Latest news with #CatherineKing
Sky News AU
a day ago
- General
- Sky News AU
Shadow transport minister Bridget McKenzie accuses Labor of targeting Liberal seats with Western Sydney jet noise
Shadow transport minister Bridget McKenzie has claimed the Albanese government's night-time runway directive is a politically calculated manoeuvre to burden Liberal electorates with aircraft noise from Western Sydney International Airport. Shadow transport minister Bridget McKenzie has accused the Albanese government of concentrating jet noise over Liberal-held electorates as part of what she labelled a 'short-term political fix' to protect marginal Labor seats near the new Western Sydney International Airport. Transport Minister Catherine King has announced a ministerial directive for Airservices Australia to make 'Reciprocal Runway Operations' (RRO) the default at night at WSIA. RRO requires aircraft to take off and land facing the same direction—towards the southwest—but using opposite ends of the single runway. Ms King claimed the directive was to 'achieve the overall lowest possible impact on surrounding communities'. Labor holds 11 of the 14 seats in the broader Western Sydney region, and Ms McKenzie said the Minister's directive would disproportionately impact the few Liberal seats in the area. 'Labor is attempting to concentrate nighttime aircraft noise over Liberal held electorates of Lindsay and Hume,' Ms McKenzie told Sky News on Thursday. 'Part of Labor's noise mitigation strategy is a risky ministerial direction to have planes fly head-on towards each other for take-offs and landings at night. 'The government waited until after the election before finalising flight paths and attempted to hide the announcements behind the completion of runway construction.' The shadow transport minister has also raised further concerns over air safety and staff shortages. 'Under the Albanese Labor government there are already chronic shortages of Airservices Australia air traffic controllers,' she said. 'How can the government give confidence to pilots, crews and passengers that there will be enough air traffic controllers on shift at all times to keep planes from crashing head-on into each other over Western Sydney at night under Catherine King's new direction?' Ms King's direction to Air Services Australia was to make reciprocal runway operations the "default operating mode" between 11pm and 5.30am. Aviation expert and former commercial pilot Captain Byron Bailey has, in response, warned that the RRO plan may be both unworkable and potentially unsafe at a major 24/7 airport. 'Runway 23 will be the preferred runway due to the predominant wind direction,' Captain Bailey told Sky News. 'Nowhere in the world is (RRO) done like this. The resulting traffic confliction and holding would be ridiculous—possibly difficult for ATC to manage.' Captain Bailey warned that if pilots are forced to land or take off downwind due to the RRO restrictions, many may simply refuse. 'Take-offs for heavy B777/A380 would necessitate an into-wind take-off. A downwind take-off by 300-tonne-plus aircraft imposes an additional hazard which pilots will refuse.' However, aviation consultant Tony Stanton, CEO of Strategic Air, offered a different view, defending the RRO policy when applied in low-traffic overnight conditions. 'The minister's statement rightly includes an important consideration—'when safe to do so',' Mr Stanton said. 'Given the Reciprocal Runway Operations mode is to be prioritised between 11pm and 5.30am, traffic density would typically be favourable… I expect the RRO mode to be used routinely and on most nights of the year.' Western Sydney International Airport is expected to begin operations in 2026.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Why this map of the flight paths for Western Sydney Airport has outraged locals: 'Over our house'
Locals have been left furious over the finalised plans for the flight paths for the new Western Sydney Airport with some complaining about the future noise pollution. Transport Minister Catherine King announced on Wednesday the locked in flight routes as construction was completed on the runway, with the facility set to open in 2026. Residents in the Blue Mountains and Wallacia regions have benefitted from the alterations to the early designs unveiled in 2023 and 2024 but many are still angry, saying they do not go far enough. Ms King said there are five changes made to reduce aircraft noise following community consultations, with four of those regarding night operations. 'Most notably, I'll be issuing a ministerial direction to Airservices Australia to make reciprocal runway operations (RRO) the default operating mode at night, including specific noise abatement procedure, when both are safe to do so,' she added. RRO involves planes taking off and landing in the same direction, which in this case will be the southwest utilising opposite ends of the single runway between 11pm and 5.30am. Outraged residents have flooded social media with many complaining they will be affected by the noise pollution. 