Impact and mitigation of aircraft noise
Submission 42
Impact and mitigation of aircraft noise
Submission 42
Airservices Australia Submission
Impact and Mitigation of
Aircraft Noise Inquiry
April 2024
airservicesaustralia.com
Impact and mitigation of aircraft noise
Submission 42
Contents
1.0
History of Airservices’ role in aircraft noise management in Australia 4
2.0
Government, industry and community roles and responsibilities in
managing aircraft noise
9
3.0
Airservices roles and responsibilities including for aircraft noise and
the environment
20
Appendices
25
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Airservices introduction
Airservices plays a critical role in the
aviation industry and is owned by the
Australian government. Airservices is
responsible, under the
Air Services Act
1995, for the provision of a range of
services on which Australian society and
industry depends, including air traffic
control, aviation rescue firefighting,
aeronautical information, aeronautical
navigation, and aeronautical
telecommunications. We are funded by
charges to international and domestic
aviation for the services that we provide,
and these charges are regulated by the
Australian Competition and Consumer
Commission (ACCC).
We manage 11 per cent of the world’s
airspace, including the upper airspace for
Nauru and the Solomon Islands.
We employ over 900 air traffic controllers
at 29 of Australia’s airports. Airservices
also provides critical emergency services
on the ground through our Aviation
Rescue Fire Fighting Service. We have
approximately 800 firefighting staff
providing services at 27 of Australia's
busiest airports.
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1.0 History of Airservices’ role in aircraft noise management
in Australia
In 1991, following the Government
• Carry out activities to protect the
response to the House of Representatives
environment from the effects of,
Select Committee on Aircraft Noise, the
and the effects associated with, the
legislation governing the Federal Airports
operation of Commonwealth
Corporation (FAC) and the Civil Aviation
jurisdiction aircraft.
Authority (CAA) was amended to give each
• Give effect to its environmental
organisation explicit environmental
obligations through powers under
responsibilities:
the Air Navigation Act.
• The FAC was required to assume
responsibility for on the ground
Aircraft noise patterns changed when the
issues primarily revolving around
third runway opened in Sydney Airport in
community consultation (convening
1994, and this generated a significant
airport and noise related
reaction from communities across Sydney.
consultative committees and
This led to the establishment of the Senate
handling noise complaints).
Select Committee on Aircraft Noise in
• The CAA was required to carry out
Sydney in 1995, which criticised the noise
tasks related to noise monitoring,
predictions in the Environmental Impact
the preparation of noise contours
Statement for the new runway.
and the control of emissions from
aircraft.
On 1 July 1995, the CAA ceased to exist.
Two new bodies were established to take
The FAC was also required to:
over its functions:
• Ensure that as far as practicable,
• Airservices Australia, with
the level of noise at airports is not
responsibility for air traffic services,
such as to be detrimental to the
air navigation facilities, the
communities near airports.
provision of an aeronautical
• Ensure that as far as practicable,
information service, rescue and
the environment is protected from
firefighting service and a national
the effects of, and the effects
search and rescue service.
associated with, the operation and
• The Civil Aviation Safety Authority
use of aircraft operating to or from
(CASA), with responsibility for
federal airports.
setting aviation standards, the
registration of aircraft, licensing,
The CAA was required to:
ensuring compliance with safety
• Endeavour to perform its functions,
regulations, safety promotion and
other than its regulatory functions,
education and having regulatory
in a manner that ensures that, as
oversight of the services provided
far as practicable, the environment
by Airservices Australia.
is protected from the effects of,
and the effects associated with, the
The legislation establishing each
operation of aircraft.
organisation provides that, subject to the
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requirements of aviation safety, each
Direction was issued to Airservices
organisation must perform its functions in
Australia to implement the Long Term
a manner that ensures that, as far as
Operating Plan. Airservices was also issued
practicable, the environment is protected
with a Ministerial Direction in 1999, which
from the effects of the operation and use
required:
of aircraft. Airservices is also required to
• environment practices in relation to
perform specified environmental functions,
aircraft operations, provision of
including noise monitoring.
navigational aids and rescue and
fire fighting activities at Australian
The Australian Government in 1996 made
airports
the decision to privatise Australia’s
• provide advice, information, and
airports, Australia was the first country in
data on the environmental aspects
the world to privatise airports. The first
of air traffic management including
phase of airport privatisation in Australia in
aircraft movements, aircraft noise,
1996 included the sale of Melbourne,
aircraft engine emissions and
Perth, and Brisbane airports. Sydney was
aircraft operations.
privatised in 2002.
• initiate and participate in
discussions, consultations, in
The
Airports Act 1996 was introduced to:
relation to environmental aspects
• promote the sound development of
of air traffic management.
civil aviation in Australia.
