Noise Action Plan for Brisbane

Airservices Australia is pleased to announce the fifth round of engagement for the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane will commence on 19 August 2024 and will focus on Package 3 of the plan.

Airservices, through our flight path design consultants Trax International, is developing flight path options to reduce the frequency and concentration of aircraft flying over some of Brisbane’s more populated suburbs. We will continue working with the wider Brisbane community to improve how our airspace operates.

We are seeking feedback on options for aircraft that:

• depart over land to the north and west from the new runway (and the legacy runway at night)
• arrive over land from the north and west to the new runway (and the legacy runway at night)
• depart over land to the south and east from the legacy runway.

Additionally, we have initial options to:

• reduce the impact of non-jet (turboprop) arrivals and departures to the north
• facilitate independent parallel runway operations.

Further information, including dates for the online and in-person community sessions will be released in the coming weeks.

Improved operational reporting now available

During the Post Implementation Review (PIR) of flight paths for Brisbane Airport’s new parallel runway, Airservices Australia received feedback from the community noting a desire for greater transparency and reporting of aircraft operations. This included:

• adherence to Noise Abatement Procedures (NAPs)

• use of Simultaneous Opposite Direction Parallel Runway Operations (SODPROPS)

• aircraft tracking and altitude

• noise information

• complaints and our responses to these.

In response, in Phase 2 of the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane, Airservices proposed a range of increased reporting measures. Community feedback on these proposals has helped inform the development of the reports that we are now sharing:

• Brisbane Airport Noise Abatement Procedure reporting:
  • SODPROPS Usage Report
  • Preferred Runways Operations Report
  • Preferred Flight Paths (Arrivals) Report
  • Preferred Flight Paths (Departures) Report
• Noise Complaints and Information Service Complainant Report

We have also included an overview of NAPs to support community review and understanding of the new reports.

View the reports on Aircraft in your Neighbourhood. Check that you have nominated a Brisbane location if you don't see the new NAPs reporting tab in the left menu bar.

Trial of non-jet departures over land from the legacy runway

As a result of engagement in Phase 1 of the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane, we implemented the following changes to departures of non-jets (turboprop and piston engine planes) from the legacy runway:

1. Removal of the Noise Abatement Procedure (NAP) that allowed use of the new runway for non-jet aircraft departures between 5am and 6am (i.e. turboprop departures prior to 6am to be managed via the legacy runway when in SODPROPS mode or when wind is blowing from the south)
2. Introduction of a new NAP, to be trialled for six months, which requires all non-jet departures from the legacy runway over land to turn left immediately after take-off (at runway end and 600ft in altitude) and track back over the airport/industrial land to continue their climb over water.

Feedback has been open since the trial commenced and will close on 30 July. We will then commence an evaluation to determine if this NAP should become a permanent operation, be modified, or if it should cease. We will continue to operate the procedure until completion of the evaluation. You’re welcome to provide further feedback on the trial here (until 30 July).

Trax International is an international airspace design and traffic management consultancy contracted by Airservices Australia to provide the additional capacity and independent expertise required to deliver Packages 3 and 4 of the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane.

Trax will be leading this work across 2024 and 2025.

Package 3 targets options for noise sharing. For example, reducing the frequency and concentration of aircraft flying over areas that are routinely affected by both arrivals and departures. The design options developed for engagement in Package 3 concentrate on smaller modifications to flight paths that can be implemented as part of the existing Brisbane airspace design. This work will incorporate changes that have been part of Airservices' previous phases of engagement.

Package 4 considers larger flight path changes beyond the constraints of the existing Brisbane airspace design. For example, Package 4 will include engagement on options for the use of different runway modes that may offer opportunities for noise relief and options for respite routes that could be used to alternate when flight paths are used.

Next phase of engagement

The first round of community engagement for Package 3 will run from 19 August to 15 September 2024, and will present a comprehensive list of the flight path design options we have developed for Package 3. We will seek community feedback on the local circumstances that should be considered when refining the long list of options into preferred designs.

A second round of engagement will occur from mid-November to early December 2024 to gather feedback on the preferred options that are identified and progressed from the first round of Trax engagement.

Airservices will continue to work on progressing outcomes from Package 2 at the same time.

July 2024 webinar

Prior to the first round of Package 3 engagement the Trax team will conduct a general introductory webinar to cover:

• the approach Trax is following to develop, assess and engage on the flight path design options, recognising the interdependencies between many of the individual Noise Action Plan for Brisbane deliverables
• the process and timelines for community engagement for Packages 3 and 4, which are planned for August to September 2024, November to December 2024, March to April 2025 and June to July 2025.

The webinar will be held on three different dates in July and information will be available on Engage Airservices for those who can’t attend a session. Log-in details for these sessions will be emailed to registered participants within 24 hours of each webinar. Please register here to join.

Improved reporting update - WebTrak

We are pleased to announce further improvements to WebTrak, our public aircraft tracking and noise reporting tool.

