Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Changes to the over land arrival flight paths (to the southern runway ends) took effect on 9 July 2026.

Other changes require regulatory approvals, further safety work, or detailed design, which is expected to occur through the remainder of 2026. 

The use of IPRO mode is expected to commence mid-late 2027.

The Noise Action Plan for Brisbane uses a staged assessment process to progressively refine and evaluate potential flight path changes.

Initial concepts were developed in response to recommended actions and assessed at a high level against the intent of the recommendation, operational feasibility, safety considerations and likely impacts on communities. Community and industry feedback was then sought on the likely effectiveness of concepts in reducing frequency and concentration and to identify local conditions or factors for consideration in developing flight path designs. 

Concepts considered suitable for further investigation were progressed to preferred options. These were then subject to more detailed assessment, including operational, safety, environmental and community impact analysis. Community and industry feedback received during engagement on preferred options was also considered as part of this assessment process.

In determining the final outcomes, Airservices considered the intent of each recommended action, community and industry feedback received throughout the engagement process, Airservices’ Flight Path Design Principles, and potential benefits and impacts of each option with regard to: 

• population directly overflown 
• population newly directly overflown 
• movements per day on average and peak day movements\altitude of operations over communities 
• track miles and emissions 
• community and industry feedback 
• opportunities to create sharing of noise between different flight paths and different approach procedures.

Only options assessed as providing a clear community benefit, supporting future operational requirements, or required for safety reasons were progressed to implementation. 

Some flight path changes that have not progressed to implementation would have been at higher altitudes than current. Unfortunately, moving the flight paths was an enabler for increasing altitudes. Planes must follow safe and stable flight profiles and maintain separation from other traffic. Some progressed options improve altitude outcomes, but operational limits remain.

Continuous descent operations (CDO), predictable sequencing and continuous climb operations (CCO) are all operational techniques designed to improve the efficiency of aircraft operations, reducing noise, fuel burn and emissions. However, they apply to different stages of a flight and have different purposes.

Continuous descent operations (CDO) are arrival procedures that allow planes to descend continuously with minimal level segments. This can help aircraft remain higher for longer, reduce engine thrust and improve fuel efficiency. However, the ability to use CDO is often constrained by traffic levels, aircraft separation requirements, weather and the complexity of the surrounding airspace.

Predictable sequencing is a procedure conducted in enroute airspace, generally above 18,000ft, and therefore not directly relevant to community noise impacts. It reduces the need for air traffic controllers to rely on tactical measures such as vectoring, speed control or holding before bringing aircraft onto the arrival paths that connect to airport approaches. Predictable sequencing can support the use of CDO, but it does not itself change flight paths. Airservices has a program to trial predictable sequencing but this is separate from the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane.

Continuous climb operations (CCO) apply after departure. Rather than levelling off at multiple altitudes, planes are able to continue climbing where operationally possible. Like CDO, CCO can improve fuel efficiency, reduce emissions, and mitigate noise impacts. However, its use is also dependent on traffic levels, aircraft performance and airspace constraints. 

After take-off, planes must become airborne and establish a stable climb before commencing a turn. The distance required to achieve this varies between aircraft types and aircraft performance capability. 

Non‑jet aircraft are able to turn earlier due to their lower speeds and different operating characteristics. This also helps get them onto their planned route and out of the path of faster jet aircraft. Jet aircraft typically maintain runway alignment for longer to gain sufficient altitude to safely cross over other flight paths including arrivals coming in from the north and west as well as non-jet departures. 

An early right turn from the new runway would not give jets enough time and distance to gain altitude to get above arrivals, and non-jet aircraft would not be able to get out of the way of the jets. It would also put the turning jets into the ‘missed approach’ area that arriving jets would fly through if for some reason they had to go around to re-commence landing procedures. 

Packages 2 and 3 of the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane have explored options within these constraints, taking into account the interconnected nature of Brisbane’s airspace and the need to safely integrate all flight paths. 

This option was considered as part of Package 3. However, aircraft turning points are determined by strict safety and airspace rules set by CASA, not just distance from the ground. At Brisbane Airport departures must operate under an independent departure ruleset, which governs how aircraft from both runways are safely separated.

These rules require aircraft to: 

• begin turning immediately after take-off (generally within a 2NM (3.7km) of the runway
• maintain a minimum turn angle of separation from aircraft departing from the parallel runway.