• undertake monitoring, testing and
• establish a system for the
compliance activities associated
regulation of airport users and the
with the Air Navigation (Aircraft
general community.
Noise) Regulations and Air
• promote the efficient and economic
Navigation (Aircraft Engine
development and operation of
Emissions) Regulations.
airports.
• provide, maintain, and enhance
public response and reporting
The
Airports Act 1996 allowed private
services through a dedicated Noise
industry to promote the development of
Enquiry Service at airports covered
civil aviation in Australia and moved
by the
Airports Act 1996, and other
regulation of the airports from a federal
major Australian airports.
entity, the FAC, to privately leased airports,
• install, maintain, and operate noise
with regulation by the Department of
and flight path monitoring systems
Infrastructure, Transport, Regional
at major Australian airports.
Development, Communications and the
• monitor, collate and report to the
Arts.
Secretary on aircraft movements
during curfew hours at Sydney
Case studies for a range of Australian
(Kingsford Smith), Adelaide and
airports is provided in Appendix A.
Coolangatta Airports.
• make available data for the
Following the significant public concern at
development of aircraft noise
the opening of the third runway at Sydney
exposure analyses and prediction
Airport in 1994, the Long Term Operating
and be responsible for endorsing
Plan for Sydney Airport was released for
Australian Noise Exposure
public comment in 1996. In July 1997 a
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Indices/Forecasts for all Australian
airports.
Both flight path movement charts and N70
• provide advice, information,
for daytime noise and N60 metrics for
guidance, and assistance at
night-time noise have been adopted by
locations outside controlled
many airports as part of the Airport Master
airspace on environmental aspects
Plan and Major Development Plan
of aircraft operations.
processes.
A full timeline on the evolution of aircraft
The Government in the Aviation White
noise management in Australia is at
Paper in 2009 pursued a range of measures
Appendix B.
to manage aircraft noise. These included:
• maintaining existing curfews and
The extensive list of obligations that have
aircraft movement caps, and
been placed on Airservices is significant in
phasing out the operation of older,
comparison to other air navigation service
noisy aircraft.
providers around the world (Appendix C).
• airport master planning processes
Much of the environmental responsibilities
and the ongoing importance of
for aviation were moved to Airservices in
effective noise management
early iterations.
strategies, including the need for a
periodic review of the need for a
In 2000, the Australian Government
curfew at Brisbane.
released the discussion paper Expanding
• strengthening Airservices
Ways to Describe and Assess Aircraft Noise.
Australia’s approach to managing
This led to the adoption of three new
noise complaints and distributing
metrics: flight path movement charts;
noise information through the
respite and N70 (the number of events
establishment of a noise
exceeding 70 decibels). This was following
information and complaints
community criticism that the ANEF system
ombudsman.
did not adequately explain to communities
the effects of aircraft noise or potential
Measures implemented from the 2010
aircraft noise exposure. This being because
Inquiry into Airservices management of
communities affected were outside the
aircraft noise.
ANEF contours, which had been adopted
into land use planning tools to minimise
a)
Airservices should be a permanent
the effects of aircraft noise on the
member of all federal Community
community through planning controls.
Aviation Consultation Groups.
The Australian Noise Exposure Forecast
Since 2010 Airservices has participated in
(ANEF) system remains the fundamental
and contributed to federal Community
tool for achieving land use compatibility
Aviation Consultation Groups including the
around airports in Australia. The ANEF and
provision of noise complaints data, noise
the Australian Noise Exposure Index
complaint trends, updates to operations,
continue to be the metrics for inclusion in
new infrastructure projects, post
noise amelioration programs based on
implementation reviews on flight path
those who are highly exposed to aircraft
design and noise improvement
noise.
opportunities.
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b)
The Aircraft Noise Ombudsman should
change to an air route would trigger a
undertake a review of Airservices noise
referral under the
EPBC Act 1999.
complaints handling.
Following the 2010 Inquiry into Airservices
The inaugural Aircraft Noise Ombudsman
management of aircraft noise, the New
(ANO) was appointed to the role on 1
Parallel Runway (NPR) opened at Brisbane
September 2010 and served in that role
Airport on 12 July 2020. This was the first
until 7 February 2017. The first review of
opening of a new parallel runway since
Airservices noise complaints handling was
Sydney Airport in the mid-1990s during a
completed on 1 February 2011. The review
once in a hundred-year global pandemic,
made a number of recommendations to
which fundamentally affected people’s
amend systems and procedures for the
lives, wellbeing, patterns of work,
former Noise Enquiry Unit to manage,
employment and work location.
track, and resolve complaints handling.
Recommendations also included amending
The closure of borders to other
the name to a Noise Complaints Unit from
States/Territories also had a strong effect
a Noise Enquiry Unit, to indicate its role in
on runway usage with majority of travel in
complaints handling.