'Good stuff, Springwood/Faulconbridge still getting overnight noise then. The arrivals practically goes over our house,' another said. 'Noise is NOT subjective it is actual noise, I don't believe I am in the corridor, but do sympathise with those who are,' another said. 'No curfews. Huge issue!' a third said. The Residents Against Western Sydney Airport (RAWSA) group agreed the changes were 'just window dressing' and said it was 'appalled' that there was no change to the '24/7 flight intrusion'. RAWSA wants a curfew and hourly flight caps. One local on a Blue Mountains Facebook group said that properties under the aircraft routes should be soundproofed at the government's expense. 'Soundproofing for homes under flight path needed so we can sleep of a night or better still give us a curfew like Mascot. Maybe the people off the West don't count.' Blue Mountains Mayor Mark Greenhill said that it was 'not good enough' that the area would still be impacted. 'We are a world heritage area. Flogging this place with aircraft noise is nothing short of a senseless disregard for the United Nations declaration,' he said. 'Moreover, this decision treats the people of the Blue Mountains and western Sydney as second-class citizens.' However, others argued the noise would be minimal. 'Almost every single major city in the world has a 24/7 airport. It's good for the economy if it annoys you that much f*** off and move somewhere else,' one said. 'Might be noisy at first, but you'll get used to the noise and it won't bother you anymore,' another added. 'Complaining about decently high altitude plane noise meanwhile overnight 30-40 coal trains barrel along with no issues.' One pilot, Captain Byron Bailey, said the RRO directive was 'almost farcical' as it would result in congestion due to pilots having to navigate the additional challenges of taking off into-wind and landing with the wind behind them. 'Nowhere in the world is (RRO) done like this. The resulting traffic confliction and holding would be ridiculous, possibly difficult for ATC to manage,' he told Sky News. However, Aviation consultant and CEO of Strategic Air, Tony Stanton, argued the RRO would only be used at night when air traffic was minimal. 'We've learnt lessons from other airports, which is why I have imposed a number of additional conditions that will reduce our aircraft noise,' Infrastructure and Transport Minister King said. 'Can I say that there will be no noise for anyone? I can't say that because that's the very nature of operating an airport is that you have planes, and planes do make noise.'
News.com.au
2 days ago
- News.com.au
Western Sydney International Airport's new flight paths revealed ahead of 2026 opening
The new flight paths have been finalised for travellers looking to take to the skies from Sydney's new international airport. A slate of changes has been made to the routes, which were revealed on Wednesday, following two years of planning and community consultation. Those living in the Blue Mountains and Wallacia areas are set to benefit from the changes, spared from overnight noise – the authorisation labelled a 'crucial step' to the opening of the Western Sydney International Airport in late 2026. 'We've learnt lessons from other airports, which is why I have imposed a number of additional conditions that will reduce our aircraft noise,' Infrastructure and Transport Minister Catherine King said. 'Can I say that there will be no noise for anyone? I can't say that because that's the very nature of operating an airport is that you have planes, and planes do make noise.' The initial flight paths were revealed in 2023 followed by a final environmental impact statement in 2024. Five changes were made to help minimise aircraft noise following feedback from the community, Ms King said. Four of those were to do with night-time operations. 'Most notably, I'll be issuing a ministerial direction to Airservices Australia to make reciprocal runway operations the default operating mode at night, including the use of a specific noise abatement procedure, when both are safe to do so,' she added. Reciprocal runway operations (RRO) involve planes taking off and landing in the same direction – in this case, the southwest – but at opposite ends of the runway. This aims to minimise the impact of noise on the most heavily populated areas of Western Sydney, the Blue Mountains and Wallacia. Other changes included the removal of the 'Runway 23 Northeast Night (RRO)' flight path and reallocating aircraft to a southeastern flight path, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. A recommendation for the creation of an environmental monitoring program to oversee the impacts of aircraft noise within and adjacent to the Greater Blue Mountains area was also made. The airport is expected to accommodate 10 million passengers each year and 81,000 air traffic movements per year by 2033. The construction of the 3.7km runway has been completed ready for aircraft. Testing is set to begin.
