Curved or offset approach to Runway 35 (RNP)
Partly in response to calls from the Jerrabomberra community, Qantas has introduced flight paths into Canberra International Airport, utilising new technology known as Required Navigation Performance (RNP) procedures. These procedures were tested on 5 September 2005 in conjunction with CASA by a Qantas B737-800 aircraft at Canberra and the tests exceeded expectations. The first regular commercial flights using the procedures (both arrivals and departures) commenced in early 2006.
The approach from the south to Runway 35 is a noise abatement approach, which "curves" around houses at Jerrabomberra (a path that overflies both Environa and Tralee). A further noise abatement and emissions benefit is that the procedures also provide constant descent approaches (CDA), which are substantially quieter and expend significantly less fuel on approach. The RNP approach from the south reduces noise at Jerrabomberra by up to 10dBA for an average B737 arrival, with additional noise benefit achieved through the use of CDAs, would not be available if residential development is permitted to occur at Tralee, Environa and the Poplars.
These flight paths, which utilise global positioning system (GPS) technology, are an initiative by Qantas to allow certain aircraft types (in particular B737-700s, -800s) to operate more flexible flight paths into Canberra and thus create the ability to tailor flight paths to avoid high ground and to minimise aircraft noise exposure at Jerrabomberra.
The Qantas RNP procedures are RNP 0.1, requiring a lateral tolerance of only 0.1nm either side of the aircraft. It is this that allows the aircraft to "weave" through valleys and around obstacles.
This technology is initially only utilised by Qantas B737-800 aircraft, but will commence operation for Virgin Blue aircraft in 2008. It is also expected that the RAAF 34 Squadron VIP fleet will utilise this technology moving into the future.
Over 99.5% of Canberra and Queanbeyan residents are protected from low-level aircraft overflight by the Noise Abatement Areas. The High Noise Corridor, which lies between the two Noise Abatement Areas and is currently predominantly rural land, provides the flexibility to instigate new procedures such as the RNP procedures. As with current procedures (such as the Instrument Landing System, Standard Instrument Departures and draft Standard Terminal Arrivals Routes), all proposed RNP departure and approach procedures are contained within the High Noise Corridor. However, if residential development is approved at Tralee, Environa and the Poplars, this flexibility to remove aircraft noise from existing housing and locate it over rural land is lost altogether.
Please see the below map showing B737-800 operations at Canberra Airport in October 2006. The RNP approaches from the south and north are clearly marked and can clearly be differentiated from other aircraft utilising the more traditional straight-in approaches.
