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How are Sydney Airport and the aviation industry addressing aircraft noise impacts?

Sydney Airport acknowledges that noise from aircraft operations continues to be one of the most significant environmental issues for people living around airports or underneath or near flight paths. Sydney Airport is therefore committed to working with the community, governments and the aviation industry to manage and mitigate aircraft noise impacts in these areas.

While improvements in technology continue to see next generation aircraft being quieter than the older aircraft types they replace, the increasing frequency of flights has become more of an issue of concern for many in the community.

Some of Sydney Airport’s key initiatives to minimise aircraft noise impacts include:

  • Continuing to provide and maintain the necessary on-airport infrastructure that allows noise sharing to be implemented
  • Investing in infrastructure to support next generation quieter aircraft
  • Working closely with the Australian, NSW and local governments to ensure appropriate planning policies are in place
  • Consulting and engaging with the local community and airlines that use Sydney Airport, such as the Sydney Airport Community Forum

To be implemented, Sydney Airport’s Master Plan 2039 assumes no change to the curfew, no change to the aircraft movement cap, no change to noise sharing arrangements and no change to flight paths.

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How is aircraft noise shared between different communities living around Sydney Airport?

The Australian Government’s noise sharing policy – known as the Long Term Operating Plan for Sydney Airport, or the LTOP – has been in place since 1997. It was developed following an extensive community consultation process.

The LTOP is designed to ensure that flights to or from Sydney Airport are maximised over water (i.e. Botany Bay) and non-residential land.  Where overflight of residential areas cannot be avoided the Plan aims to safely share the noise between communities.

The LTOP includes the following noise sharing targets:

  • 17% of flights to the north of the airport
  • 13% of flights to the east of the airport
  • 15% of flights to the west of the airport
  • 55% of movements to the south of the airport (over Botany Bay)

It should however be noted that these LTOP targets are aspirational goals, and are subject to weather and operational requirements.

Sydney Airport’s Master Plan 2039 has been prepared assuming the LTOP remains in place.  It outlines Sydney Airport’s commitment to continue providing and maintaining the necessary on-airport infrastructure to facilitate ongoing implementation of the LTOP.

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When comparing ANEF 2039 with the previous ANEF, the noise contours show that more people and homes are affected than before. Why is that?

Australian Noise Exposure Forecasts (ANEF) are developed as a land use planning tool to manage noise sensitive land uses around the airport.  They provide guidance for the NSW Government and local councils to make informed planning and development decisions.  Each new airport master plan must include an updated ANEF.  The ANEF in Master Plan 2039 reflects the latest information available including technological changes to aircraft, meteorological data and revised passenger and freight air traffic forecasts for the master plan’s 20 year planning period.

As a result of this new information, the ANEF contours in the new ANEF are different to those in the one it has replaced.

In some areas to the north, north-east and south-east of the airport, the noise contours move further away from the airport.  In some areas to the east, south and west of the airport, the contours move closer to the airport.

These changes are a result of a number of factors, including:

  • The number of aircraft flying to or from Sydney Airport is forecast to increase from 348,500 in 2017 to 408,260 in 2039
  • Western Sydney Airport opens from late 2026
  • The proportion of international flights, which typically use larger aircraft and require use of the main runway, is forecast to grow from 21% in 2017 to 28% in 2039
  • The updated ANEF reflects the more balanced use of Sydney Airport’s two parallel north-south runways
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Why are new housing developments being approved in areas already affected by aircraft noise?

State and local governments are responsible for off-airport planning and development standards, not Sydney Airport.
Some of these standards say that new residential areas should not be approved in areas affected by certain levels of aircraft noise. We support those standards.

The National Airport Safeguarding Framework (NASF) in particular contains a number of planning guidelines for developments around airports to ensure aviation safety is not compromised, while also minimising the impact of airports on nearby residential areas. It is important that state and local governments around Australia implement NASF.

Further information can be obtained from your local council.

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How will Western Sydney Airport affect the number of flights at Sydney Airport?

The Australian Government has said that with demand for aviation services in Sydney set to double over the next 20 years, a new airport is required to cater for this growth.

In 2014, the Government gave the go ahead for Western Sydney Airport. It is expected to open in late 2026.

The forecasts for numbers of airline passengers, the number of flights and the volume of airfreight in Sydney Airport’s Master Plan 2039 all assume that from late 2026, Sydney’s aviation demand will be served by two international airports – being Sydney Airport and Western Sydney Airport.

Sydney Airport is expected to continue to benefit from its proximity to the Sydney CBD and local tourist attractions, and its breadth of network connectivity for passengers travelling internationally, domestically and regionally.

More information about Western Sydney Airport can be found at http://westernsydneyairport.gov.au/.

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Who decides where aircraft fly?

The flight paths used by aircraft flying to or from Sydney Airport are decided by an Australian Government agency known as Airservices Australia.