Queensland being intrastate, which meant
due to the design of the NPR with flights
c)
The Aircraft Noise Ombudsman should
North using the new runway with routes
provide an annual report of its
such as Brisbane-Cairns being one of the
operations, and this should include a
busiest routes in the country, which was
description of actions Airservices has
not in the top ten routes prior to the
undertaken to implement
pandemic.
recommendations.
The industry has seen a rapid recovery
The ANO has produced an annual report
since the opening of the NPR with most
each financial year since 2010-11 that
airports around the country now back, or
includes a description of actions Airservices
close to pre-pandemic levels following the
has undertaken within that calendar year
reopening of international travel from
to implement the ANO recommendations.
China in March 2022.
d)
Airservices should be required to have
Airservices Australia has made significant
regard to paragraph 160(2)(b) of the
community engagement improvements
Environment Protection Biodiversity
post Brisbane NPR opening including
and Conservation Act 1999 (the EPBC
introduction of Flight Path Design
Act 1999) and seek advice from the
Principles (the Principles) (at Appendix D),
Minister for Environment Protection,
which were adopted on 1 October 2020.
Heritage and the Arts in advance of
The Principles provide the basis for
major changes to air routes around
designing and developing flight paths
airports under its jurisdiction.
giving regard to the impacts of aviation
activities and the potential trade-offs.
Airservices has incorporated into the
Having regard to safety as the highest
Environmental Management of Changes to
priority, the Principles seek to achieve a
Aircraft Operations National Operating
balance between operational efficiency,
Standard guidance for when a major
protecting the environment and minimising
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the effects of aviation noise on the
community, wherever practicable.
The Environmental Management of
Changes to Aircraft Operations National
Operating Standard (NOS) (at Appendix E)
was revised to consider the differences in
background noise levels between urban
and rural areas for noticeability of aircraft
noise, changing the trigger for engagement
activity from the EPBC Act 1999 referral
number above 60dB (N60) and number
above 70dB (N70) noise levels to the
noticeability of change. The NOS also
included consideration of “newly
overflown” communities and different
noise level assessment for daytime noise
(6am-11pm) versus night-time noise
(11pm-6am). The NOS considers fuel burn,
CO2 and other emissions in the assessment
of the new flight paths.
Airservices launched last year after national
consultation of the new Community
Engagement Standard (the Standard) (at
Appendix F). The Standard is part of the
ongoing evolution of our flight path and
airspace change community engagement
practices, which commenced with our
Community Engagement Framework
(Appendix G) in August 2021. The Standard
has been shaped by Aircraft Noise
Ombudsman (ANO) findings, learnings
from our engagement experience,
feedback received from the communities
we have engaged, and an independent
review to identify best practice standards
for community engagement.
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2.0 Government, industry and community roles and
responsibilities in managing aircraft noise
The effective management of aircraft noise
and other aeronautical information
is a partnership between community,
products and services.
government, and industry stakeholders.
Airservices along with other commercial
The government and industry stakeholders
organisations in Australia are certified by
must work together to provide effective
the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to
tools and information to enable the
hold a Part 173 Certificate under the
Civil
community to access information relating
Aviation Act 1998, which enables the
to where aircraft operate, how aircraft
undertaking of flight path design at
operate (flight paths, frequency of
Australian airports. In doing this work
operations, types of operations etc), when
Airservices must work closely with the
aircraft operate (day time versus night-
aviation industry and community to ensure
time, international schedules, freight
flight path design offers safe and efficient
flights, emergency movements etc) and the
operations and seeks to minimise the
value of aviation to Australian society and
impact as far as practicable. Our flight path
our economy and how this connects major
design procedures require us to undertake
cities, regional centres, and services
community engagement on any proposed
provided.
change to a flight path with the potential
to result in a noticeable change in aircraft
Airservices has a responsibility under the
operations. Airservices has Flight Path
Air Services Act 1995 to provide services
Design Principles (Appendix D), which sets
and facilities for the safety, regularity or
out the overall considerations and
efficiency of air navigation in Australian
principles we consider for flight path
administered airspace. Airservices can
design and operation.
provide this service within and outside
Australian jurisdiction under a contract
arrangement for other jurisdictions.
Air navigation service provision includes air
traffic services, an aeronautical information
service, aeronautical radio navigation
service and aeronautical
telecommunications service.