During Phase 2, we engaged community on increasing our operational reporting to improve the transparency and quality of information that we provide.

WebTrak originally had a 40-minute delay in providing aircraft movement and noise information. This was the time required for data captured at noise monitoring terminals to upload to the system. In 2023, Airservices Australia worked with our supplier to reduce the time delay to 15 minutes. Through our continued efforts, we have now achieved a 3-minute delay on Brisbane’s WebTrak site.

A rainfall layer has also been added to the Brisbane WebTrak site. The layer helps provide visibility to the community of weather conditions that may change operations in the Brisbane airspace.

To enable the rainfall layer in WebTrak, click on ‘Display’ on the left-hand side of the screen, then check the box for the layer to turn on.

Airservices will continue to introduce further improvements to reporting.

Access WebTrak here.

Over-water departure options – environmental assessment

An environmental impact assessment (EIA) has been conducted on the preferred options for Alternative Over-water Departures. EIAs are an internal process conducted to determine next steps as part of proposed flight path changes. While Airservices has not previously released EIA documentation, we are now doing so in response to community feedback requesting greater transparency. This EIA can be downloaded as a PDF here.

Please note, this is a technical document produced to meet legislative requirements. The outcome of this assessment is that referral to the Minister for the Environment is not required. More information on this statutory process is available through the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.

Details of the preferred options, and other topics open for feedback until 14 July 2024, are available here.

Packages 3 with Trax International

International air traffic management consultancy Trax, who were engaged to deliver Packages 3 and 4 of the program, will lead the next round of community engagement. The purpose of this engagement is to gather feedback on potential flight path design options that aim to reduce the frequency and concentration of flights over communities. Engagement is scheduled to take place from 19 August to 15 September 2024.

Prior to the first round of community engagement, the Trax team will be conducting three general introductory webinars in July. More information on these sessions will be released shortly, along with registration details.

Short term noise monitoring reports

Completion reports are now available for short term noise monitors deployed by Envirosuite on behalf of Airservices. Please note, these reports are being released, in the interests of transparency, as final documents produced by Envirosuite, not Airservices. Some terms may differ from common use, so please refer to the glossary provided at the start of each report.

More information and short term completion reports for Samford, Brookfield and Upper Brookfield are available for download.

Access monthly reporting from our 13 long term noise monitors.

Information and reporting for noise monitoring undertaken by Brisbane Airport Corporation is available here.

Airservices Australia is pleased to release our latest flight path designs for the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane.

For each flight path design, we've prepared an information sheet. These contain valuable insights into existing operations and the specific concepts or detailed designs we've developed.

Additionally, we've made scalable maps accessible on our website. These maps allow you to examine both the current published flight paths and the proposed designs in greater detail.

Using the links below, you can download the information sheet, view the map and provide us with your feedback.

Feedback closes on Sunday 14 July 2024.

Standard Instrument Departures for Archerfield Airport – initial flight path options

Purpose: To reduce the complexity of operating Brisbane’s airspace, to support increased opportunity to use Simultaneous Opposite Direction Parallel Runway Operations (SODPROPS) at Brisbane Airport

Download information sheet – View scalable map – Give feedback

Alternative over-water departures – progressed from Phase 1

Purpose: To keep aircraft over water for longer, increasing altitude so aircraft are higher before crossing the coast

Download information sheet – View scalable map – Give feedback

Additional segregated operating modes – progressed from Phase 2

Purpose: To enable operations in this mode to be more fairly shared across both runway communities

Download information sheet – View scalable map (Modes 6A and 6C: departures over land) – View scalable map (Modes 6B and 6D: arrivals over land) – Submit comments

Simultaneous Opposite Direction Parallel Runway Operations (SODPROPS) Plan

Purpose: To increase the use of SODPROPS, including daytime operations

Download information sheet – Submit comments

Airservices Australia actively engaged communities across Greater Brisbane in August and September 2023 to seek input on options developed for Phase 2 of the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane. These proposals focused on noise-sharing options for overland departures to the north, expanding the use of Simultaneous Opposite Direction Parallel Runway Operations and additional segregated modes.

You can review the options assessment and summary documents as follows.

Phase 2 Options Assessment Summary: Summary of Phase 2 focus, assessment and next steps

Phase 2 Options Assessment Report: Full assessment report.

Options that proceed to the preferred stage will be subject to detailed design, safety and environmental assessment. There will be a subsequent round of community and industry engagement based on this more detailed level of assessment where changes to flight paths are required.

Options that do not require a flight path change and that are assessed as providing a noise improvement, can be implemented following completion of safety work.

You can provide feedback on the Phase 2 Options Assessment Report here. Feedback on the report is open for a four-week period and will close on Sunday 16 June 2024.

While we acknowledge that not all community members will necessarily agree with the assessment outcomes, we are specifically seeking feedback on the clarity of the report and the rationale provided for the outcomes reached. Community feedback serves as a cornerstone in our commitment to continuous improvement, including the improvement of our reporting practices.

