Passengers at Brisbane Airport will notice a new look fleet of vehicles enhancing safety across the airfield.
Distinctive yellow Airside Safety Vehicles are replacing plain white utes which have been used for decades at BNE.
“There is an obvious safety benefit. 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,” says Brisbane Airport Corporation Head of Airside Operations, Peter Dunlop.
Brisbane airport has 10 Airside Safety Vehicles. A team of 28 Airside Safety Officers monitor Brisbane Airport 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. At any one time, 5-8 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,” says Peter.
Roles of Airside Safety Officer and their vehicles:
- Conduct inspections of runways, taxiways, aprons, and the tarmac to ensure safety
- Collect foreign objects which may pose a danger to aircraft
- Provide “follow-me” assistance for aircraft during poor weather conditions or to pilots unfamiliar with the airport
- Deter wildlife from runways and taxiways to ensure passenger safety
- Enforce 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 27 kilometres 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.”
The yellow vehicles will be progressively rolled out across the BNE fleet.
