XDSI - 5. XD Ch 5

With double concrete-block, walls and double insulated, to with stand the hot summers that we get each year. The building will be mostly just two levels, with a small section in the middle that will have a third level, which will be for air traffic control.

At 280-metre wide, 80-metre deep and 9-metre high, the air terminal will be revealed as that, when I submit the plans for a second airport runway, that will be 2,250 metres long, to the local council. I did want to have a longer runway, but the junction of Goomalling Road and Great Eastern Highway prevents that from happening at the north end, and the Mortlock River on the south end also prevents it from extending that direction.

Back onboard the Southern Explorer, Sebastian liked my plans for the Bullsbrook properties, and he would support my submission to the state government for a railway terminal to be located. Meanwhile, I had decided that I would return to Western Australia from South Africa, along with my trusted staff member - Wyatt, as I needed to work on this new project more closely, especially with Sebastian’s go ahead to support it.

I left it to Sebastian and his business connections to finalise the submissions to the State Government and the Local Shire Council, after providing him with the design plans for my Northam property, which shows plans for a train station on the other side of the river, with a covered pedestrian walkway to get there.

I was planning to have close planting of semi- mature Eucalypts planted along the entire western boundary of the property, to protect the closest residents from too much aircraft noise, which at present is all during the daytime from 8 am until dark most days.

Over the next six months, everything that I had planned was going ahead very well. The construction of all of the sheds and the terminal building were almost completed, and I already have businesses lined up to occupy the eight sheds along Gillett Road, which would give me some money back on what I have invested so far in the huge project.

The access road along the eastern boundary was now completed, with two separated lanes, with small tree and shrub plantings in between the two roads and out the front of the main terminal, there are three lanes that circle around the front, with a three metre footpath between each one.

The closest would be for just dropping off passengers with no parking, the second would be for Taxi’s and Limos, and the third would be for passing through traffic to the casual parking area, which has a total of 260 parking bays only. With more parking bays along the entry driveway, once we know how busy the terminal will get.

I received regular emails from Sebastian, keeping me up to date with what is happening with them settling in for a long-term stay in Stanley, Falklands. Kyle has taken on an assistant minister posting at the cathedral, while the boys attend the local community school.

Sebastian has also set up a restoration and upkeep fund, under his late cousin’s name, to keep the Stanley Cathedral in good order for many years to come, and he has also financed the clearing of the last of the unexploded ordinance around the Stanley Airport, which has been out of commission ever since during the Falklands War.

Sebastian has also agreed to pay for the extension of the runway, to make it 2400 metres long, and to upgrade the terminal buildings and car parking area, and upgrading Airport road leading from the airport terminal to the centre of Stanley.

Some of the locals had put a proposal to the government, that Airport road be renamed Devonport Drive, after my father, which Sebastian was not sure to accept or not and when he told me about it. I informed him that it was up to him to decide to accept the proposal or not, and reluctantly Sebastian accepted the proposal and the road was renamed in Huon’s honour.

Once all the current building projects had been completed, and the businesses had moved into the eight sheds, I submitted to the Shire of Northam, the plans for the construction of a further three large sheds. This time the sheds will be built along Goomalling road, just north of Withers Street, and I had the garrison fencing set back 240 metres to allow room for the additional sheds.

Once approval had been given for these sheds and with work well on the way with them being built, it was then that I submitted the plans for the construction of the larger second runway, with the large shed near my eastern boundary now revealed an airport terminal.

As was expected, the local Shire council was not too happy with the way that I planned the light industrial area, under the cloak of a bigger plan to build a second airport. They demanded for a team of shire staff and councillors to come and inspect the project, so I invited them to come to the terminal the following day.

The next day at 9 am, I was there waiting for them, having left home very early that morning, to drive up to Northam, and unlocking the two garrison gates, and opening just the left hand one, I drove down to the terminal, with Wyatt accompanying me for support.