In addition, Airservices is required to
provide an aeronautical information
service, which collects and disseminates
aeronautical information relevant to the
safety, regularity and efficiency of air
navigation including the Aeronautical
Information Publication, Notices to Airmen
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Flight path design involves trade-offs
2. design flight paths that prioritise a
across a number of considerations after
reduction in fuel burn and
safety, which is the most important
emissions over those that reduce
consideration and never subject to trade-
noise for local communities.
off. In general, for an individual flight path
it can mean selecting one of three options
Finally, it is the case that often these
for example:
considerations must also be balanced with
1. minimise the total number of
the design of other flight paths,
people overflown, with routes
connections with the enroute network and
designed to impact as few people
other airspace uses such as military
as possible.
restricted areas. There can also be future
2. minimise the number of newly
uses that need to be planned for, such as
overflown, keeping routes close to
airport developments including new
where they are today, wherever
runways.
possible.
3. share routes over a wider area,
These trade-offs highlight the complexity in
which may increase the total
flight path design and the trade-offs, which
number of people overflown but
are required to balance the needs of both
would reduce the total number of
the community and industry in flight path
people directly affected by routes
design.
as the noise would be shared more
equally.
There are also considerations for urban
versus rural areas:
1. prioritise routing aircraft over urban
areas, recognising that urban areas
have higher noise levels; or
2. prioritise routing over rural areas
where fewer people live.
In urban areas, there are further
considerations:
1. design flight paths over parks and
open spaces rather than residential
areas; or
2. design flight paths over residential
areas, avoiding overflight of parks
and open spaces.
Consideration needs to be given to noise
and emissions:
1. design flight paths that prioritise
the reduction of aircraft noise for
local communities over those that
reduce fuel burn and emissions; or
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Noise and Flight Path Monitoring System
Airservices is also required to undertake noise monitoring and compliance reporting activities. Our Noise and Flight Path Monitoring System
(NFPMS) collects noise and flight path data at Brisbane, Cairns, Canberra, Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne, Essendon, Adelaide, and Perth
airports. This system operates 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week, collecting data from every aircraft operating to and from the airport.
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Sample Noise and Flight Path Monitoring System Report (source Aircraft in Your Neighbourhood)
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Noise Complaints and Information Service
Airservices provides a Noise Complaint and Information Service (NCIS) which responds to complaints and enquiries about aircraft operations.
Airservices uses complaints and enquiries to help identify operations of concern and possible improvement opportunities, which are
progressed by Airservices through airspace reviews and Post Implementation Reviews of new operations. Below is a summary of the National
contacts and complainants for 2023 and the most frequent complainants for 2023. Complaints are managed in accordance with the NCIS
Managing Aircraft Noise Complaints and Enquiries Procedure at Appendix H.
NATIONAL – Contacts and complainants by year
Year
Contacts
Complainant
2019
18,302
5,964
2020
13,649
4,541
2021
18,995
4,583
2022
25,178
4,768
2023
51,589
5,035
TOP COMPLAINANTS – 2023 Complainant
Contacts
Airport
1
20,716
Perth
2
4,071
Archerfield
3
2,665
Brisbane
4
2,084
Brisbane
5
1,007
Brisbane
6
852
Sydney
7
672
Sydney
8
527
Hobart
9
500
Brisbane
10
465
Parafield
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Below is a sample noise complaints monthly report.
Sample Noise Complaints Monthly Report
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Australian Noise Exposure Forecast – Manner of Endorsement for Airport Master Plans
Airservices under a direction from the Minister, endorses the technical accuracy of Australian Noise Exposure Forecasts (ANEFs) produced by
Airport Lessee Companies as required for airport Master Plans under the Airport Act 1996.
In deciding whether to endorse an ANEF, Airservices must have regard to a) the appropriate selection of aircraft types; b) the runway usage
and flight track data; c) the forecast number of movements; d) the contours are modelled correctly and e) the proponent has taken into
account issues raised by State and Local Governments.
Sydney 2039 ANEF example
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Airlines and aircraft operators have a
land-use planning controls based on ANEF
responsibility under the Air Navigation
contours. The current metrics used for
(Aircraft Noise) Regulations 2018 to ensure
Land-Use-Planning schemes may not be
the aircraft fleet used is compliant with
appropriate to address impacts in low
international noise standards and
background noise areas under flight path
requirements. This requires investment in
corridors or broader community sensitivity
fleet renewal to ensure environmental and
to aircraft noise.
sustainable outcomes can be achieved,
including the use and investment in newer,
The National Airports Safeguarding
larger, and quieter aircraft.
Framework (NASF) provides a guide to
state and local governments in
Airports have a responsibility under the
implementation of best practice in relation
Airports Act 1996 to develop a master plan
to land use assessment and decision
and development plans for their airport,
making in the vicinity of airports.
which have undergone consultation with
the airlines, local government bodies and
State and local governments must work in
the community. These consultation
partnership with airports on land-use
opportunities, for communities, are
planning and future developments in and
required to provide the community with
around airports, including under flight
an awareness of forecast aircraft
paths, which may be impacted by aircraft
movements at the airport including the
noise. This includes consultation
noise exposure over residential areas,
mechanisms which ensure timely and
particularly under flight paths, surrounding
relevant distribution of aircraft noise-
the airport. Airports also need to provide
related information to communities.
community with an explanation of how
aircraft noise is mitigated through the
The Department of Infrastructure,
development of noise management plans.
