Latest news with #flightpaths
Daily Mail
6 hours 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
11 hours 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.
Telegraph
a day ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Residents ‘living in fear' as UK flight paths set for overhaul
Residents near British airports are 'living in fear' as the Government prepares to overhaul flight paths for the first time in 70 years. The Department for Transport (DfT) says the plans to modernise UK airspace will deliver quicker, quieter flights and promote growth in the aviation sector. However, campaign groups say that the changes could create more noise pollution for communities near airports, including areas that do not currently fall beneath existing flight paths. Here is everything we know about the proposed 'skyways', including how they could impact holidaymakers and residents. Why are flight paths being redrawn? Britain's air corridors date back to a time when aircraft navigated the skies using ground-based beacons. In the 1960s, Britain's air traffic grew from one million to 15 million passengers per year, meaning airports had to establish set arrival and departure routes. Many of these are still in place today, meaning flight routes designed for Comets are now being flown by Airbus A380s and Boeing 787s. Some of the problems in UK airspace include a requirement for aircraft to ascend in steps after take-off, complex routing, and pilots having to delay descents to manage the workload of their air traffic control colleagues on the ground. Announcing plans to overhaul the UK's air corridors, Mike Kane, the Aviation Minister, said: 'Redesigned 'skyways' will turbocharge growth in the aviation industry, not least by boosting airport expansion plans and supporting job creation, driving millions into the UK economy as part of the Plan for Change. 'Modernising our airspace is also one of the simplest ways to help reduce pollution from flying and will set the industry up for a long-term, sustainable future.' What will this mean for holidaymakers? If delivered as promised, a modernised airspace system will equate to fewer delays and quicker flight times. It is also potentially good news for passengers with an eye on their carbon footprint. The DfT says that allowing aircraft to use modern navigation technologies will boost efficiency and reduce the need for pilots to enter holding patterns before getting permission to land on busy runways. In September 2024, easyJet released a report on the ineffectiveness of the UK's airspace systems. The airline said that seven of its 10 least efficient routes occur inbound into London Gatwick, and that its UK operations had the 'greatest inefficiencies' of anywhere in Europe. In total, easyJet predicts that airspace inefficiencies across Europe increased CO2 emissions by 663,710 tonnes per year. Martin Rolfe, CEO of NATS (National Air Traffic Services), said: 'The UK's airspace network is one of the busiest and most complex in the world. We handle a quarter of Europe's traffic despite having only 11 per cent of its airspace, with one of the best safety and delay records anywhere. However, we have to modernise airspace if we are to maintain this level of performance as traffic grows towards 3 million flights per year.' Could my local area be negatively impacted? It is unknown how the new 'skyways' will be drawn. One possibility is that aircraft approaching airports could be channelled into new, relatively narrow highways in the sky. If this is the case, some communities near airports might see a greater number of planes flying overhead. But groups close to the process say hard information is thin on the ground. A spokesperson for Stop Heathrow Expansion told The Telegraph: 'The only documents we have seen recently relate to the outcome of the consultation on a UK airspace design service, which appear to be concerned with the way changes will be made, rather than the changes themselves.' Sally Pavey, the chair of the campaign group Campaign Against Gatwick Noise Emissions (CAGNE), says: 'There is a real lack of transparency in this process. Residents currently overflown, and those not, are totally unaware of the motorways being designed above their homes that will purely benefit aviation as no compensation being offered with this process.' 'Residents must live in fear of what is being planned for above their heads and homes,' she added. Paul Becker, Policy Director at Heathrow Noise Action Plan (HACAN) says: 'This announcement means even longer periods of uncertainty before overflown communities receive any clarity on what changes will take place to flight paths. 'The development of new flight paths will mean communities across London and the South East [will be] adversely impacted by aircraft noise for the first time. It is also possible that currently overflown communities experience an increase in the intensity of noise they endure as well as more frequent noise disturbances, particularly if expansion at Heathrow goes ahead.' All airports taking part in the airspace change process are following a process which includes stakeholder input and public consultation, details of which are published on the Civil Aviation Authority's website. When will the airspace redesign happen? The latest announcement (made on June 2, 2025) confirms that the DfT will develop a UK Airspace Design Service (UKADS) alongside the CAA, to be managed by the UK's air traffic management service NATS. This is expected to be operational by the end of 2025. It is understood that changes to London's airspace are unlikely to be complete until the 2030s, although new 'skyways' around airports outside of the capital could be in operation before the end of the decade.
