Airservices Australia has today published its Brisbane New Parallel Runway Flight Paths Post Implementation Review (PIR) Final Report.
This is the next stage of Airservices’ review of Brisbane New Parallel Runway flight paths, which commenced in July 2021.
This report builds on extensive community consultation, including face-to-face community engagement sessions, attended by residents from 88 suburbs, as well as a four-week public comment period on the Draft Report.
Overall, these consultations involved almost 2000 residents.
Airservices’ Final Report outlines a Noise Action Plan for Brisbane (Section 6.1) and a 2023 priority program (Section 7.1) outlining the actions to be progressed over the next 12 months.
Any proposed flight path changes that come out of this process will be subject to thorough community engagement with all potentially affected communities prior to a decision being made on implementation.
The report’s major recommendations include examining additional opportunities to maximise flights over the water (Package Two), including greater use of Simultaneous Opposite Direction Parallel Runway Operations (SODPROPS), where safe. SODPROPS enable aircraft to arrive and depart over Moreton Bay when conditions, such as weather and traffic volume, safely allow.
Additionally, the Federal Government is in the process of forming an independent airport community forum, which will be consulted on the progress of all PIR recommendations.
Airservices Australia Chief Executive Officer Jason Harfield said the PIR engagement demonstrated the organisation’s commitment to improving noise outcomes for the Brisbane community, where safe and operationally feasible.
“Airservices is pleased to have worked with community and industry stakeholders to deliver the PIR Final Report,” Mr Harfield said.
“We are also continuing to conduct noise improvement trials. Flight path changes require a rigorous safety, design and environmental assessment process, which takes time to complete.
“We thank the community and industry for their input and feedback during our extensive community engagement to date.”
For more information, visit Airservices’ Engage website.