Transport, Regional Development,
Communications and the Arts (DITRDCA) is
The master plan includes an Australian
responsible for the management of
Noise Exposure Forecast (ANEF) for the
airports through the
Airports Act 1996 and
areas surrounding the airport, as well as
airport regulations.
flight paths at the airport. Airports
provides communities with several noise
All leased federal airports are subject to
contour maps that must adhere to
the following regulations:
Australian Standard AS 2021-2000
• Airport lease requirements which
Acoustics – Aircraft noise intrusion –
subjects leased federal airports to
Building siting and construction.
rules and procedures regarding
their leases with the
State and local governments are
Commonwealth. Provisions relating
responsible for zoning in their jurisdictions
to airport leases are located within
and are accountable in terms of what is
Part 2, Divisions 2–8 of the
Airports
built or approved in high noise impact
Act 1996.
areas (as identified in the ANEF). This is
• Restrictions on Ownership and
particularly important for land planning
Control of airport infrastructure
around infrastructure such as airports, as
• The Protection of Airspace around
well as areas under flight paths. Many
airports
noise complaints are received from areas
• Building Control
well outside areas subject to noise related
• Environmental Management
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Certain leased federal airports are subject
equipment, helicopter landing sites and
to further regulations:
public safety areas at the end of runways.
• Economic Regulation which
It is the responsibility of each jurisdiction
includes reporting on the prices
to implement the Framework into their
charged for aeronautical services
respective planning systems. Each state
and facilities, financial statements,
and territory will align their respective
and quality of service information
planning processes with the Framework
(Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, and
principles and guidelines, as appropriate.
Perth Airports)
• The oversight functions include:
• The Parking Infringement Notices
• airport planning, development, and
Scheme (Brisbane, Gold Coast,
land use.
Hobart, Launceston, Melbourne,
• airport insurance compliance.
Perth, Sydney, and Townsville
• airport environment and building
Airports)
control regulation; and
• Administration of the Liquor
• payment of Government rates and
Licensing Regime (Sydney,
taxes.
Bankstown, and Camden Airports)
• The Slot Management scheme
DITRDCA is also responsible for the
(Sydney Airport)
development of aircraft noise policy and
• Curfews (Adelaide, Sydney, Gold
administration of the Air Navigation
Coast and Essendon Fields
(Aircraft Noise) Regulations 2018.
Airports)
The Air Navigation (Aircraft Noise)
DITRDCA also have responsibility for
Regulations 2018 require aircraft operating
the National Airports Safeguarding
in Australian airspace to comply with noise
Framework (NASF) that aims to:
standards and recommended practices
• improve community amenity by
introduced under the Convention on
minimising aircraft noise-
International Civil Aviation or to hold a
sensitive developments near
valid exemption to operate. Most aircraft
airports.
operating in Australian airspace must meet
• improve safety outcomes by
the standards set out in Volume I of Annex
ensuring aviation safety
16 to the Convention on International Civil
requirements are recognised in
Aviation (ICAO standards).
land use planning decisions
through guidelines being
Aircraft verified as complying with the
adopted by jurisdictions on
ICAO standards are issued with a Noise
various safety-related issues.
Certificate by Airservices Australia. Under
the Regulations, aircraft without an
NASF has implications for anyone working
exemption and those that have been noise
in town planning, residential or
certificated at Annex 16 Chapter 2 noise
commercial development, building
standards, are not permitted to operate in
construction or related industries. It
Australia. Applications for aircraft noise
consists of a set of guiding principles with
assessments are managed by Airservices
nine guidelines relating to aircraft noise,
Australia and can be lodged via the
windshear and turbulence, wildlife strikes,
Airservices Australia website.
wind turbines, lighting distractions,
protected airspace, communication
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The Department of Climate Change,
The Department of Health and Aged Care
Energy, Environment and Water (DCCEEW)
(DHAC)
is responsible for safeguarding the
environment through the
EPBC Act 1999.