Safety is our top priority, and larger departure angles increase the separation between aircraft, which allows them to be safely sequenced more efficiently. 

While continuing further before turning may appear to provide noise relief for some communities, it would reduce separation between aircraft, impact the safe coordination of departures from both runways, and lead to delays for other departures.

In summary, non-jet departures cannot continue straight ahead for longer without affecting safety and overall airport operations. Any change to extend the straight flight path would have flow-on impacts across the wider network. For these reasons, options to significantly delay the turn or move flight paths further offshore were investigated but not progressed as part of Package 3.

Where practicable, Airservices seeks to minimise the impact of aircraft operations on communities and considers opportunities to use non-residential areas, open space and existing transport corridors as part of flight path design. However, flight paths cannot be designed solely around roads, parks, waterways or other individual landmarks.

Flight path design must balance a range of factors, including safety, aircraft performance, separation from other aircraft, airspace constraints, runway geometry, weather conditions, operational efficiency and the interaction between arrival and departure procedures.

As part of Package 3, Airservices investigated a concept that moved the earlier portion of the south departure path (SANEG) further west towards the Gateway Motorway corridor (over the Minnippi Parklands). While the concept had potential benefits for some communities and was presented for consultation, more detailed assessment identified that it would:

• place busy departure operations over communities already affected by short-approach arrival procedures:
• create additional operational and aircraft sequencing challenges; and
• not achieve a net reduction in the overall frequency or concentration of aircraft over affected communities.

In addition, assessment found that a flight path aligned closer to the Gateway Motorway would still overfly residential communities, including parts of Tingalpa, Wakerley, Gumdale and Chandler, and was unlikely to deliver a meaningful reduction in overall population exposure to aircraft noise.

For these reasons, the concept did not demonstrate a clear net community benefit and was not progressed. Consistent with the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane assessment framework, all options were evaluated against safety, operational feasibility, environmental considerations, community impacts and Airservices' Flight Path Design Principles before decisions were made.

A concept to move the earlier portion of the south departure path (SANEG) further west was investigated as part of Package 3. The intent was to reduce overlap between the busy southern departure route and other departure paths and reduce concentration over some communities. The proposal was presented as an initial concept during the 2024 consultation process and underwent further technical assessment.

As the option was assessed in more detail, Airservices identified that progressing the concept would:

• Place busy southbound departure operations over communities already affected by short-approach arrival procedures, increasing the cumulative effect of arrival and departure operations on those communities.
• Create additional operational complexity and sequencing challenges, particularly where departing aircraft have different speeds, where aircraft travelling to different destinations separate shortly after departure and climb at different rates.
• Not achieve a net reduction in the overall frequency or concentration of aircraft operations over affected communities. 

While the concept could reduce impacts in some locations, assessment found it would increase impacts in others and would not deliver the overall community benefit sought through Package 3. Therefore, this option did not meet the Package 3 objective of reducing the overall impact of aircraft operations on communities and it was not progressed to the preferred option stage.

Airservices investigated a potential option to direct certain night-time departures from the new runway over industrial areas and water before turning inland. The intent of the proposal was to reduce aircraft noise impacts on residential communities during the night period.

The assessment found that the concept has the potential to significantly reduce the number of people exposed to aircraft noise at night and reduce higher noise exposures for a number of communities currently overflown by night-time departures.

However, before any operational trial can occur, further design, safety and operational assessment is required. Airservices will provide a further update once the assessment is complete. This work is expected to be completed by November 2026.      

Airservices Australia is responsible for the safe and efficient management of Australia's airspace and for the design of flight paths and aircraft operating procedures. Decisions about airport curfews, flight caps and airline schedules are outside Airservices' role and are not matters determined through the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane.

Airlines decide when flights operate and how frequently services are scheduled based on factors such as passenger demand, freight requirements, airport capacity and other operational and commercial considerations. Brisbane Airport operates under the relevant regulatory framework, and Airservices does not have the authority to impose a curfew or restrict the number of aircraft movements.

The purpose of the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane is to investigate opportunities to reduce and better manage aircraft noise through changes to airspace design, flight paths and operating procedures. The program focuses on how aircraft operate within the existing aviation system, rather than how many flights occur or when they are scheduled.

Package 3 investigated practical operational opportunities to reduce the frequency and concentration of aircraft noise, improve noise sharing where practicable, and provide a net community benefit while maintaining safety and operational efficiency. This included assessing options such as alternative arrival and departure paths, over-water operations, aircraft remaining higher for longer, and night-time departure concepts.

