The first Boeing 737 successfully touched down at WSI this week, making history and marking the start of a multiagency emergency exercise that’s now wrapped up after a two-day program of staged simulations.
The exercise kicked off yesterday (Tuesday 28 October) morning about 8.30am when a NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) 737 aircraft operated by Coulson Aviation landed on the WSI runway and concluded this afternoon (Wednesday 29 October), during which WSI tested a full-scale aerodrome emergency response to a simulated aircraft incident.
WSI’s operational staff alongside approximately 300 volunteers and emergency services partners from the NSW Police Force, Fire and Rescue NSW, RFS, and NSW Ambulance as well as federal agencies including Airservices Australia, the Australian Federal Police, and Australian Border Force took part in the simulation, which also involved about 50 emergency service vehicles.
The roles and protocols of frontline agencies, including immediate response, incident notification, forward command management, ambulance triage, disaster victim identification and registration, passenger welfare, crisis management and recovery arrangements were all tested as part of the program.
Minister for Infrastructure, Transport Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King said the emergency exercise was an important part of the process to prepare the airport for passenger services.
“It was exciting to watch the first 737 jet land at Western Sydney International as we undertook this important stress test of the new airport’s emergency responses” she said.
“A big thank you to the 300 volunteers and emergency services personnel who joined us to ensure this exercise was a success. Their hard work is helping us get a step closer to opening the airport to passengers in the second half of 2026.”
WSI CEO Simon Hickey said the landing of the RFS ‘Marie Bashir’ Large Air Tanker 737 was met with rapturous applause and marked another milestone moment as the countdown to WSI’s opening continues.
“What a terrific sight it was to see WSI welcome its first 737 – the first of many jets that will be coming in for landing at Sydney’s new 24-hour airport when we welcome our first commercial customers in the second half of next year,” he said.
“This week’s exercise comes as we ramp up our broader live trials at WSI, which gives us the chance to flex our operational muscles and importantly, train staff for the ever-dynamic environment of a 24-hour airport.
“At the same time, emergency simulations alongside other live tests and trials ensure we’re meeting critical CASA certification requirements, all of which will continue over the months ahead.
“I thank the state and federal agencies for their close collaboration and the hundreds of community partners and local volunteers who’ve supported this week’s successful two-day program.”