At the moment, the terminal is just a basic set up, with now carpets laid down, just a polished concrete floor with specs of quarts and silicon in it. There are a total of three double doors leading into the terminal, and I unlocked the centre two and left them open. Once inside, I handed Wyatt the Keycard, and about five minutes later, he had the lights on and the airconditioning operational.

One of the key things I had installed at this terminal was solar panels that cover 80% of the roof space, and with large solar batteries, we are able to generate 90% of our own electricity to keep the terminal running 18 hours a day, nearly all year round.

The roof space also collects all of the rainwater, and when the tanks are filled with the water passing through three filters, it provides fresh water for all of the toilet blocks, including showers and washing facilities. The entry foyer covers nearly the whole length of the building, with just some shops and toilet blocks at each end.

Near the back wall of the ground floor, there are two lots of long counters on each side of a security screening area, which has two sets of thickened glass walls, to pass through before arriving at a set of stairs and elevators beyond that.

On each side of this security barrier, are solid double doors, with a large signs saying “Secure Area, No Entry” on the doors, and there is a Keycard pad on the outer side of these doors, which is where Wyatt reappeared from. Although there is nothing there now, there is space within that security screening area for the personal scanners, to check passengers for any illegal or prohibited items, but for now, there are just benches on each side.

Opening up briefcase, I pulled out the three pages of full size layout plans of the airport terminal, that also includes the overall master plan of the whole property, which includes showing the existing eights industrial sheds, and also shows the river, and the current Northam Airport, which is run by the local Aero Club.

I placed these plans out on the bench in the screening area, where the plans can be easily seen by all that will be arriving in about half an hour. Leaving Wyatt to remain in the foyer to await the visitors, I headed through one set of doors, to the back area of the terminal.

Currently there is only are four basic conveyor systems that are ten metres long, locate each side of the screening area, where there are steel pallet cages on flat top trailers, to load luggage into.

So far, I have managed to purchase four operational second hand open jeeps, which can tow just two of the eight flat top tailers that came with the jeeps. Each trailer is able to carry two pallet crates, which are easily available to purchase, with a bit of manual handling involved in getting the luggage onto the conveyor belt and at the end into the cages.

I only have one portable conveyor system to get luggage from the cages into the aircraft, but since the terminal is not operational yet, it is not an urgent matter at the moment. Along the back wall of the baggage area, there is two large maintenance workshops and some supply store rooms and two offices on each side, with a double door system leading outside to the airfield, once it is built, that keeps the cool air inside the building during the summer and warm air in during winter.

On the inside wall that backs onto the counter area of the foyer, there are four airline admin office spaces, each with their own staff room and staff male and female toilets, some store rooms. In the very centre between these offices are stairs leading to the next level up.

With the outer airside doors closed and locked, I headed to one of the sets of stairs that leads to the next level, and I came out through a secure door, into a short passageway. Two doors near the middle lead to office space, while a door at each end of the passage leads out to the central foyer, that runs nearly the full length of the building, with public toilets, and store rooms at each end.

In the centre of the upper foyer, is the stairs and elevators, and on the front side of the upper level, there is a total of six shops, four that are for general sales goods and two are food outlets, with just limited cooking facilities already installed.

Opposite the stairs and elevators, is the terminal administration suite, plus a terminal security suite on one side of it and a general office suite on the other side. Beyond that is a double door on the north side, and another double door on the south side, both of them have gate number signs above them, with another sign on each door, saying “Restricted Area, Passengers only beyond this point.”

Once again, the floor is polished concrete with the specs of quartz and silicon in it, the all of the walls have been painted bright white, so as to make it clear when a surface is not clean, and there is a small counter area located on each side of the double doors leading airside.

Happy to see that the building was in good order, I headed back to the elevators and using the keycard, I pressed the button for up, that leads to the air-traffic control area. Stepping out of the elevator, into a small foyer, and there was three doors, and I opened the middle door, using my keycard to unlock it.

Going up a short set of stairs, I now found myself in the main control room, which has a 360 degree view, and there is benches built in on the outside wall all the way around, but there is no equipment what so ever, just a great view of the whole area surrounding the airport.

