said.
Brisbane airport has ten airside safety vehicles with a team of 28 Airside Safety Officers monitoring Brisbane Airport 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. At any one time, five to eight Airside Safety Vehicles are on duty at BNE.
“We do not want to blend in. Our aim is to stand out and really be that powerful safety reminder right across Brisbane Airport,” Mr Dunlop said.
Roles of the Airside Safety Officers and their vehicles include:
- Conducting inspections of runways, taxiways, aprons and the tarmac to ensure safety
- Collecting foreign objects which may pose a danger to aircraft
- Providing “follow-me” assistance for aircraft during poor weather conditions or to pilots unfamiliar with the airport
- Deterring wildlife from runways and taxiways to ensure passenger safety
- Enforcing compliance of safety standards across the airport
All Brisbane Airport Airside safety vehicles are equipped with:
- VHF Radio
- UHF Radio
- Hand-held radios
- ADSB Transponder
- Digital “Follow-me” signage
- Strobe lights
- Sirens
- iPad for real-time safety reporting
- Binoculars
- Spill kit
- Bird management tools
- Snake handling equipment
- First aid kit
- Fire extinguisher
- Blankets for relocating wildlife
Airside Safety Officers train for the role in simulators to become accustomed with the 27km of roads, taxiways and runways inside Brisbane Airport and the conditions they may encounter.
The new paint scheme also includes large scale numbers for easy identification, especially when pilots are asked to follow specific vehicles.
“The idea for the colour change came from our safety officers who are passionate about safety at Brisbane Airport, so they’re really excited to see the brand new vehicles arrive,” Mr Dunlop said.
Image supplied by Brisbane Airport