Where options demonstrated clear community benefits, they have been progressed. All progressed changes must satisfy safety, operational and environmental assessment requirements before they can be implemented.

Options that were not progressed were investigated, consulted on and assessed against safety, operational feasibility, environmental considerations, community impacts, Airservices' Flight Path Design Principles and the intent of the relevant Noise Action Plan for Brisbane recommendation. They were not progressed because assessment found they did not demonstrate an overall community benefit, introduced unreasonable impacts on other communities, or could not be supported operationally. These options will not be investigated further.

Package 4 will investigate more complex and longer-term opportunities that may improve how aircraft noise is experienced by communities. These investigations include broader airspace considerations, runway use, respite and noise-sharing arrangements.

We expect to be able to engage the community on Package 4 outcomes in the latter part of calendar year 2026.

Developing procedural Standard Instrument Departures (SIDs) for Archerfield Airport was identified as a recommended action under the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane (NAPfB) because it was anticipated as potentially improving opportunities to operate in Simultaneous Opposite Direction Parallel Runway Operations (SODPROPS) mode by reducing air traffic controller workload.

Work is continuing on this action, and we expect to be able to provide an update in the latter part of calendar year 2026.

Airservices cannot redesign flight paths through airspace administered by other authorities. As part of the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane, Airservices engaged with the RAAF Base Amberly on opportunities to release portions of their airspace, however we were advised that this was not possible due to ongoing military training requirements.

Aircraft require access to and from the airport from multiple directions and must operate within a safe and integrated airspace system. In a large metropolitan area such as Brisbane, it is not possible to avoid all residential areas. Flight path design therefore focuses on achieving safe operations while seeking to minimise impacts where practicable.

Package 2 of the Noise Action Plan has investigated and implemented a range of initiatives to maximise flights over water where operationally feasible. However, weather conditions, wind direction, safety requirements, aircraft performance and traffic levels mean that it is not possible for aircraft to operate only over Moreton Bay.

Airservices Australia is responsible for the safe and efficient management of Australia's airspace and for the design of flight paths and aircraft operating procedures. Decisions about aircraft types, airline fleets, compensation schemes, noise insulation programs and property acquisition are outside Airservices' role and are not matters determined through the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane.

The choice of aircraft operated at Brisbane Airport is made by individual airlines and aircraft operators. Airlines determine which aircraft are used on particular routes based on a range of operational, commercial and regulatory considerations. Airservices does not regulate airline fleet decisions or require airlines to operate specific aircraft types.

Similarly, Airservices does not establish compensation schemes, noise insulation programs or property acquisition arrangements for residents affected by aircraft noise. Airservices also does not determine where airports are located, whether airports operate with a curfew, or the commercial operation of airline services.

The Noise Action Plan for Brisbane focuses on opportunities to reduce and better manage aircraft noise through changes to airspace design, flight paths and operating procedures. This includes assessing potential operational changes that may reduce the frequency and concentration of aircraft noise, improve noise sharing where practicable, and provide a net community benefit while maintaining safety and operational efficiency.

Flight path design

Flight paths can be designed to have different operations shared over multiple areas, rather than all over the one area. For example, arrival paths can be designed so they do not merge until closer to final approach to land, keeping traffic from different directions separated for longer.  This design can also place arrival paths in a different location from departures paths so communities are not affected by both of these operations, where practicable. 

Respite modes

Modes are an operating instruction that use a different flight paths and runways to vary where aircraft fly. A respite mode in its simplest terms pauses operations over one area, to provide a period of quiet, while operations continue over other areas. Several respite modes are usually developed to allow respite for different communities at different times. It is important to note that while respite modes provide a period of relief for communities when their mode is in operation, it usually means that when an alternative mode is in use, they will receive all operations.

Multiple flight paths with alternating use

This is the most complex noise sharing option. It involves designing multiple flight paths to or from the same places, that can then be varied on a scheduled basis (e.g., daily, weekly, or seasonally), so no single area experiences constant exposure. This example of noise sharing was discussed during the early part of Noise Action Plan for Brisbane engagement, where community feedback indicated that the most important aspect of noise sharing would be predictability.  

Implementing this kind of noise sharing requires implementation of new air traffic control technologies that can cater for multiple flight paths serving the same direction of travel.

