This Just In: These Sydney Suburbs Will Be Under Changed Flight Paths From July
To welcome Sydney's brand new airport, some residents might notice an increase in aerial noise levels.
All eyes in the local aviation industry are looking out west, because the brand new Western Sydney International Airport is getting ready to open its tarmac and terminals, a moment that will change the flow of people and goods in Sydney forever. One particular change is coming up ahead of the airport's scheduled opening, with Sydney's airspace changing from Thursday, July 9.
To accommodate the influx of air traffic in the west, Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport flights will take a new route when departing from the north-south runway. Additionally, brand new flight paths are being instated over Greater Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains ahead of Western Sydney International Airport's scheduled start dates for cargo and passenger flights in late July and October, respectively.
Going forward, eastbound flights from Sydney Kingsford-Smith Airport (SYD) that depart from the north-south runway will take a new western arc. That will see an increase in passenger aircraft flying over Dulwich Hill, Ashfield, Burwood and Auburn before arcing over Seven Hills and Kings Park towards Hornsby and the Northern Beaches.
A general view of the passenger terminal under final construction at Western Sydney International Airport — Photo by James D. Morgan/Getty Images)
Additionally, western routes using SYD's east-west runway will turn above Belmore before continuing west. Pairing that with the new paths for Western Sydney International Airport (WSI), and suburbs in the Canterbury-Bankstown and Wollondilly Shire areas will be in a high-traffic area for flights, with up to 100 flights per day possible in the latter, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
SYD has long operated with a strict curfew to reduce noise, restricting flights between 11pm and 6am. WSI is not following suit, committing to 24-hour operations instead. But according to NSW Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Catherine King, WSI will utilise reciprocal runway operations (flights taking off and landing on one runway) between 11pm and 5.30am to reduce noise whenever possible. Additionally, a five-year noise-monitoring period will give Western Sydney residents time to adjust and provide feedback.
Addressing the changes, Catherine King said, "We've worked to get the balance right, ensuring Sydney's airports can operate efficiently, while taking nearby residents' concerns about noise seriously and incorporating their feedback into our plans.
"These paths are not physical infrastructure, so our conversations with community and the airports about how they can adapt into the future can be ongoing. Our new airspace advisory board will monitor and respond to aircraft noise and flight path issues during the early years of the airport's operations."
You can view the proposed flight paths for WSI online here, as well as live noise monitoring levels and aircraft positions across Sydney here.
