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Opposition proposes night time restrictions for Badgerys Creek

written by australianaviation.com.au | April 21, 2016

The federal government has officially "declared" Badgerys Creek as the site for a second airport in Sydney. (Jordan Chong)
The federal government has officially “declared” Badgerys Creek as the site for a second airport in Sydney. (Jordan Chong)

Australia’s federal opposition is proposing a night time “no-fly zone” over the proposed airport at Sydney’s Badgerys Creek to reduce the impact of aircraft noise on surrounding communities.

Instead, flight paths for all takeoffs and landings between 2300 and 0600 will be in a south-west direction to avoid residential areas.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten and Opposition transport spokesperson Anthony Albanese said the measures were similar to what was currently in place at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, where aircraft permitted to operate during that airport’s 2300 to 0600 curfew were directed over water and not over residential communities.

“Labor will act to ensure there is no noise impact on existing residences and communities from night time flights as part of Badgerys Creek Airport master planning,” the pair said in a statement on Thursday.

“This will ensure Western Sydney benefits from the economic boost Sydney’s second airport will deliver – including thousands of jobs – while communities aren’t disturbed by night time aircraft noise.”

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Shorten, Albanese and shadow treasurer Chris Bowen spoke about Labor’s policy in Sydney on Thursday.

The federal government’s draft airport plan and environmental impact statement for the proposed Western Sydney Airport showed a 3,700m runway on a south-west, north-east orientation.

Arrival flights will be directed to north west of the airport and be between 5,000-7,000 feet when over Penrith and 2,000ft near Bankstown when landing on Runway 23.

Meanwhile, departing aircraft on Runway 05 would be at about 5,000ft by the time they were over Blacktown and at 10,000ft by the time they were at RAAF Base Richmond if headed north, or at 10,000ft between Camden and Picton if heading south.

The indicative flight paths for departures and arrivals at Runway 23 at the proposed airport at Badgerys Creek. (Federal Government)
The indicative flight paths for departures and arrivals at Runway 23 at the proposed airport at Badgerys Creek. (Federal Government)
The indicative flight paths for departures and arrivals at Runway 05 at the proposed airport at Badgerys Creek. (Federal Government)
The indicative flight paths for departures and arrivals at Runway 05 at the proposed airport at Badgerys Creek. (Federal Government)

The master plan said it was planned for the airport to operate on a curfew free basis.

“Curfew-free airports provide significant benefits to communities and businesses by supporting growth in local, regional and national economies,” the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development website said.

“Melbourne Airport’s curfew-free status allows for the movement of an extra two million passengers a year and adds $590 million to the Victorian economy through visitor spending.

“While the proposed Western Sydney Airport is planned to operate without curfew, demand for flights at night would not be as high as demand during the day. The majority of flights would be in the 7am to 10am and 4pm to 7pm peak periods.”

Meanwhile, Labor said the simultaneous operations for takeoffs and landings to the south-west was one of several noise mitigation measures for Badgerys Creek, including landscaping and shared flight paths. The opposition has also committed to having rail links at the airport.

The federal government “declared” Badgerys Creek as the site for a second airport in the Sydney basin in August 2015, which ensured further planning work on the airport could proceed and airspace around the proposed facility was protected from potential high-rise buildings.

Sydney Airport, which has a right of first refusal (ROFR) to build and operate a second airport within 100km of the Sydney CBD, was expected to receive a “Notice of Intention” or sales contract to build and operate the proposed airport from the federal government in 2016.

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Comments (28)

  • random

    says:

    You might as well not build it if you’re going to cripple it with a curfew.

    It is the missing link amongst all the other capitals and regional international cities with no curfews. A curfew in Sydney causes structural changes to all of the airlines schedules and fleet management.

    Much of the future utility of the airport will be linked to overcoming the short-comings of KSA Mascot, not replicating them!

  • random

    says:

    Correction to my last – it’s obviously not a full curfew but this is how they start.

  • Jeff Atkinson

    says:

    Pathetic,But wait.They’ll probably find an eastern bell frog that sleeps during the day so that will limit the operating hours as well.The residents that surround the area new that this was coming,There’s no excuse.The small amount of jet noise from the new type aircraft is minimal.Give me a house and i’ll live there no problems.And ring the Kerrigans too.