Performance Based Navigation (PBN) is a navigation method that allows aircraft to fly more accurately using onboard navigation systems and satellite-based positioning, rather than relying solely on ground-based navigation aids.

PBN is used throughout Australia and internationally to improve the safety, efficiency and predictability of aircraft operations. It was already in use at Brisbane Airport before the opening of the new runway and was not introduced as part of the new runway flight path changes. 

PBN can provide benefits such as:

• improved navigation accuracy and predictability;
• more efficient flight paths;
• improved safety and operational efficiency;
• reduced fuel burn and emissions in some circumstances; and
• more consistent aircraft tracking.

However, because aircraft are able to follow routes more accurately, some communities may experience aircraft tracking that appears more concentrated than under older navigation methods. Whether this results in a positive or negative outcome depends on the location, the flight path design, fleet mix (the number of aircraft that are equipped with this technology) and how operations are distributed across the broader airspace system.

Importantly, PBN is not a flight path in itself. It is a navigation capability used to support the safe and efficient operation of flight procedures. Flight paths must still be designed to meet strict safety requirements and for use by all aircraft types that may use the airport. 

The Brisbane Baseline Model and the interactive maps on the Engage Airservices website are designed for different purposes and may display flight paths differently.

The Brisbane Baseline Model is a comparison tool that allows users to view and compare published flight paths and historical flight activity data from different years, including before and after the opening of Brisbane Airport's new parallel runway. Please note, this system is currently being updated and so some of the earlier functionality (actual aircraft tracking and flight path use data etc) is not currently available.

The Engage Airservices interactive maps are designed to support community consultation and show the published flight paths for a single standard operating procedure at Brisbane Airport. 

To better understand any differences, check the map description and legend, which explain what data is being displayed and how it should be interpreted.

This metric shows the average number of flights per day on a specific flight path.

If the path is used 24 hours a day, the average covers the full 24 hours. If it’s only used during the day or night, the average is based on those specific periods:

• Day: 6am to 10pm
• Night: 10pm to 6am

The numbers are based on real flight data recorded by radar from January to September 2024. This period has been used as it was the most recent data available when assessments were commenced on the preferred options compared to the current flight paths. The assessment aims to provide an “apples with apples” comparison to explain the potential change in operations.

This metric shows the total distance, in nautical miles (NM), from the end of the runway to where the flight path begins or ends (depending on whether it’s an arrival or departure). 1NM= 1.85km.

This is indicated on the maps with the shaded buffer 1km either side of the centreline out to 40NM/74km.

This metric shows the areas (also referred to as contours) under each flight path where noise levels on the ground from the most common aircraft types are expected to reach 60 decibels (dB) or more and 70 dB or more (measured as LAmax, the loudest single event level).

Each information sheet includes an estimate of how many people live within the areas exposed to these noise levels.

The most common aircraft type operating on the jet departure and arrival paths is the Boeing 737-800. The most common aircraft type operating on the non-jet (turboprop and piston engine) paths is the Dash 8 Q400. Noise modelling is based on whichever type most often flies the specific path.

The data for the Preliminary Environmental Impact Assessments (PEIAs) were prepared by Trax as they developed the preferred options so they could confirm the benefit or otherwise of each option, as well as progress the necessary formal assessment. These EIAs use data from 1 January to 31 July 2024, as this was the period of data available at that time. 

The movement data later used to inform the information sheets for engagement was taken from more recent 1 January to 30 September 2024 data. 

The different periods to result in some variation in movement numbers, however it does not affect the assessment in terms of confirming any ‘significant’ impact as defined under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act).

Phase 6 is the latest set of flight path change proposals from Airservices Australia. It brings together community feedback from previous phases and offers updated options to reduce the concentration and frequency of aircraft noise, especially over communities most impacted by both arrivals and departures. The changes aim to distribute noise more fairly, raise aircraft altitudes where possible, and reduce the impact of night-time flights.

These changes are being proposed as part of Airservices Australia's commitment to listen to communities and improve how flight paths are planned and managed. Under the Airservices Community Engagement Standard, major changes to flight paths must include two rounds of community engagement:

• One round to share the initial proposals and gather feedback.
• A second round to show how that feedback was considered and present the refined options.

This new round of proposals is the second round of engagement for Package 3 of the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane, which looks at ways to reduce how often and how heavily affected suburbs are overflown. The goal is to spread out flights more where possible, without compromising safety or efficiency. Most of these proposals are refinements of options put forward in Phase 5 but also reflect outcomes of earlier phases of engagement in 2023 and 2024.

