Minimising aircraft noise
Minimising the impact of aircraft noise disturbance on the community is one of our key goals. We have taken a proactive approach to managing the aircraft noise issue through comprehensive and ongoing consultation with the community and by working with statutory bodies such as Airservices Australia.
Airservices Australia is the Commonwealth Government's statutory body dealing with issues of aircraft noise as well as maintaining the role as Australia's airspace regulator. Airservices, in consultation with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), industry, governments and the community, determine aircraft flight paths across Australia, including those flight path patterns around Canberra Airport.
Canberra Airport has worked with Airservices Australia to put in place an extensive range of aircraft noise respite measures to protect the community from aircraft noise. Canberra Airport also continues to seek further noise reduction measures to protect the community.
Current Noise Abatement Measures
- High Noise Corridor
- Noise Abatement Areas
- Runway 17 departure flight path
- Night Protection for Jerrabomberra from arrival flight paths
- Protection of North Canberra via altered departure procedures Runway 30
- Higher overflight of residents between Queanbeyan and Bungendore
- Increased protection for Carwoola residents
- Arrival procedures Runway 12
- Minimised noise to Pialligo and North Canberra residents from circuit traffic
- Night operations 11pm-6am
- New departure and arrival procedures - established 2002 and 2005
- Curved or offset approach 6 to Runway 35 (RNP)
Future Noise Abatement Measures
High Noise Corridor
Canberra Airport's High Noise Corridor was first proposed in 1999 with extensive consultation conducted with business, government, industry and the community. In April 2001 the High Noise Corridor was released for public consultation as the Canberra International Airport Regional Plan for Aircraft Noise. The High Noise Corridor concept has developed significantly and has progressively gained public and government support since 1999. Please click here for more information on the High Noise Corridor.
Noise Abatement areas
In December 1995, Airservices Australia, in consultation with the community, Government and industry enacted Noise Abatement Areas over Queanbeyan and Canberra in response to community outcry over the noise caused by aircraft overflying residential areas. These Noise Abatement areas have proven enormously successful in protecting 99.5% of the region's population from low-level aircraft overflight (including almost all arrival and departure noise).
The procedures require jets to fly at not less than 5,000 ft (1,524 metres) and larger propeller aircraft at not less than 3,000 ft (914 metres) over residential suburbs, as below these levels, aircraft generally cause significant adverse impact. Light General Aviation and all circuit training aircraft are not restricted by the Noise Abatement Areas. The practical outcome of the areas is to separate residential areas from low flying aircraft and thereby protect residents from significant aircraft noise disturbance
It is important to note that if houses are permitted to be built in the High Noise Corridor, then it is possible that the Noise Abatement Areas will be abolished, meaning that aircraft noise would be distributed over much of Canberra's and Queanbeyan's suburbs. This result is called noise sharing and is actively opposed by Canberra Airport.
Runway 17 departure flight path
In December 1996 following community outcry, the Jerrabomberra community (who at the time were subjected to the effects of noise of aircraft departing on Runway 17 as well as arriving on Runway 35) were afforded respite. Airservices Australia implemented a Noise Abatement Procedure requiring Runway 17 departures to turn right by 12-degrees soon after take-off, therefore assuring aircraft on departure to the south fly west of Jerrabomberra, over the rural properties of Tralee and Environa.
Night noise protection for Jerrabomberra from arrival flight paths - established 1998
Given the predominant landing runway was traditionally Runway 35 from the south, a noise respite measure was introduced such that between 8pm and 7am Runway 17 from the north is the preferred landing runway when weather conditions permit. This measure ensures that overflight of Jerrabomberra residents is avoided for most night hours because aircraft are able to land from the north. Departures can be made either to the south over rural land at Tralee and Environa, or to the north if other aircraft are not landing at the Airport.
Protection of north canberra residents through altered departure procedures runway 30 - established 2001
Revised departure procedures for Runway 30 see light aircraft tracking straight over Fairbairn Avenue to the War Memorial before turning off the original departure heading, thereby avoiding unnecessary noise disturbance to residents of North Canberra, in particular the suburbs of Campbell and Reid.
Higher overflight of residents located between queanbeyan and Bungendore - established 2001
For aircraft travelling to the training area near Bungendore, a noise respite procedure was implemented ensuring light aircraft travel at an altitude 500ft higher than was previously flown once on track. This reduces noise exposure to light aircraft for residents living below this flight track, mainly in Wamboin (NSW).
