Airservices Australia (ASA) has called for community feedback on a new Noise Action Plan that may divert more planes over Moreton Bay, through community engagement sessions being held across Brisbane this August including one at Forest Lake.
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This comes as noise complaints have surged since Brisbane Airport’s second runway opened in July 2020, despite lower traffic during pandemic lockdowns.
When Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) took over management of the airport in the 1990s, it aimed to have 90 percent of flights taking off and landing simultaneously on parallel runways. However, since the new runway opened three years ago, relatively few planes have taken the route over the bay, and noise complaints have increased dramatically.
New Noise Action Plan
One of Airservices Australia’s proposed flight path options is to make Simultaneous Opposite Direction Parallel Runway Operations (SODPROPS) the priority 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Currently SODPROPS is only used at night. This system allows planes to both arrive and depart over Moreton Bay whenever conditions like weather and traffic volume safely allow.
Another proposal aims to address noise impacts from night flights on communities north and northwest of the Brisbane Airport. It offers alternative flight paths to provide periodic relief from aircraft noise. This directly responds to recommendations from Trax International and community feedback saying aircraft noise should be shared across the city.
Airservices has attempted to route flight paths over less populated green spaces when possible, however some overflights of communities remain unavoidable.
Have Your Say
ASA is now hosting public drop-in sessions and online meetings, encouraging residents to ask questions and provide input on proposed flight path options. Sessions are being held at various locations across Brisbane, including the Forest Lake Community Hall, from 3:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. on 8 August 2023.
An ASA spokesperson said the proposals were based on previous feedback, including from the Brisbane Flight Path Community Alliance (BFPCA), to allow the community to compare options.
Residents are urged to attend the sessions or provide feedback online to have their say on any changes that may impact their neighbourhoods.
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Those who would like to attend the drop-in session may register at Airservices Australia’s website.
Published 3-August-2023