The Environmental Health Standing
Committee (enHealth) advises the
Section 160 of the
EPBC Act 1999 requires
Australian Health Protection Principal
that before an agency of the
Committee (AHPPC) on environmental
Commonwealth can take an action, which
health policy. It brings together expertise
includes managing aircraft operations in
from Australian, state and territory health
airspace or adopting or implementing a
departments and research councils, and
major development plan for an airport,
their New Zealand counterparts.
where the action has been identified as
having a potentially ‘significant’ impact as
DHAC through the Environmental Health
defined in the EPBC Act 1999, the agency
Standing Committee reviews evidence
must seek advice from the Minister for the
related to the health effects of
Environment.
environmental noise. This includes aircraft,
road and rail noise and are published in
The Minister for the Environment will then
the enHealth - The health effects of
make a determination on what actions are
environmental noise. This guidance is
required to protect the environment
updated to take into account
including assessment of Matters of
contemporary research related to
National Environmental Significance and
environmental health effects.
protection of the environment to minimise
the impacts.
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3.0 Airservices roles and responsibilities including for aircraft
noise and the environment
Airservices has a responsibility under the
Airservices has the following functions:
Air Services Act 1995 to provide services
• providing services and facilities for
and facilities for the safety, a regularity or
the safety, regularity, or efficiency
efficiency of air navigation in Australian
of air navigation.
administered airspace. Airservices can
• fostering and promoting civil
provide this service within and outside
aviation whether inside or outside
Australian jurisdiction under a contract
Australia.
arrangement for other jurisdictions.
• functions prescribed in relation to
the effects of, and effects
Consistent with our obligations Airservices
associated with the operation of
purpose is to connect people with their
aircraft.
world safely. We are committed to
transparent and proactive aircraft noise
Services include:
management, international benchmarking,
• air traffic services
and collaboration across industry to
• aeronautical information service
minimise as far as practicable the impact
• aeronautical radio and
of aircraft noise.
telecommunications service; and
• rescue and firefighting services.
We are committed to world’s best practice
aircraft noise management processes and
In undertaking these functions Airservices
practice, to respectfully managing noise
must regard the safety of air navigation as
complaints, and to providing transparent
the most important consideration. Subject
information to communities.
to safety as the most important
consideration Airservices must exercise its
We aim to minimise the impact of aircraft
powers to ensure that as far as practicable
operations on the community where
the environment is protected from the
practicable. This includes designing flight
effects of the operation and effects
paths to avoid overflying residential areas,
associated with the operation of aircraft.
where possible, and consulting with the
community and aviation industry on
In performing these functions Airservices
proposed flight path and airspace changes
must where appropriate consult with
to achieve the best outcome, balancing
government, industry,
the needs of all stakeholders.
consumer/community, and other relevant
bodies including the International Civil
We recognise the value of engagement
Aviation Organization and other bodies
and dialogue with the community on flight
representing the aviation industry.
path design, airspace changes, current
operations, and aircraft noise. We are
Underpinning our approach across all five
committed to a rigorous process to ensure
areas is our Environmental Sustainability
the delivery of meaningful community
Strategy 2021-2026 (Appendix I) which
engagement and consideration of
includes Aircraft Noise as a strategic pillar.
improvements to noise outcomes
The key elements of focus are:
wherever safe and feasible.
• improved balancing of competing
flight path design constraints.
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Impact and mitigation of aircraft noise
Submission 42
• expansion of flight path monitoring
Other principles on flight path design
data.
require a balance between:
• continuous descent operations.
• noise and community principles.
• uncrewed Traffic Management.
• Efficiency and environmental
principles
Airservices will continue to play a key role
• Operational principles
to minimise the impact of aircraft
operations on the community and increase
Airport Master Plans contain forecast
efficiency to reduce emissions. There is
future passenger and aircraft movements
also the need to balance community
over a twenty-year horizon to ensure the
expectations and social licence regarding
future needs of civil aviation users and
aircraft noise which have evolved in the
other users of the airport can be met over
post pandemic environment, with the
time. Airservices is required to design
need for the industry to maintain
airspace and flight paths consistent with
connectivity and growth.
the approved Master Plan.
Balancing competing flight path design
In doing so, Airservices designs flight paths
constraints
to maximise movements over areas of
Community expectations in relation to
lower population density, such as
environmental protection are evolving,
industrial estates, parklands, and water, or
with the impacts of aircraft emissions,
over areas of higher ambient noise such as
aircraft noise and the industry’s resilience
major arterial roads and highways.
on natural resources gaining increasing
scrutiny at a global, national and
To reduce noise exposure for the
community level. Airservices will continue
community where high-density residential
to work with airlines and airports to help
areas are exposed to noise, we consider
them become more efficient and
flight path designs that distribute aircraft
environmentally sustainable, while
operations so that noise can be shared and
balancing community expectation in
provide respite where overflight of these
relation to noise.
areas cannot be avoided. Airservices also
designs Noise Abatement Procedures that
New airport infrastructure
adjust aircraft operations to reduce noise
The location of an airport within a
impacts including the time of these
community and the configuration of its
operations where practicable.