Community input has played a major role. Through multiple engagement phases commencing in 2023, residents provided feedback via surveys, drop-in sessions, written submissions, and meetings. This feedback directly shaped many of the refinements in Package 3, particularly regarding altitude increases, spreading of flight paths, and addressing night-time noise.

Start with the "overview" information sheet for this phase to see which options may affect your local area. Then go to the information sheets that relate to each of those options and also check them out on the Brisbane Baseline Model.

This is an online resource where you can select the option of interest to you, access interactive maps to look up addresses, zoom in, compare current and proposed flight paths including modelled noise contours, and watch videos of the options in this round of engagement.

Yes, under these proposals, some areas would experience new or more frequent flights than they do today. This is a result of a deliberate approach known as noise sharing.

The aim is to reduce the burden on communities that are currently overflown more frequently and with higher levels of concentration, often by both arriving and departing aircraft, and sometimes during both the day and night. By spreading flights more evenly across a wider area and raising altitudes where possible, the goal is to reduce the frequency of noise events for those most affected.

This approach does mean that more people overall may experience some degree of aircraft noise, but less often. Instead of a small number of suburbs being impacted frequently, more suburbs may experience flights, but less often than those who are currently overflown.

Importantly, these proposals do not increase the total number of flights. These changes are about how existing and future flights are distributed, not how many there will be.

Brisbane Airport Corporation’s Master Plan contains information on forecast future flight numbers.

Yes. Generally, higher aircraft generate less noticeable noise on the ground. Several proposals aim to keep arriving aircraft higher for longer and enable more gradual descents or continuous climb departures, which also reduces noise and fuel burn.

It depends on your location. 

The proposals are designed to reduce concentration and spread flights across different areas of the city. In some locations, this will mean fewer flights. In others, flights may remain the same or increase.

In 2024 we proposed an initial concept for over land departures from the new runway to be offset from the arrivals (these communities wouldn't experience both arrivals and departures. You can read more about this in the Package 3 preferred option 1.1 Departures over land to the north and west from the new runway. Regardless of the degree of the turn investigated, all options resulted in flying over areas of existing high population density and also designated for future further growth. We are consulting with local and state government planning authorities (ie Brisbane City Council and Queensland Government) to ensure we understand any constraints of plans already being implemented and identify potential best alignments for any flight path we develop.

There are limited options to reduce overflight of communities that are in a direct line with the runways, especially those closer to the airport.

We are proposing to introduce new short approaches that would take some traffic away from communities overflown by the long approaches. We are still investigating options to change the initial departure path from the new runway, so it does not track over the same communities as arriving traffic. 

The best options for runway aligned communities, are those that seek to gain more Simultaneous Opposite Direction Parallel Runway Operations (SODPROPS), where both arrivals and departures occur over the waters of Moreton Bay when weather conditions and lower traffic volumes permit. In this round, we have also proposed a new night-time only option that may also provide benefit to these communities. 

Airservices is currently inviting feedback on these options. Your comments can influence which changes are implemented and how they are refined. You can give us your feedback in person (find dates, locations and how to make a booking on our Engage Airservices Brisbane page here). 

You can also give us your feedback on this page. If you prefer to provide feedback via email or mail, we encourage you to structure your responses using these key questions:

1. Which specific option are you providing feedback on?
2. On a scale of 1 (very poorly) to 5 (very well), how well do you think the change proposal meets the aims of that preferred option (as outlined in the information sheet)?
3. Please explain your rating – what are the main benefits and/or drawbacks of these change proposals that influenced your score?
4. Do you have any other feedback on this preferred option?
Email feedback to: communityengagement@airservicesaustralia.com
Send written feedback to: Locked Bag 747, Eagle Farm QLD 4009
Feedback closes on Sunday 17th August 2025.

To make the most of your participation, we recommend the following:

1. Familiarise yourself with the proposals: There is extensive information available via this page that you can access at a time that suits you. As well as information sheets for each option, there is a recorded webinar where Trax team members share key elements of each option, as well as the Brisbane Baseline Model where you can zoom in on areas of interest to see modelled noise contours, current and proposed flight paths and video summaries of the options.   
2. Bring prepared questions to the in-person session: Bring any specific questions or concerns to the in-person meeting, where we can address them directly and relate them to your personal experience with aircraft noise.

