Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) received two Airport Excellence Awards at the Australian Airports Association (AAA) National Airport Industry Awards 2021.
BAC won the Infrastructure Award for Brisbane’s new runway, which officially opened July 12, 2020. The new runway is expected to generate 7,800 new jobs and an additional $5 billion in annual economic benefit to the region by 2035. While COVID-19 has limited the immediate benefits, the runway will play a crucial role in the social and economic recovery of Queensland and provide a platform for major growth opportunities for the state.
BAC also won the Innovation Award for its airside driving simulator — a virtual 3D simulation with scenario-based training modules and induction programs used during the Operational Readiness and Testing (ORAT) phase of the runway project.
Using computer gaming concepts in a real-world setting, BAC took an innovative approach to ORAT compliance by combining an interactive digital model of the new airside environment and a digital Hilux utility to create the BAC Airside Driving Simulator.
This innovation enabled the training of 130 staff in the new airside environment and was crucial in obtaining ORAT compliance and familiarizing BNE staff with this new infrastructure.
Gert-Jan de Graaff, BAC CEO, said he was incredibly proud of the entire BAC team and the wider Brisbane Airport team for their unwavering dedication to providing world-class facilities and operations.
"These national awards are an enormous and well-deserved honor for each and every BAC team member whose hard work, attention to detail and expertise contributed to our success in these highly sought-after awards," he said.
"It is heartening and abundantly clear that our industry is in excellent hands when we see the ‘outside the box’ thinking and innovation come to life through projects like the airside driving simulator.
"I would also like to extend my congratulations to the other outstanding winners and finalists who have faced the pandemic and come out the other side with incredible vision and innovation.
"The resilience and tenacity of the people who make up this industry speaks volumes.
"Seeing all that has been achieved despite the challenges we endured over the past 24 months makes me prouder than ever to be part of the aviation industry."
