This week will mark a new era for Dublin Airport. The airport's third runway (28R/10L) will open this Wednesday 24th. The project has been long awaited, after the Dublin Airport Authority was granted planning permission for the site in 2007.

A new runway needed

Dublin's main runway 28L/10R was officially opened on the 21st of June 1989 by the then Taoiseach Charles Haughey. Since then, it has accounted for 95% of all take-offs and landings. This runway is the longest of the two current runways standing at 2,637m/ 8,652ft.

The other runway, named the "crosswind runway", is 16/34. This runway is rarely used and is only needed during adverse weather conditions. In 2011, the DAA closed its shortest runway, 11/29 and converted it into an aircraft parking area. However, Dublin's runways are at capacity, and the airport's future depends on a new runway.

Long awaited

Dublin's plans for a North Runway can be traced back to 1968, through an airfield planning map that set out its long-term goal for runway expansion. However, only one runway was constructed and opened in 1989.

Since planning permission was granted in 2007, the construction has been delayed and pushed back quite a bit. Ireland's 2008 recession and the economic crash was a significant factor in this. Furthermore, the residents were concerned about aircraft noise during the early mornings and evenings.

Due to these concerns, the local County Council has implemented some restrictions on the runway operation. Condition 3(d) states that North Runway cannot be used for landings or take-offs between 11 pm and 7 am, whilst Condition 5 places a 65 movement cap right across the airfield within the same 11 pm to 7 am period.

Back in 2019, Dublin Airport averaged 100 flights between the hours of 11 pm and 7 am. The cap of 65 movements is airport-wide and would profoundly impact the airport's operation. However, the DAA applied to the council to address these concerns. They proposed that the runway be only used between 6 am and midnight, and they would fund the insulation of local houses affected. The total insulation cost for local homes is reported to be €6m.

Construction

Construction began on the new North Runway in December 2016 - 9 years after initial planning permission was granted. Construction package one was completed with a revamp of the local roads surrounding the airport. The "Naul Road" was diverted north of the apron to allow space for the runway. Also included in the construction package one was an archeological survey.

Construction package two included the detailed design, construction, testing, commissioning and completion of the 3,110m runway, taxiways and associated infrastructure. During the runway construction, the threshold of Runway 16 was revamped to accommodate North Runway. During this time, runway 16/34 was closed.

It can also be noted that during the construction of the North Runway, it was discovered that the material used on the runway's surface was unusable and therefore had to be altered for aircraft to land on it.

Operations

According to the Dublin Airport Authority,

"North Runway will be located 1.69km to the north, and parallel, to the existing main 10/28 runway. It will be capable of handling all aircraft types up to Code F aircraft. To meet this operational brief, the runway will be 3,110m long and 75m wide with a parallel taxiway located to the south connected into the existing taxiway network."

When the North Runway is entirely operational, Dublin Airport will be the only airport on the Island of Ireland to be able to accept parallel landing and departures.

The Irish Aviation Authority lays out the planned operational stages of the runway in 3 phases. The IAA also sets out progressively scheduled hours of operation. The hours of operations are 0900-1100, 0900-1300, 0700-1300 and finally 0700-1800.

Phase one will commence on the 24th of August and will initially operate segregated runway procedures. This procedure means that one runway will be used for departures, and the other will be used for arrivals. During phase one, North Runway will operate departures from 7 am to 6 pm; from 6:01 pm, 28L/10R will operate both arrivals and departures.

Phase two will commence on the 8th of September and will accommodate arrivals. Phase three will be from March 2023. Dublin Airport will be operating parallel runways, which includes simultaneous departures and arrivals.

What do you think of the opening of the new North Runway? Comment below.

Source: RTÉ News