Community members who do not have access to the internet or are not comfortable with this information channel, can request copies of the information sheets be posted to them by emailing communityengagement@airservicesaustralia.com or writing to Locked Bag 747, Eagle Farm QLD 4009.

Your feedback will be carefully reviewed and considered alongside industry feedback, and operational, technical, environmental factors.  Safety will always be our highest priority and does mean that some feedback is not able to be actioned. 

Final decisions will be made by Airservices and shared once our assessments are complete.

All preferred options are assessed against our established Flight Path Design Principles, which having given regard to safety and compliance with the required aviation standards as the highest priority, aim to strike a balance between community, environment and efficiency. 

Even after decisions are made, implementing changes takes time. It involves not only design refinement and regulatory steps, but also training for air traffic controllers and pilots, updates to air traffic systems and procedures, and thorough safety checks. These steps are critical to ensuring any new flight paths are safe.

"Noise sharing" is a concept used in managing aircraft noise in many places around the world. It involves distributing aircraft noise more equitably among different communities around an airport, rather than concentrating it over a single area.  

Historically, placement of flight paths prioritised operational efficiency or, in some cases, focused on areas of lower population to reduce the number of people affected, so paths were more direct and often over the same communities. Noise sharing aims to balance the burden, even if it means slightly longer or less efficient routings, or a greater number of people overflown in total, so that no single community bears a disproportionate share of noise. 

This approach is underpinned by the premise that while aircraft noise cannot be entirely eliminated, it can be managed more fairly.  

How can noise sharing be achieved?

Flight path design

Flight paths can be designed to have different operations shared over multiple areas, rather than all over the one area. For example, arrival paths can be designed so they do not merge until closer to final approach to land, keeping traffic from different directions separated for longer.  This design can also place arrival paths in a different location from departures paths so communities are not affected by both of these operations. 

These noise sharing initiatives are being progressed through Package 3 of the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane.

Respite modes

Modes are an operating instruction that use a different sequence of operations to change which runways are used and where aircraft fly. A respite mode in its simplest terms pauses operations over one area, to provide a period of quiet, while operations continue over other areas. Several respite modes are usually developed to allow respite for different communities at different times. It is important to note that while respite modes provide a period of relief for communities when their mode is in operation, it usually means that when an alternative mode is in use, they will receive all operations.

This initiative is being investigated as part of Package 4 of the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane.

Multiple flight paths with alternating use

This is the most complex noise sharing option. It involves designing multiple flight paths to or from the same places, that can then be varied on a scheduled basis (e.g., daily, weekly, or seasonally), so no single area experiences constant exposure. This example of noise sharing was discussed in Phase 2 of Noise Action Plan for Brisbane engagement, where community feedback indicated that the most important aspect of noise sharing would be predictability.  

Implementing this kind of noise sharing requires implementation of new air traffic control technologies, currently being delivered through Airservices’s OneSky program.

This initiative is being investigated as part of Package 4 of the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane.

We understand that many community members consider that all flights should be over the waters of Moreton Bay. However, it is not possible for all flights to arrive and depart over the water. 

Aircraft must take off and land into the wind or operate with only a small amount of tail wind (wind blowing from behind the plane) for safety. Simultaneous Opposite Direction Parallel Runway Operations (SODPROPS) is the operational mode where both arrivals and departures take place over water. This means that depending on wind direction, either departing or arriving aircraft will be subject to a tailwind. This tailwind cannot exceed 5 knots. In addition, the runways must be dry and visibility good to operate in this mode.

SODPROPS is also a “low capacity” mode. This is because it involves having all aircraft operating in the small area over Moreton Bay. As such, it can only be used when the airport isn’t busy with higher numbers of arrivals and departures, as it is during most hours of the day.

When wind and weather conditions are not met, or when the airport is busy, “parallel runway” modes must be used. Depending on wind direction, this involves arrivals over water and departures over land (when winds are from the south) or arrivals over land and departures over water (when winds are from the north).

The Noise Action Plan for Brisbane is making improvements to increase our ability to use of SODPROPS whenever traffic volumes, weather, and other operational conditions permit.

SODPROPS stands for Simultaneous Opposite Direction Parallel Runway Operations. It’s a mode of operation where both arrivals and departures happen over water, helping to reduce overflight of communities.

Many people consider it the preferred operational mode, but its use is limited by weather, wind direction, and traffic volumes.

