Quarterly Update #7

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

During the third quarter of 2024, we delivered our fifth round of engagement, focusing on concepts to reduce the concentration and frequency of overflight on the most affected communities. These concepts were developed by our airspace design consultants, Trax International. We received more than 2000 pieces of feedback – in person, online, by email and letter.

Trax is working through the feedback to support identification of preferred flight path change options. While we were hoping to have preferred options out for community review before the end of the year, the need to give full and proper regard to all submissions means this engagement will now commence in early 2025.

In the meantime, we have reviewed all feedback on Phase 4 proposals and have made some final adjustments to the preferred options for Alternative over-water departures in response to community feedback. Further information on the implementation of these changes will be shared later this week.

We also expanded the priority hours for the use of Simultaneous Opposite Direction Parallel Runway Operations (SODPROPS) mode – the mode where both arrivals and departures occur over water – to operate over weekend daytime hours and to commence earlier in the evening, from 9pm, when conditions are suitable.

Upcoming focus

In November, we will implement several changes that will enhance our ability to operate in SODPROPS mode. This includes implementing new flight paths and procedures. We will be releasing more information on these changes to ensure everyone knows what the changes will mean and when they will commence.

Over the next quarter we will release improvements to reporting on the use of SODPROPS mode. We’ve made these changes in response to community feedback, including requests for data on flight numbers as well as hours of operation.

We will also complete our evaluation of the trial we commenced on 13 December 2023 where non-jet departures are turned early from the legacy runway (from 5-6am) to avoid overflight of communities. This evaluation will consider:

  • number of departures turned early vs those that were not
  • reasons preventing the early turn (to determine if mitigations are possible)
  • noise outcomes for locations generally subject to these operations and from noise monitors located near the early turn path
  • community and industry feedback.

We are completing assessment reports for Phase 3 and Phase 4 engagement and are aiming to release these before the end of the year.

Trax is continuing work on Package 4, which aims to optimise the performance of the wider Brisbane airspace system. Further information will be shared on the outcomes of this work in 2025.