  • Gary

    says:

    Bit of a laugh seeing Albanese talking about Badgerys Creek. He did sweet bugger all whilst in government and now he wants to place a clayton’s curfew on it!

  • Marilyn Riedy

    says:

    Do any of you who call it pathetic actually live nearby or in the naturally quiet environment of the Blue Mountains? Would you want low altitude flights over your homes all day all night? Do you know the facts about the health impacts that has for residents? Are you aware that aviation fuel contains lead and these flights are over Sydney’s water catchment and storage areas? Do you know that this location is the only one in NSW with essential infrastructure for Sydney’s gas, water and electricity supplies in the high risk zone or that the location cannot meet international standards for bird and bat strike because of its proximity to the World Heritage Blue Mountains? One accident is all it would take to have devastating impacts on all of Sydney?

    How about the fact that 520 people currently die prematurely from health impacts of air pollution and that the majority come from Western Sydney? Why? The location is where all the vehicle pollution collects and circulates unable to escape because of mountains and hills. Add an airport into the mix anf more cardiovascular and pulmonary disease, more non-smoking related lung cancer, more asthma for children, more chronic illness and premature death.

    All this because business interests, land owners and politicians want it and do not care that it is a bad idea for the people. In fact the government deliberately designed the public consultation process to inform the least number of people possible and thereby breached their own regulations.

    Are you also aware that this will devastate the community of the Blue Mountains. The Great Barrier Reef destroyed. Government tried to delist Tasmanian wilderness for logging but were refused by UNESCO and now they go for the trifecta by building an airport within 8 kms of the World Heritage Blue Mountains. The three great areas that bring tourists to Australia. The mountains rely on the natural serenity and quietness to enhance the scenery. The intrusion of visual and audble impacts from aircraft is not appreciated by either residents or tourists and will impact on our economy.

    If you want a no curfew airport then either take the curfew off Mascot or find another location outside the Sydney Basin because RAWSA (Residents Against Western Sydney Airport ) will continue to fight this ill conceived proposal!

  • Steve

    says:

    Labor Luddites

  • Marc

    says:

    No point building it. Drop Mascot’s curfew.

  • James from Sydney

    says:

    Politicians playing politics to win elections to the detriment of Sydney

  • Rhino

    says:

    Yes Marilyn Riedy, I live under the flight path in Brisbane. No dramas.

  • Brad Ashworth

    says:

    Marilyns post is a tad sensationalist……..I will not challenge every point……so just one for now….The lead in fuel issue….
    I will quote from the web….Jet aircraft and turbine-powered, propeller aircraft do not use avgas, but instead use fuels very similar to kerosene, which does NOT contain a lead additive. The new airport will mostly have this type of air traffic.
    Avgas is a specialized fuel used to power piston engine aircraft. There are approximately 230,000 worldwide that rely on 100 low lead avgas for safe operation. Over 167,000 are in the USA. The number of aircraft in Australia running 100LL avgas is low and the subset that would run out of Western Sydney even smaller.
    Please don’t go making sensationalist claims about lead hoping to tug the emotions with visions of lead ignots falling from the sky….its just nonsense.

  • Derrick Aguero

    says:

    I live in marrickville, under the main flight pass into sydney airport, you get use to the noise. Get over it and build the dame airport with no curfews. Most people would realise that once you have a 24 hour operating airport the the flights late at night will drop off. Most flights will come in the early hours of the morning or after 10pm. Just look at the stats of airports that do operate with no curfews

  • john doutch

    says:

    Marilyn, what have you guys done about RAAF Richmond?????

  • Mark

    says:

    Labor really have no clue!! Under Labor it would be nothing more then a plan with no action!!

  • G4george

    says:

    And LaboUr call themselves progressives, we live in a 24hr world, the rest of the world is not going to run on our time.

  • AirbusPilot

    says:

    Ohhhh Marilyn, so so so ill informed and full of no facts.

    Did you know that when I depart to the west of Sydney I’m currently flying over your house in the Blue Mountains at about 13,000ft anyway. What’s that? You never noticed because you couldn’t hear me? Pretty much how it’ll be with Badgerys Creek.