There are four key weather conditions that constrain SODPROPS use, as well as traffic limits. SODPROPS can only be used when all of the following conditions are in place:

• a cloud ceiling of no less than 2500ft (762m)
• a tailwind of no more than 5 knots
• visibility of no less than 8km 
• a dry runway
• less than 20 arrivals per hour. 

Air traffic controllers must maintain vigilance over a very local and at the same time broadly regional section of airspace. Our team monitors weather information including the winds at each end of each runway and weather systems at quite some distance from the airport because aircraft travel very swiftly and weather can be quite changeable. This means we are making decisions for safe aviation based on information that isn’t available to community members who may be observing weather conditions in a different suburb or even via the Bureau of Meteorology. As such, there will be times when residents think conditions are appropriate, but it is not safely possible to operate in SODPROPS mode.

The target established for SODPROPS operations in Brisbane is an annual target not a monthly target. It is expected that some months will be below this target, for example the wetter months, and some will be above it. It was established considering the historic weather conditions in Brisbane and traffic numbers at different times of the day and days of the week at Brisbane Airport.

This year to date has had much higher rainfall that other years and this has affected the use of SODPROPS. We had anticipated much higher use from March/April onward, based on the historically lower levels of rainfall across the cooler months, however this has not been possible.

We continue to use SODPROPS whenever it is safe to do so.

Independent parallel runway operations, or IPRO, is a mode where each runway operates independently, allowing flights to land and depart simultaneously on both runways. This is because there is sufficient separation between planes travelling to and from each runway and as such arrivals and departures using one runway are not affected by what’s happening on the other. 

Brisbane Airport’s government-approved Major Development Plan for the new runway included the use of independent parallel runway operations to help manage future growth in traffic. It is a high-capacity mode that enables more planes to land more frequently during peak periods. As this mode is part of the approved Brisbane Airport operations, Airservices Australia is required to provide this capability and operate this mode when needed.

Operations at Brisbane Airport are divided into two time periods. The day period is 6am to 10pm and the night period is 10pm to 6am.

The shorter curved approaches, called Required Navigation Performance – Authorisation Required (RNP-AR), can only be flown by aircraft equipped with advanced navigation equipment and a certified crew. They allow for more precise and flexible flight path designs, including arrival paths that join the final approach for landing closer to the runway. 

Nearly half of the fleet operating at Brisbane Airport in 2024 were capable of using short approaches; however, the current RNP-AR approach from the north was used by approximately 8% of all flights arriving over land to the new runway.

We have proposed preferred option for Package 3 to introduce new connections to the RNP-AR approaches to allow more aircraft to use them, reducing overflight of long approach communities.

The straight-in, runway aligned long approaches are the primary approaches at Brisbane Airport. They follow an Instrument Landing System (ILS), which is a navigation aid that helps pilots align with the runway, maintain the correct descent angle, and land safely, even in poor weather or low visibility.

A Noise Abatement Procedure (NAP) is a procedure designed to reduce the impact of aircraft noise on the community. Air traffic control and pilots apply the NAPs whenever possible, but they are not mandatory. Learn more about Brisbane Airport NAPs at Aircraft in Your Neighbourhood. Check that you have nominated a Brisbane location if you don't see the NAPs reporting tab in the left menu bar.

Four federally-leased airports in Australia have a night-time curfew: Sydney, Adelaide, Gold Coast and Essendon.  Brisbane Airport operates under a 24-hour schedule and does not have a flight cap or curfew. To help reduce the impact of night-time flights, noise abatement procedures are in place. These include using flight paths that avoid heavily populated areas where possible, and directing night-time departures to take off over the water when wind and weather conditions allow.

The Noise Action Plan for Brisbane focuses specifically on improving how aircraft noise is managed through flight path design, procedures, and community engagement. Decisions about introducing a curfew or limiting the number of flights are outside the scope of this plan and outside Airservices Australia’s legislated role under the Air Services Act 1995. 

