Aircraft Noise

The aviation industry is vital for a myriad of business, tourism, social and freight activities that the Australian economy and society rely upon.  Aircraft noise is an unavoidable consequence of aviation activity.

Airservices works with partners in the aviation industry to minimise the impacts of aircraft noise. Its role involves:

• ensuring that flight departures and arrivals are designed to minimise noise impacts on communities around airports
• providing information about aircraft noise
• monitoring aircraft noise around major airports
• providing a national Noise Complaints and Information Service.

Airservices seeks opportunities to minimise aircraft noise, for example by trialling new procedures. Often these trials are undertaken as a result of issues raised by communities. Airservices also undertakes periodic reviews of existing noise abatement procedures at airports. Airservices publishes reports on these trials and reviews, which are available on airport information pages.

News

Bicentenary Flyover, Blue Mountains, NSW, 25 May

To celebrate the Bicentenary of the 1813 crossing of the Blue Mountains by explorers, there will be a crossing by air of more than 60 aircraft, an historic array of planes including the famous RAAF aerial acrobatics team the Roulettes and a C-130 Hercules and the Red Radials, flying in formation. The flyover will commence from Penrith on the 25^th May at 10.00 and head west, finishing at 2.00pm.

South East Queensland/ Energex annual Helicopter Patrols.

Commencing 29th April for the next 5 months, 15000km of south east Queensland’s power lines will be inspected, by low flying helicopters. The flying schedule is dependent upon weather conditions; however, affected residents can be notified when the helicopters are expected to pass over their properties. To be on the notification list and for more information, go to www.energex.com.au

Military training exercise, South Australia

A military training exercise will take place to the north east of Whyalla from 27-31 May. Training will be conducted in three to four hour periods between 10am and 6pm (local time) and will consist of military jets and live firing exercises.

Military Exercise Aces Strike

Exercise Aces Strike will be conducted between 6-10 and 20-14 May in northern NSW and southern Queensland. The exercise involves aircraft operating from both RAAF Base Williamtown and RAAF Base Amberley. It is expected the exercises will be conducted over two, three hour periods each day.

From 13-16 May the exercise Exercise Aces Strike will be operating in the Singleton and RAAF Williamtown area. FA-18 Hornet aircraft will be participating in this exercise. Operating between 1700 and 2300 in a small area. Multiple fly overs can be expected.

RAAF trialling new procedure at Williamtown, NSW

The RAAF are trialling a new procedure for providing information to residents who may be affected by RAAF flights in the Williamtown area.

A map is available that provides local Williamtown residents with information, on a monthly basis, on where and when the RAAF will be flying. The aim is to provide the latest information on flights from RAAF Base Williamtown in key areas such as low flying areas. It will not provide information on every military flight.

Procedure change set to reduce aircraft noise at Jandakot

At a meeting of the Jandakot Airport Community Aviation Consultation Group on 21 February, Jandakot Airport announced that it would issue a NOtice to Airmen (NOTAM) requiring operators of single-engine aircraft to conduct a simulated engine trouble training only if recovery can be achieved before the aircraft reaches the airport boundary.

This means that while this important training procedure can still be conducted at the airport, local residents will not be subjected to the noise that occurs during simulated engine trouble. At the earliest opportunity, Airservices will publish the changed proceedure in its En-route Supplement Australia (ERSA), which contains instructions for pilots.

Airservices and Jandakot Airport worked closely with the local aviation industry, the Jandakot Community Aviation Consultation Group and the Aircraft Noise Ombudsman to change the procedure.

QantasLink expands flight schedule in regional NSW

QantasLink has today announced it will deploy larger aircraft and increase flights during peak period across NSW from April 2013. Further information is available on Qantas’ website.

Cairns Airport

Cairns Airport is trialling a number of locations, on the airport, to assess the suitability for noise minimisation in different weather conditions to enable high engine power runs.

Airservices will also be working with helicopter operators to reduce noise measures at the helipad near the Esplanade.

Change to Runway 25 non-jet departure procedure

Building activity along the runway 25 Standard Instrument Departure path at Sydney Airport for non-jet aircraft has required a change to the runway 25 non-jet departure procedures to ensure that Minimum Obstacle Clearance requirements are met. Commencing Tuesday 25 September 2012 non-jet aircraft will delay their turn by 100 ft (from 700ft to 800ft), with a consequential longitudinal displacement.

Sunshine Coast Airport

Almost all helicopter flights from Sunshine Coast Airport after 10pm are for emergency and rescue purposes.