Sydney Airport Air Traffic Control Tower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sydney Airport Air Traffic Control Tower |
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| Location | Lawrence Hargraves Drive, Sydney Airport, New South Wales, Australia |
| Official name: Sydney Airport Air Traffic Control Tower | |
| Type | Listed place (Historic) |
| Designated | 22 January 2016 |
| Reference no. | 106116 |
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The Sydney Airport Air Traffic Control Tower is a very important building at Sydney Airport in New South Wales, Australia. It helps planes take off and land safely. This tower is so unique and special that it was added to the Commonwealth Heritage List on January 22, 2016.
Contents
History of the Tower
Why a New Tower Was Needed
In the early 1990s, the government decided to build a new, long runway at Sydney Airport. This new runway was parallel to the existing ones. The old control tower (called Sydney Control Tower No. 4) could no longer see all parts of the runways and taxiways. Because of this, a brand new tower, Sydney Control Tower No. 5, was planned.
Designing a Landmark
The design for the new tower was very eye-catching and different. It stood out from all other control towers in Australia and even overseas! The famous architect Ken Woolley from Ancher, Mortlock & Woolley (Sydney) designed it.
Ken Woolley wanted the tower to be a "good landmark" because of its important location. The Civil Aviation Authority, which manages air traffic, supported this idea.
Building the Tower
The tower was designed and built very quickly. Construction started in August 1993. The tower was ready and began operating on January 6, 1996. Even with its special design, the building cost about the same as other control towers built at that time.
In 1995, the tower received a special award. It was highly praised in the Australian Steel Design Award for Buildings. This award came from the Australian Institute of Steel Construction.
What the Tower Looks Like
The Sydney Airport Air Traffic Control Tower is located right in the middle of the airport. It is staffed 24 hours a day, every day of the year. The main control room, called the cabin, is 38.5 meters (about 126 feet) above the ground. The very top of the cabin roof is 42.85 meters (about 140 feet) high.
Outside the Tower
The tower has a main concrete pole, called a shaft. This shaft is held up by strong cables, which is why it's called "cable-stayed." An elevator runs up the outside of this shaft. A spiral staircase wraps around the concrete shaft for emergencies.
The base building, at the bottom of the tower, is round. It has glass and aluminum panels. The roof of the base building and the cabin are waterproof.
The concrete shaft is off-white, 2.5 meters wide, and 20 meters tall. The elevator is attached to its flat side. The elevator shaft is yellow with see-through glass panels.
Above the shaft, there's a platform for staff rooms and equipment. This platform sticks out, like a cantilever. It's held up by stainless steel rods that connect down to the base building. This platform has a unique cloverleaf shape with six sections. These sections are covered in shiny blue-tinted glass.
The circular control cabin sits on top of this platform. It has 18 large, frameless glass panels that tilt outwards. The cabin roof is 12 meters wide. It holds radar, warning lights, and antennas for communication.
The spiral staircase is made of aluminum panels. It has small round windows, like portholes. This staircase goes from the base building roof up to a platform just below the staff rooms.
Inside the Tower
The base building at the bottom of the tower holds many important rooms. These include the plant room, backup power generators, equipment rooms, and staff areas. There is also a reception area, offices, and a meeting room. The inside looks practical, like buildings from the mid-1990s.
The staff rooms and equipment areas are arranged in six sections. Two sections hold air-conditioning equipment. Two are for staff to rest, and two hold equipment racks. Toilets are also on this level.
The floors are made of concrete. They are carpeted in the lobby and staff rest areas. The ceilings have special panels that help with sound.
The main control cabin is reached by a curving staircase. Inside, the cabin is built around a central steel column. This design is clever because it means there are no columns blocking the controllers' view outside.
Controllers sit at consoles around the edge of the circular cabin. The cabin managers' desk is at the back. These consoles use touch-screen technology, similar to modern aircraft. This allows controllers to see radar, communicate, and get weather information easily. The cabin ceiling also has sound-absorbing panels.
Why It's a Heritage Site
The Sydney Airport Air Traffic Control Tower was added to the Commonwealth Heritage List because it's very special.
Unique Design and Features
The tower was designed with many new ideas, both in its look and its technology.
- It is the only cable-stayed control tower in Australia. This means it uses strong cables to help support its main shaft.
- The cabin roof is held up by a single central column. This was an Australian "first." It's important because it means nothing blocks the controllers' view.
- It was the first Australian tower with a circular cabin and the first to have consoles arranged around the edge. This design helps controllers see everything clearly.
- It was also the first tower in Australia to use computer screen-based technology for its control consoles. This technology is like the "fly-by-wire" systems in modern airplanes. It gives controllers easy access to radar, communication, and weather data.
The tower's design was a very creative way to build a control tower. Architect Ken Woolley made it a landmark. It was the first control tower in Australia designed to be a famous building. Before this, Australian towers were usually more practical and less flashy.
For example, the towers at Perth Airport and Brisbane Airport are taller but look much simpler. Since the Sydney tower was built, other countries have also built tall and striking control towers that are seen as landmarks. Examples include towers at Malpensa Airport in Italy, Vienna International Airport in Austria, and Heathrow Airport in England.