I realised that I had forgotten to bring my portable HF radio and set of binoculars with me, but I did not really need them as I watched a light aircraft taxi to the end of the Northam runway and take off. “Mr Devonport to the Ground floor foyer please,” I heard Wyatt announce over the PA system, and I smiled as I took one last look at the aero club buildings, before heading downstairs.

When I stepped out of the elevator, I found nearly twenty people gathered around the bench where the plans are laid out side by side, and they were all were looking at them very closely. “Here is my boss now, Northam Shire Council Staff and Councillors, may I present Mr Alexander H Devonport,” Wyatt announced as I approached.

“Good morning ladies and gentlemen, thankyou for coming today,” I said as I was introduced to the Shire CEO, Shire President, Vice President and four councillors, and twelve shire staff from the Engineering & Works Department, Health and Safety Department, Local Emergency Management Department and the Cultural Advisory Department, with a good mix of men and women.

“You had this built after approval from us six months ago from what I remember, but you had it listed as a General purpose business building?” the CEO said to me, “Yes that is correct, general purpose, but the main use will be air services as you will see when we go for a walk through the building,” I responded.

I indicated to Wyatt, and whispering, I asked him to go to the car and get the HF radio and Binoculars for me, and he nodded before setting off to do that, “this looks like a good quality air terminal, do you have all the facilities in place for it to operate smoothly?” one of the councillors asked me.

“Not quite any, as you know, I do not have a sealed runway just yet, so until I get approval to build it, and get certification from Air Services Australia, I have just bought the bare basics, to give you an idea of how the place will operate. At the moment, I do have some vehicles and equipment to get luggage from the terminal to inside the aircraft, but there is still some manual handling involved.

As you see in the foyer, there is just the basic ticket and luggage check-in counters, with just four conveyors leading out the back, with each end, there are public toilets and some information counters, for businesses like hire car firms. On this level, behind the foyer, there are office suites for four airlines, including staff room and toilets, plus storerooms, located behind the counter area, and beyond that is the luggage sorting and transporting area.

Upstairs, we have the terminal administration suite, security suite and a spare office suite, there are also a number of shops and café spaces, public toilets, and the boarding gates to aircraft,” I explained. After a few more questions, I invited the guests to have a good look around the terminal, as I unlocked the door to the restricted back area of the ground floor.

“One more thing, how are you able to finance such a big project, do you have some huge bank loans, and are you able to keep up with the payments, or will we see this be abandoned a few years down the road and a big eyesore to the community?” the Shire President asked.

“No sir, it is entirely privately funded, by my company which is XDSI – short for Xander Devonport Swiss Investments and my parent company, which is also of Swiss origins, known as Wagner Corporation,” I replied, as I saw Wyatt re-enter the terminal and he stopped beside me.

“Why have I heard that second name before?” one of the councillors asked, “Probably because Sebastian Wagner, has been involved in a number of large projects, overseas as well as here in Western Australia, and he owns the ship known as Southern Explorer, which is currently in the Falklands region at present.

“Sebastian is my 1^st cousin once removed, and he was my guardian for ten years, until I turned 21, and he has also been in the media a lot because of his husband and partner, Sir Lewis Shaw, who is the former administrator of the Indian Ocean Territories of Australia,” I replied.

“Yes, that is how I know that name. You said your company is XDSI, is that the company that built the lower half of the Eiffel tower in East Perth?” one other Councillor asked. “That is correct, I also have my own yacht, and my home is on the river in East Fremantle, but my business office is in East Perth, very close to the Tower,” I responded.

“Mr Devonport is also responsible for a lot of the improvements to the WACA grounds, personally financing the extension to the grounds and the building of a new grandstand on the northern side, and he owns the former police headquarters and lockup, which he has transformed into apartments,” Wyatt added.

“Who are you by the way?” the CEO asked, quite abruptly, “This is my loyal staff member, who has been with the family for many years, so he knows just about everything about this project, as well as many others,” I replied, with a frown, not happy at the way Wyatt was treated just now.