If your feedback relates to a specific section, please note the page number or other reference to help us identify the content you are referring to.

Residents are invited to attend the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane community drop-in sessions and online webinars to learn more about flight path proposals aimed at mitigating aircraft noise over our suburbs.

Detailed information on proposals including maps and fact sheets will be released in the coming weeks.

Drop-in session information 

Feel free to drop in at any time during the four-hour sessions. If you plan to attend, please register online here. This helps us prepare with enough staff and materials, and ensure you receive any venue or information updates if needed. Please note, sessions are being held in areas where residents are most likely to notice a change in aircraft operations as a result of the proposals.

Online sessions

We are also hosting three online sessions to give an overview of this engagement and address questions for those unable to join in person. Log-in details for online sessions will be sent to registered participants within 24 hours of each session. Please register here.

Airservices Australia is pleased to advise that the fourth round of engagement for the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane will be commencing in approximately four weeks.

The next round of engagement will focus on:

• preferred designs for over-water departures from the legacy runway (progressed from Phase 1)
• additional segregated modes (progressed from Phase 2)
• new flight path proposals to reduce the complexity of Brisbane airspace operations
• updates on Simultaneous Opposite Direction Parallel Runway Operations (SODPROPS)
• Package 3 design methodology developed by Trax International.

We will release further information in the coming weeks, including dates and venues for online and community drop-in sessions.

Welcome to our fifth quarterly update on the progress of the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane.

During the first quarter of 2024, our focus has been on progressing flight path options to facilitate greater use of Simultaneous Opposite Direction Parallel Runway Operations (SODPROPS), while also reducing the impact of this mode on bayside communities. This includes progressing the preferred options for over-water departures from the legacy runway to the south and west (as reported in the Phase 1 Options Assessment Report). Progressing these flight path changes requires extensive safety assessment and engagement with airlines to ensure we are designing flyable paths that meet stringent aviation safety requirements. We are also working on Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) to provide additional information to the community when we release the flight path designs for final feedback.

Status update

2023 Engagement outcomes

Phase 1:

• flight path options that were progressed from this phase are undergoing detailed design as outlined above, ahead of further engagement
• feedback on the Options Assessment Report has been reviewed and the updated report will be available soon.

Phase 2:

• Phase 2 options have been assessed and the Phase 2 Options Assessment Report will be available soon
• we are working on increased reporting in response to feedback received in this phase; we are also progressing updates to WebTrak and Aircraft in Your Neighbourhood.

Phase 3:

• we have completed reviewing feedback on Phase 3 flight path proposals
• assessment of options is now underway.

Priority actions from 2023

As noted in our last quarterly update, the majority of 2023 priority actions were complete. The remaining actions are:

Recommendation 1.4: Increase public reporting and transparency of operations – We completed engagement on reporting options and identified required actions. Changes to our existing online tools are required to support the increased reporting desired by the community, particularly around SODPROPS and Noise Abatement Procedures, along with additional WebTrak information. This is being progressed and the first reports are expected to be available from mid-2024.

Recommendation 2.2: Expand the use of SODPROPS mode – We identified the actions required to expand the use of SODPROPS to a 24/7 mode, where weather and operating conditions allow. Not all required actions could be completed in 2023 because flight path changes are required. These more complex changes are being progressed for completion this year, with other actions in progress to facilitate ongoing expansion of SODPROPS use.

All Package 3 options developed by Airservices Australia in 2023 have been provided to Trax International to progress as part of their Package 3 and Package 4 delivery. This includes the feedback already contributed by community and industry.

Upcoming engagement

Before the June/July 2024 school holidays, we will bring new and preferred options to the community for your feedback. These are expected to include:

• detailed designs for over-water departures from the legacy runway (from Phase 1, as outlined above
• new flight path proposals to reduce the complexity of Brisbane airspace operations; these will further facilitate expanded use of SODPROPS
• Package 3 design options developed by Trax International.

Additional information

Earlier this year, we announced the engagement of external consultants, Trax International (for Package 3 and Package 4 delivery) and Think Research (for independent assurance and technical advice). In the interest of transparency, we have prepared an outline of the scope of this engagement. You can download the scope of these services here.

An update to the Brisbane Baseline Model is now available. The new version includes operational data for 2023, and historic actual tracks for non-jet traffic are shown as dotted lines. The model can be accessed here, along with answers to questions we have received since the model was first released in 2023.

We are developing reports for short term noise monitoring placements. While live data will remain visible on WebTrak, the completion reports will soon be available for all past placements. They will be published through Aircraft in Your Neighbourhood, where you can also review monthly data from long term monitors. We will also continue to review the placement of noise monitors as we progress through the completion of Package 3 and Package 4 of the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane.

We're in the process of planning our next engagement phase.

Stay informed by registering here to receive alerts when new updates are available, or simply check back on this page regularly.