existing runways are fixed. Airservices does
not have a decision-making role in the
In managing efficiency and environment
configuration, citing or location of an
Airservices considers Matters of National
airport or runway infrastructure. Airport
Environmental Significance and other
runway configurations largely determine
sensitive habitats in flight path design.
flight path design in the vicinity of airports,
Airservices also designs flight paths to
as aircraft need to be runway aligned prior
deliver operational efficiency,
to landing and for short periods after
predictability and minimise the impacts on
departure to ensure stable, safe
the environment from fuel burn and
operations. Safety of air navigation must
emissions. These principles are consistent
be the most important consideration in
with the objectives in the
Air Services Act
flight path design which is consistent with
1995 to as far as practicable, the
the objectives of the
Air Services Act 1995.
environment is protected from the effects
and operation and use of aircraft, and the
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Impact and mitigation of aircraft noise
Submission 42
effects associated with the operation and
community, government stakeholders and
use of aircraft.
Airservices on aircraft movements,
patterns, and noise levels. Noise and flight
Airservices is not an environmental
path monitoring also determines potential
regulator, the protection of the
environmental noise impacts on the
environment sits with both the Minister
community while providing safe and
for the Environment under the
EPBC Act
efficient air navigation services.
1999, and the Minister for Infrastructure,
Transport, Regional Development and
Noise and flight path monitoring also
Local Government under the
Airports Act
validates aircraft noise modelling results
1996 for Airport Environment Plans,
and identifies acoustic impacts of current
management of the environment at an
and historic aviation activity to guide
airport, biodiversity protection, flora and
decisions on proposed changes to
fauna protection, management of
operations. Airservices has expanded and
environmental risks on airport.
enhanced the provision of noise and flight
path monitoring data by the provision of
From an operational perspective
comprehensive information in the
Aircraft
Airservices designs flight paths to facilitate
in Your Neighbourhood
access to all airspace users. We design
(https://aircraftnoise.airservicesaustralia.c
flight paths that optimise airport capacity
om) for airports around the country. The
and meet future airport requirements
purpose of
Aircraft in Your Neighbourhood
consistent with the objectives defined in
is to provide information about flight paths
the
Air Services Act 1995 to foster and
and aircraft movements within local areas
promote civil aviation. Airservices also
with resources that assist in more detailed
designs flight paths that optimise the
information on:
overall network operation, including the
• where aircraft operate
consideration of operations at adjacent
• how frequent are flights
airports. Flight path design cannot occur in
• what altitude do aircraft operate at
isolation at one airport. The networked
• monthly trends
nature of the Australia aviation market
• links to near real-time data on
means that changes at one major airport
Webtrak
can have flow on effects to other airports.
• how to make an aircraft noise
More than 50 per cent of Australian
complaint
domestic traffic transits through Sydney
• noise monitoring data and results.
Airport every day. The four busiest routes
in Australia in 2023 were Melbourne-
Airservices does not regulate the noise
Sydney, Brisbane-Sydney, Brisbane-
level produced by an aircraft, aircraft are
Melbourne, and Gold-Coast-Sydney, which
certified in accordance with the Air
highlights the importance of taking a
Navigation (Aircraft Noise) Regulations
network approach to airspace design.
2018. Airservices does conduct noise
Melbourne-Sydney was the fifth busiest
certification assessments for those aircraft
domestic route in the world in 2023.
which may not have a noise certificate in
accordance with the Air Navigation
Flight path monitoring data
(Aircraft Noise) Regulations 2018.
Airservices has been required, since the
mid 1990’, to monitor flight path data and
Aircraft Noise certification
undertake noise monitoring. Noise and
A noise certification test was last
flight path monitoring is undertaken to
undertaken on 11 December 2019 for a
provide accurate information to the
Whitney Boomerang DW200 aircraft
22
Impact and mitigation of aircraft noise
Submission 42
requested by the Boomerang Aircraft
accordance with international standards
Owners Group in La Trobe Airport in
recommends that exposure should be
Victoria. Prior to the latest test one was
limited to Lden 55dB for daytime and Lnight
conducted in 2015 for the Gibbs Aero and
50dB for night-time. It should be noted
Seabird aircraft.
that Lden is an average sound pressure
level on all days, evenings and nights in a
Exemptions from the regulations are
year, and this is not the same measure as
granted by DITRDCA. Airservices does not
the noise level indicated on noise monitors
have the power to determine what times
during a single aircraft movement (LAmax).
aircraft operate, what noise levels aircraft
The former is an average noise level over
produce or to prevent an aircraft operating
time while the latter is a single aircraft
based on noise levels if it is operating as
movement noise event.
permitted by the Air Navigation (Aircraft
Noise) Regulations 2018.