West Australian
2 days ago
- West Australian
Western Sydney International Airport's new flight paths revealed ahead of 2026 opening
The new flight paths have been finalised for travellers looking to take to the skies from Sydney's new international airport. A slate of changes has been made to the routes, which were revealed on Wednesday, following two years of planning and community consultation. Those living in the Blue Mountains and Wallacia areas are set to benefit from the changes, spared from overnight noise – the authorisation labelled a 'crucial step' to the opening of the Western Sydney International Airport in late 2026. 'We've learnt lessons from other airports, which is why I have imposed a number of additional conditions that will reduce our aircraft noise,' Infrastructure and Transport Minister Catherine King said. 'Can I say that there will be no noise for anyone? I can't say that because that's the very nature of operating an airport is that you have planes, and planes do make noise.' The initial flight paths were revealed in 2023 followed by a final environmental impact statement in 2024. Five changes were made to help minimise aircraft noise following feedback from the community, Ms King said. Four of those were to do with night-time operations. 'Most notably, I'll be issuing a ministerial direction to Airservices Australia to make reciprocal runway operations the default operating mode at night, including the use of a specific noise abatement procedure, when both are safe to do so,' she added. Reciprocal runway operations (RRO) involve planes taking off and landing in the same direction – in this case, the southwest – but at opposite ends of the runway. This aims to minimise the impact of noise on the most heavily populated areas of Western Sydney, the Blue Mountains and Wallacia. Other changes included the removal of the 'Runway 23 Northeast Night (RRO)' flight path and reallocating aircraft to a southeastern flight path, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. A recommendation for the creation of an environmental monitoring program to oversee the impacts of aircraft noise within and adjacent to the Greater Blue Mountains area was also made. The airport is expected to accommodate 10 million passengers each year and 81,000 air traffic movements per year by 2033. The construction of the 3.7km runway has been completed ready for aircraft. Testing is set to begin.
The Age
2 days ago
- General
- The Age
Flight path changes for Western Sydney Airport revealed
The flight paths for Sydney's new international airport have been authorised, revealing a range of changes aiming to spare some of western Sydney's more populated areas from overnight noise. The Blue Mountains and Wallacia will benefit from changes made to the flight paths for Western Sydney International Airport, unveiled by federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Catherine King on Wednesday. Stepping out on the newly completed 3.7-kilometre runway to announce the authorisation of the paths, on a freezing cold morning in Sydney's west, King called it a 'crucial step' to opening the airport in late 2026. The flights paths were first revealed in 2023, with a final Environmental Impact Statement released in November 2024. Following feedback from the community, King said a total of five changes were made to help minimise aircraft noise, four of which relate to night-time operations. 'We've learnt lessons from other airports, which is why I have imposed a number of additional conditions that will reduce our aircraft noise,' King said. 'Most notably, I'll be issuing a ministerial direction to Airservices Australia … to make reciprocal runway operations the default operating mode at night, including the use of a specific noise abatement procedure, when both are safe to do so.' Reciprocal runway operations, or RRO, is a flight path design where planes take off and land from the same direction, but at the opposite end of the runway. When RRO mode is in use and when traffic permits, jet aircraft departing to destinations in the north, north-west and west would be kept on runway heading – travelling in the same direction of the runway – longer, until clear of Silverdale, before being processed by air traffic control to their destinations.