Increased protection for Carwoola residents - established 2002
Amended arrival procedures to Runway 30 from the east were put into place in 2002 to provide noise respite to the rural-residential areas of Carwoola, Captains Flat Road and the Ridgeway (all in NSW), involving directing aircraft over currently unpopulated western areas of Kowen Forest. When the ACT Government develops Kowen as a residential settlement, this measure may need to be refined.
Arrival procedures runway 12 - established 2002
Similar to the departure procedures for Runway 30 implemented in 2001, arriving aircraft on Runway 12 are requested to join their final inbound track no later than the War Memorial to reduce noise over North Canberra. This avoids aircraft turning late on to track over residential areas of Campbell and Reid.
Minimised noise to pialligo and north canberra residents from circuit traffic - established 2002
New circuit procedures on the cross-runway (Runway 12/30) were implemented to ensure minimum possible aircraft noise impact to residents in Pialligo and North Canberra.
Night (11pm-6am) operations - established 2003
Agreements were signed with the two principal night freight operators at Canberra Airport to ensure night freight aircraft use the main runway (Runway 17/35) rather than the cross runway between 11pm and 6am, and fly clear of the Canberra and Queanbeyan Noise Abatement Areas except where operationally required. A similar agreement was reached with the Royal Flying Doctor Service/NSW Air Ambulance and a further local aircraft operator. This ensures that residents of Canberra and Queanbeyan, and particularly residents of North Canberra, are subject to reduced overflight at night.
New Departure and Arrival procedures - established 2002 & 2005
In response to the Noise Abatement Areas and to keep aircraft in the High Noise Corridor for longer periods, Airservices Australia developed new Standard Instrument Departures (SIDs) in 2002, followed by new Standard Terminal Arrival Routes (STARs) in 2005 for Canberra Airport. These procedures mean that aircraft operating to or from the main runway stay inside the High Noise Corridor for longer before they turn from/onto track to their destination. This has ensured reduced high level aircraft overflight of residents in Tuggeranong and Gungahlin.
Future noise abatement measures
15 Degree offset approach to runway 35
The provision of a 15-degree offset approach to Runway 35 in visual conditions has been proposed. This is in addition to the current curved or RNP approach currently flown by B737NG aircraft. This proposed noise abatement measure would provide additional noise amenity to Jerrabomberra residents, as arriving aircraft would fly over rural land west of existing built-up areas.
GPS-based technologysuch as RNP will be able to expand these opportunities, possibly allowing for the offset approach to join the extended Runway centreline closer to the airport and allowing use of an offset approach in instrument (non-visual) conditions.
Runway 17 as preferred runway
Runway 17 is already nominated as preferred Runway at Canberra Airport for arrivals after 8pm and before 6am. It is proposed that this is increased to cover all times of day and night, when weather conditions permit.
This measure would provide significant noise abatement to the residents of Jerrabomberra as arriving aircraft would pass over rural land to the north of the airport and departing aircraft use the offset departure flight path and pass over rural land at Tralee and Environa rather than over Jerrabomberra.
Future GPS opportunities
Global Positioning System (GPS) technology is expected to revolutionise airport arrival and departure flight path procedures in future years, replacing old Instrument Landing System (ILS) and other technology. This is already evidenced by the growing use of RNP technology by aircraft at Canberra Airport. Full precision GPS enabling instrument landing being progressively introduced around Canberra Airport. Offset approach opportunities are being introduced to provide noise respite to existing residents by shifting noise away from Jerrabomberra to the rural areas of Tralee and Environa.
Expansion of Noise Abatement Areas over Gungahlin
Following requests from the Gungahlin community and the ACT Chief Minister, Canberra Airport has written to Airservices Australia requesting they investigate the eastward expansion of the Canberra Noise Abatement Area to incorporate new Gungahlin suburbs. Canberra Airport supports the extension of these Noise Abatement Areas if the investigation shows that the expansion of the Noise Abatement Areas will not pose any detrimental safety, operational or environmental constraints on the airport, the community, or on aircraft operations to/from the Airport now or in the long term.
It is noted that an opportunity may also exist for the future expansion of the Queanbeyan Noise Abatement Area to the south to incorporate a new residential development at Googong.
It is also noted that no expansion of the Noise Abatement Areas into the High Noise Corridor will be considered at any time.
