Flight paths over Sydney are to change in early July as the city’s new international airport gears up for its first landings.
Federal Transport Minister Catherine King says the changes will take effect from July 9 and affect all aircraft across the city including at Kingsford Smith, Bankstown and Western Sydney International (WSI) airports.
The first cargo flights into WSI are due to happen later in July with passenger services slated for take-off in October.
“This is a critical next step to ensuring our skies are ready to open to Western Sydney Airport,” King says.
“With two major airports sharing Sydney’s airspace, there will be a small reshuffle in the skies to make way for new flights coming in and out of Western Sydney.
“We’ve worked to get the balance right.”
ADAPTABLE FLIGHT PATHS
King points out that flight paths are not physical and can adapt to future concerns with a new airspace advisory board to monitor and respond to noise and flight path issues.
The new airport will operate 24/7 (no curfew) and feature night take-offs and landings in the same direction from 11pm to 5.30am to reduce noise over Wallacia, Blue Mountains and Western Sydney.
Airservices Australia will monitor noise levels at WSI using nine permanent monitors and four mobile ones over five years.
Air Services chief executive officer Rob Sharp says they have spent up big on people, technology, public engagement and training to prepare for Australia’s first major greenfield airport in decades.
“Our teams are preparing to provide safe air traffic control operations through our Digital Aerodrome Service and an Aviation Rescue Fire Fighting capability which will be at the ready in the event a rapid response is required,” he says.
Kingsford Smith’s air traffic control will also coordinate with the new airport’s new digital control service via 25 cameras feeding images to a remote tower centre in Eastern Creek.
NOISE MONITORING TOOL
Residents can now access a live noise monitoring tool for WSI airport at: webtrak.emsbk.com/wsi3 that displays live flights around the airport and noise recordings from monitors installed around Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains.
Landowners in parts of Luddenham, Greendale, Silverdale, Wallacia and Kemps Creek have until April 2028 to apply for noise insulation work to be done to their homes; for eligible properties, more details and criteria, visit wsinoiseinsulation.gov.au
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