Australia does not use the Lden metric
when calculating the impacts of aircraft
World Health Organization Guidelines for
noise. Airservices calculations for aircraft
Environmental Noise for the European
noise exposure are based on LAmax which
Region
provides the maximum sound pressure
Reference has been made by some
level reached during a measurement
members of the community to the World
period (single aircraft noise event) in
Health Organization (WHO) Guidelines for
dB(A).
Environmental Noise in the design of flight
paths in Australia and the regulation of
It is important to note that no countries
aircraft noise.
have adopted into legislation, regulation,
or guidance material the WHO Guidelines
The WHO Guidelines for Environmental
for Environmental Noise for the European
Noise are based on noise surveys
Region.
conducted after 2000. A set of surveys was
selected and analysed by a team of
Australian Standard 2021:2015 Acoustics –
researchers commissioned by the WHO.
Aircraft Noise Intrusion – Building Siting
There were issues of bias with the surveys
and Construction (the Standard) sets the
included because half the selected surveys
requirements for siting and construction of
were derived from specifically noise
building against aircraft noise intrusion.
sensitive age group not representative for
Those dwellings built to the Standard will
the general population close to airports.1
have aircraft noise no greater than
60db(A) for daytime noise and 50db(A) for
The WHO Guidelines for Environmental
night-time noise. These standards broadly
Noise do note the moderate quality of
align with the research conducted both
evidence in their report to recommend a
prior and post 2000 which align with
limit of Lden 45dB and Lnight 40dB to avoid
international standards of research to
adverse health impacts. Many researchers
assess noise intrusion and aircraft noise
have now analysed data sets post 2000
annoyance.
using recommended standardised
methods and consistent with International
Airservices does not have a role in
Standard ISO 1996-1. The research using a
determining the thresholds used for
wider set of data using those conducted in
aircraft noise annoyance and regulation of
1 A Systematic Review of the Basis for WHO's New
International Journal of Environmental Research
Recommendation for Limiting Aircraft Noise
and Public Health (IJERPH).
Annoyance Truls Gjestland, December 2018,
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Impact and mitigation of aircraft noise
Submission 42
aircraft noise. These are matters for the
later in the 20-year horizon.
Department of Infrastructure, Transport,
Regional Development, Communications
Autonomous air transport is continuing to
and the Arts and State/Territory
move from science fiction towards reality,
Governments in land use planning
and deliveries of food, goods and medical
decisions and compliance with Australian
products by drone will become
standards.
commonplace in the future. Commercial
operations are already underway in some
Continuous Descent Operation
of these industries, and technologies are
Landing procedures traditionally involve
continuing to be developed and enhanced.
aircraft descending in successive steps
from cruising altitudes to the airport
Airservices is anticipating a rapid growth in
runway. In a Continuous Descent
the drone market from around 1.5 million
Operation (CDO) approach the aircraft flies
drone flight today to up to 60 million
from cruising altitude all the way down to
drone flights by 2043. To manage this
the runway in one smooth and
rapid growth, Airservices is investing in a
uninterrupted descent. CDO provides
Flight Information Management System
airlines a predictable idle descent, saving
(FIMS) that will enable Airservices to
fuel, reducing carbon emissions and
seamlessly incorporate drones, air taxis
potentially decreasing descent noise. A
and other uncrewed aircraft into
diagram demonstrating CDO is provided
Australian airspace.
below.
FIMS will be at the core of Australia’s
Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Traffic
Management (UTM) ecosystem. It will
enable Airservices to share flight
information between air traffic control,
traditional aircraft, and uncrewed airspace
users. This system will not however
regulate the noise output of these new
aircraft types. The Department of
Infrastructure, Transport, Regional
Development, Communications and the
Arts are responsible for the management
and regulation of drone noise in Australia.
Airservices will safely integrate these new
airspace users.
Drones and Flight Information
Management System
The industries currently generating the
most annual drone flights are agriculture
and mining.
However, it is expected that the transport
and logistics industry will rapidly become
the largest user of drone flights in the
Australian market. This industry is
dominated by goods delivery (e.g.
takeaway food, groceries, parcels) and
includes passenger transportation
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Impact and mitigation of aircraft noise
Submission 42
Appendices
The following documents have been submitted separately and form part of this submission.
• Appendix A – Airport Case Study Examples
• Appendix B – Timeline of Noise Management in Australia
• Appendix C – International Benchmarking
• Appendix D – Flight Path Design Principles
• Appendix E – Environmental Management of Changes to Aircraft Operations – National Operating
Standard
• Appendix F – Community Engagement Standard for Flight Path and Airspace Change Proposals
• Appendix G – Community Engagement Framework
• Appendix H – Noise Complaints and Information Service Managing Aircraft Noise Complaints and
Enquiries Procedure
• Appendix I - Environment and Sustainability Strategy 2021-2026
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