Mackay Airport
News

Circuit breaker replaced

The Mackay Port Authority has replaced a circuit breaker that protects the main runway lights, after a safety switch “tripped” blacking out the runway on Saturday night.

Technicians today installed the new circuit breaker, despite the airport lighting system crossing over to a new digital system on Wednesday.

Mackay Airport operations manager Ray Waters said the MPA was spending more than $100 000 replacing and updating the airport lighting control system.

“Our technicians have conducted extensive tests on the circuitry since this incident on Saturday night. All we can say is the circuit breaker tripped and cut the power to the main runway lights,” Mr Waters said.

“Voltage readings and tests have been undertaken on the main control circuit and the runway field circuit – the readings were all within limits.

“It is possible that the system was hit by a power surge or voltage spike but we have no concrete evidence to support this.

“Safety is paramount at the airport. We don’t know why the circuit breaker cut in so we have elected to install a new ‘breaker’ as a precaution.”

The circuit breaker will be made obsolete when a new digital, airport lighting control system comes on line on Wednesday.

Mr Waters said the incident prompted the pilot of a Jetstar service into Mackay on Saturday night to engage in a holding pattern for about 15 minutes while portable battery-powered lights were placed on the runway.

Flight 846 was delayed nine minutes by the incident.