The National
3 days ago
- Business
- The National
UK to redesign flight paths to slash journey times and reduce pollution
The UK has announced a major shake-up of flight paths, intended to reduce pollution, make way for flying taxis and speed up journeys. New laws were set out today to enable the largest redesign of UK airspace since it was first formed in the 1950s, when there were around 200,000 flights per year, compared to 2.7 million in 2024. Redesigned "skyways" could allow planes to climb more quickly during take-off and descend more smoothly, reducing noise and air pollution for residents who live along flight routes, the government suggested. It could also lead to fewer delays and quieter take-offs, although this has been disputed by some residents' groups concerned about noise near runways and the effect on house prices. British Airways said recently that using AI has allowed it to increase punctuality at Heathrow, to a point at which more than 90 per cent of its flights are leaving on time. The exact new flight paths have not yet been revealed. As part of the consultation leading up to the new laws, a team examined how planes fly in and out of London 's airspace, which air-traffic controllers say is one of the busiest and most complex in the world, with take-offs and landings at five major airports and several smaller ones. They aimed to use modern technology to find more efficient flight paths to reduce time in the air, for example through holding patterns before receiving permission to land. There are more than 8,000 flights daily on some of the UK's busiest days. The new UK Airspace Design Service (UKADS) will be fully operational by the end of 2025. UKADS' initial focus will be on redesigning London's airspace, including expansion at Heathrow. Over a longer timeframe, routes could be designed that support flight paths for new and emerging technologies such as drones and flying taxis, it said. Heathrow Airport: 1958 v 2020 The Aviation Minister Mike Kane said: "Redesigned 'skyways' will turbocharge growth in the aviation industry, not least by boosting airport expansion plans and supporting job creation, driving millions into the UK economy. Modernising our airspace is also one of the simplest ways to help reduce pollution from flying and will set the industry up for a long-term, sustainable future." The plans come as global forecasts suggest a near-doubling of passengers and cargo in the next 20 years. Rob Bishton, chief executive of the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: "Modernising our airspace infrastructure is key to enabling the growth of the sector and helping mitigate its impacts." The UK's airspace network is one of the busiest and most complex in the world, handling a quarter of Europe's traffic despite having only 11 per cent of its airspace. Decades of flight from Heathrow Heathrow's chief operating officer, Javier Echave, said: "This is an important step to making UK aviation more modern, efficient, and reliable for the millions of people and businesses who rely on available airspace capacity." However, two residential groups, Heathrow Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise (Hacan) and Communities Against Gatwick Noise Emissions (Cagne), raised concerns that the new routes would negatively affect house prices and increase pollution due to the increase in flights. Last year, easyJet, the UK's largest airline, said inefficient use of airspace contributes to increases in fuel consumption, carbon emissions and flight times. The carrier described the problem as a 'universal issue' across the whole of Europe, but said the 'greatest inefficiencies' for its operations are in the UK. Among the problems cited were aircraft being required to climb in steps after take-off, complex routing, and delayed descents to manage the workload of air traffic control (ATC) staff.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Quicker flights promised in flight path shake-up
Plans to fast-track the remodelling of the UK's flight paths could lead to quicker flights and fewer delays for passengers, the government says. Ministers are set to announce the creation of the UK Airspace Design Service (UKADS) later which will re-design the routes planes must take over UK airspace - many of which were decided around 70 years ago. The initial shake-up will focus on modernising the complex airspace in and around London. Cagne, a community aviation and environment group for Kent, Surrey, and Sussex, has warned the plans could mean there would be new flight paths over houses that are not currently affected. Ministers say the plans could allow planes to climb quicker during take off and descend more smoothly. The plans are also aiming at helping reduce aviation's climate change impacts and pave the way for new technologies like flying taxis. "Modernising our airspace is also one of the simplest ways to help reduce pollution from flying and will set the industry up for a long-term, sustainable future," aviation minister, Mike Kane, said. The changes would allow the largest re-design of UK airspace since it was first formed in the 1950s.