There is a great deal of information about aviation, current and previous flight paths, aircraft numbers, altitude and noise levels (some modelled and actual historic data) across the following platforms:

• The Brisbane Baseline Model is an interactive tool that you can use to gain insights into the flight paths and air traffic patterns that may operate over your address. You can access operational information from 2019 (before the new runway), 2022, 2023 and 2024 https://engage.airservicesaustralia.com/baseline-model 
• Aircraft in Your Neighbourhood has a great deal of general aviation information; plus, if you select a Brisbane location, relevant noise monitoring and other reporting https://aircraftnoise.airservicesaustralia.com/ 
• WebTrak shows aircraft movements and noise monitoring data in close to real time (there is a three-minute delay). You can also set it to replay air traffic movements from the previous three months, or review historical data from 2011 https://webtrak.emsbk.com/bne3

The Noise Action Plan for Brisbane has four “Packages” or work, containing 11 recommendations and 82 individual actions. Actions from all four packages are being progressed in parallel and so engagement periods or “Phases” have often had options from more than one package to present to the community.

In 2023, we delivered three phases of engagement, responding to Packages 1 and 2, and parts of Package 3. In 2024, we delivered two phases of engagement, responding to Package 2 and 3.

Package 1 focuses on governance, process and reporting.

Package 2 seeks to get more operations over water and reduce the impact of night-time noise. 

Package 3 explores options to reduce the frequency and concentration of flights over communities within the current constraints of our airspace.  

Package 4 explores the wider airspace with the aim of identifying larger changes to improve noise outcomes. 

In January 2024, Airservices Australia announced that Trax International (Trax), a leading provider of professional and technical services, had been appointed to deliver Packages 3 and 4 of the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane. This follows an open market tender invitation in 2023, which received three responses, for appropriately skilled and qualified consultants.

The Trax appointment follows their independent review of Airservices’ Post Implementation Review of the flight paths designed for Brisbane Airport's new parallel runway in July 2020. Recommendations from that review formed the basis of the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane, which was developed to reduce the impact of aircraft noise following the introduction of the new runway.

We look forward to continuing to work with the Brisbane community as Trax delivers these packages. 

Several changes have been implemented, both in response to completion of Noise Action Plan for Brisbane actions, but also in response to community requests and feedback. Changes include: 

• Pre-6am early turn for turboprop aircraft to reduce flights over land
• Removed pre-6am turboprop aircraft departures from the new runway to avoid overflight of NPR communities
• New departure paths over water to align standard operations with SODPROPS operations to improve transition timeframes and ability to use SODPROPS when conditions are appropriate
• Additional tracking over water when departing the legacy runway to get aircraft higher as they cross over the Redlands area, reducing noise impacts
• Extended SODPROPS operating hours from 10pm to 6am daily, to now commence at 9am and include Saturday morning to 10am and from Saturday 12 noon to Sunday 4pm.
• Implemented directions to use SODPROPS at all times when conditions are available, regardless of priority hours
• Introduced two additional segregated modes to share overland operations in both northerly and southerly wind conditions between both runways, and not just the new runway as initially implemented
• Implemented a direction to keep aircraft tracking on departure paths to 20,000 feet to avoid tracking away from published departure paths. 
• Reduced overflight of Bribie Island by moving one over-water departure path to the legacy runway

Launched the Brisbane Baseline Model, plus Noise Abatement Procedure reporting (SODPROPS usage, preferred runway operations, preferred flight paths) and improved other reporting processes including publication of short- term noise monitoring reports.

Feedback on proposed options is not a voting process. We do note the percentage of people who are support or don't support changes, but this is in the context of many other factors we consider in our assessment of options.

Community feedback also captures any concerns that may need to be addressed if the option/s were to proceed to further assessment and potential implementation. 

In all cases, we are seeking to identify outcomes that will have the best overall outcome for Greater Brisbane.

We have proactively promoted every phase of the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane via a range of channels and tools including letterbox drops; radio, print and social media advertising; provision of information to MPs, councils and advocacy groups asking them to share it with their networks; media interviews; posters and direct emails to subscribers.

We understand that changes to airspace can seem slow; this is because they require thorough investigation and engagement before publication of new or amended flight paths. 

The changes being considered as part of the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane can be complex. The airspace around Brisbane contains many interrelated factors that need to be carefully balanced. This means that some actions take longer than others to design.

We want to ensure the community are part of the decision-making process, particularly where we are proposing to move flight paths over new communities. It is important that these communities have the opportunity to learn about these proposals, understand the benefit and provide their comments. While it might seem like a lot of engagement, we are committed to ensure all communities know what changes are being proposed and are part of the discussion.

Even after decisions are made, implementing changes takes time. It involves not only design refinement and regulatory steps, but also training for air traffic controllers and pilots, updates to air traffic systems and procedures, and thorough safety checks. These steps are critical to ensuring any new flight paths are safe.