Rockhampton Airport enhances communication with Zenitel
Zenitel’s paging solution overcomes acoustic challenges while ensuring clarity and reliability for central Queensland’s key transportation hub - Rockhampton Airport.
Rockhampton Airport, situated in Central Queensland, Australia, is a key regional hub for both passenger and cargo services. Operated by the Rockhampton Regional Council, the airport manages a substantial volume of flights and passengers each year, making effective communication systems essential for seamless operations.
As a vital gateway to the region, Rockhampton Airport needed a modern and dependable paging system capable of overcoming its unique acoustic challenges. These challenges included high ceilings, steel walls, and considerable ambient noise from both passengers and aircraft, all of which impacted sound clarity.
The Requirement
The airport’s primary objective was to replace and upgrade its outdated Public Address system with a more advanced and reliable solution, developed and tested by the local integrator CCBT, with support from Zenitel’s distributor Amber Technology. The new system needed to address the airport’s acoustic challenges by enhancing the Speech Transmission Index (STI), ensuring clearer and more intelligible announcements – critical for maintaining operational efficiency and passenger safety.
In addition to overcoming acoustic issues, the system needed to be resilient to the hot and humid regional climate, particularly in areas without climate control. It also had to be scalable and future-proof, enabling it to accommodate potential airport expansions and increasing passenger numbers. Additionally, the system required 16 user-friendly gate-based paging microphones for staff with limited training.
The Solution
Zenitel’s Public Address systems are well-known for their reliability and flexibility, engineered to perform in the most challenging environments. At Rockhampton Airport, the installation included Zenitel’s VIPEDIA audio router, V2000 amplifiers, D500 DSP modules, and MPS10-GO-AN paging microphones, all selected for their ability to deliver exceptional audio clarity and robust performance in demanding conditions.
The VIPEDIA audio router provides powerful DSP, enabling precise equalisation (EQ) and delay adjustments for optimal sound quality. The V2000 amplifiers offer ample power and flexibility, with the capability to be hot-swapped in emergencies, ensuring uninterrupted service in critical zones.
The D500 DSP modules further enhance sound clarity and intelligibility, delivering a highly transparent audio response throughout the airport. Each paging point is fitted with an MPS10-GO-AN microphone, pre-programmed with optimised, pre-recorded messages that can be triggered by ten physical buttons. These microphones were chosen for their ease of use, reliability, and built-in Automatic Gain Control, ensuring consistent volume levels for all users.
Zenitel’s system is also highly scalable, allowing for seamless integration of additional components as the airport grows. This future-proof design ensures that Rockhampton Airport can continue to depend on the system as passenger numbers increase and the infrastructure expands.
The Result
The implementation of Zenitel’s Public Address system has greatly enhanced communication at Rockhampton Airport. The system provides clear, intelligible announcements throughout the terminal, effectively addressing the airport’s acoustic challenges. Passengers now receive important information with ease, improving both their overall experience and safety.
Airport staff have also found the system to be extremely user-friendly. The intuitive design of the paging microphones allows staff to make announcements quickly and efficiently. With the reliability of the Zenitel system, staff can count on consistent performance, even during peak travel periods or in challenging weather conditions.
Additionally, the system’s scalability offers Rockhampton Airport the flexibility to expand its communication capabilities as needed. This ensures the airport is well-equipped for future growth, allowing it to continue delivering excellent service to passengers and stakeholders alike.
Overall, Zenitel’s Public Address system has exceeded Rockhampton Airport’s requirements, providing a robust, clear, and reliable solution that improves operational efficiency and passenger satisfaction. The collaboration between Zenitel, CCBT, and Amber Technology has been highly successful, resulting in a significant upgrade to the airport’s communication infrastructure.