    Current generation aircraft are becoming so quiet that you will hear very little.

    As for lead in fuel…. Jet fuel does not contain lead (as has been stated here). Don’t spruik rubbish.

  • AvSyd

    says:

    All good in a light and variable wind ALBO. What if the wind is strong and blowing from the south (land from the north) ?? Lunactic.

  • LittleBird

    says:

    I assume the height indicated in the maps is above sea level. So the actual height above ground level at The Oaks west south west of Camden will be approximately 8,800 feet.

  • Adrian P

    says:

    Heathrow paid for retrofitting double glazing to existing to be installed within a defined area and it has been abuilding regulation requirement in the UK for thermal reasons to have double glazing in new houses for at least 2 decades..

    Perhaps it is time Australia built proper houses with double glazing.

  • Jeff Atkinson

    says:

    Two other points if i may,Some airlines i.e Air New zealand are using and trialing Biofuels now,And other airlines are also about to try it , I deliver to supermarkets around the airport and to taren point from 5am to 6am when there is a curfew operating.The sound of the jets no matter how big or small do nothing at all to disturb the area,In fact its only because i like aircraft i notice them.Otherwise you wouldn’t notice for the early morning traffic.If you were inside you wouldn’t even know they were overhead .I believe you could open up from 3.30am and it would help and not be of any real concern.

  • Paul

    says:

    Marilyn; Some more facts for you.to consider. Aircraft on descent are also throttled back to idle or just above. This further reduces both noise and the (non-existent) lead emissions you are concerned with. I live about 20km from Tullamarine Airport and enjoy watching them flyover. Cannot hear them indoors and barely noticeable outdoors.

  • Ben

    says:

    This airport has been SOOOO long coming if you didn’t know this was a strong possibility of happening sometime in the future when you bought, you obviously had your head in the sand.

    I’d like to give the ALP my best John McEnroe… You cannot be serious!?

  • Stu Bee

    says:

    Unfortunately the saga that is ‘Badgerys Creek Airport’ is more than just a saga, its a tragedy. Whilst we have short sighted politicians that only think of getting re-elected every 3-4 years this airport will not be built. The fact that people still believe that modern jet aircraft make as much noise as a super ‘connie’ is proof that scaremongers are doing their job well.

    Build the airport, with no curfews and join the 21st century.

  • Dave

    says:

    If you cant build a curfew free airport, spend the billions on the high speed rail instead! Trains can run all night.

  • David

    says:

    Another reason for a Coalition Government, economic sense, not short political. populist gain. Everyone who bought there knew an airport would be build there. Aircraft are quieter than every and getting more so. Movements after midnight would be a lot less than in the daylight. Australia economic future will be measured by what it does with Badgery’s Creek

  • Frequent Flyer

    says:

    Marilyn, please check your facts. The NSW EPA says air pollution from slow combustion wood burning heaters poses a bigger and more immediate health danger to Sydney residents than cars. It says 60% of fine particle air pollution in winter comes from wood heaters which impacts on those with a heart and/or lung condiction including the elderly and the young whose lungs are developing. So if you have a wood heater and are serious about air pollution, I suggest you get rid of it, same for your neighbours.

  • Peter Swan

    says:

    I live in the western suburbs of Brisbane and in summer have aircraft flying overhead from early morning to late at night at around 3500 feet on approach to Brisbane airport and can honestly say that the noise from vehicles on the main road nearby is far worse than anything I get from aircraft flying overhead as they slow down on approach to Brisbane airport.

  • Ian

    says:

    Here we go again, the anti business/commerce Labourites are showing their true colours at a time when the airport is not even built! The airlines must have a nightmare getting around the various curfews let alone the miss match daylight saving scenarios, it is all pathetic! Should Australia become a republic I could never envisage the word “United” being used in for example “The United States of Australia” because we are not!

  • Saverio

    says:

    Dear Marilyn, before you express an opinion you should fully inform yourself properly. Your long diatribe is full of misconception and poor knowledge of the (Airline Industries) and Aircraft in general .You will not get house improvement at the expense of taxpayers.

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