Whether or not a particular flight path is used on any given day will often depend on the prevailing weather conditions. For example, during periods of strong westerly winds, only Sydney Airport’s east-west runway can be safely used. And during strong southerly winds, only the north-south runways can be safely used.

Airservices Australia implements the Australian Government’s noise sharing policy to ensure aircraft noise is shared as fairly as possible between different communities.
Although flight paths often appear as straight lines on maps, they in fact corridors that can be several kilometres wide. Factors such as aircraft type, weight and weather conditions determine exactly where aircraft fly within these corridors.

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Master Plan 2039: Aircraft noise overview

Overview

Noise from aircraft operations continues to be one of the most significant environmental issues for people living around airports or underneath or near flight paths.

Sydney Airport works closely with the community, aviation industry and the Australian, NSW and local governments to manage and where possible minimise aircraft noise impacts.  The responsibility to manage aircraft noise impacts at Sydney Airport is shared by many organisations.  As well as Sydney Airport, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the Australian, NSW and Local Governments, airlines, aircraft and engine manufacturers, and regulators all play important roles.

Noise sharing is a key aim of the Commonwealth’s Long Term Operating Plan (LTOP), which aims to minimise aircraft noise impacts on residents by ensuring aircraft arrive or depart over water and non-residential areas as much as possible.

Master Plan 2039 assumes that there will be no change to the curfew, movement cap or noise sharing arrangements and no change to the flight paths or runways within the planning period.

Key points

The responsibility to manage aircraft noise impacts at the airport is shared by many organisations, including Sydney Airport.

The roles of Sydney Airport in relation to noise management are to:

  • Provide and maintain on-airport infrastructure to facilitate noise sharing
  • Support the use of quieter next generation aircraft
  • Ensure guidelines are in place to control noise generated by engine ground running and respond to ground-based noise complaints
  • Publish relevant and accurate information about noise impacts that can be easily accessed, including an ANEF and other noise descriptors such as flight path movement charts, frequency-based aircraft noise charts and respite charts

Sydney Airport actively participates in the Sydney Airport Community Forum, responding to aircraft noise and related environmental issues at Sydney Airport.

Sydney Airport supports ICAO’s ‘Balanced Approach’ which is based on the following four pillars:

  • Noise reduction at source with quieter aircraft and noise-reducing engine/wing technologies and advancements in airframe design
  • Land use planning and development controls to safeguard and protect local communities from aircraft noise disturbance and passive noise control programs
  • Noise abatement operating procedures in the air and on the ground
  • Operating restrictions imposed on certain aircraft types and airport runway use and hours of operation
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Who is responsible for aircraft noise management?

The responsibility to manage aircraft noise impacts at Sydney Airport is shared by many organisations.  As well as Sydney Airport, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the Australian, NSW and local governments, airlines, aircraft and engine manufacturers, and regulators all play important roles.

The roles of Sydney Airport in relation to noise management are to:

  • Provide and maintain on-airport infrastructure to facilitate noise sharing
  • Support the use of quieter new generation aircraft
  • Ensure guidelines are in place to control noise generated by engine ground running and respond to ground-based noise complaints
  • Publish relevant and accurate information about noise impacts that can be easily accessed, including ANEF and other noise descriptors such as flight path movement charts, frequency-based aircraft noise charts and respite charts
  • Respond to ground-based noise complaints at Sydney Airport

Sydney Airport works closely with the following organisations to balance the economic and social benefits of aviation with the need to minimise noise impacts:

International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO – United Nations specialist civil aviation agency

  • Prepares global aircraft noise standards, international aviation laws and regulations which in turn are implemented in Australia by Government and industry

Airlines

  • Maintain aircraft fleets and engines that meet the required ICAO and Australian Government noise-related regulations
  • Implement noise abatement procedures
  • Develop flight schedules

Aircraft Noise Ombudsman (ANO) – the independent administrative reviewer of Airservices aircraft noise-related activities.

  • Reviews complaints, community consultation processes and aircraft-noise related information

Airservices – the Australian national air navigation service provider managing air traffic control.

  • Prepares and publishes jet noise abatement procedures
  • Determines aircraft flight paths at Sydney Airport
  • Implements noise sharing at Sydney through the Long Term Operating Plan (LTOP)
  • Publishes information on aircraft movements, runway and flight path usage and noise impacts using a range of noise descriptors
  • Handles aircraft noise complaints and inquiries (other than ground based noise)
  • Operates noise monitoring equipment around the airports and publishes results
  • Reviews and endorses ANEFs for technical accuracy
  • Administers the aircraft movement cap

Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities (DIRDC) – advises the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport on the policy and regulations for airports and the aviation industry and administers the Airports Act.

  • Enforces Sydney Airport aircraft movement cap and curfew dispensations
  • Supports the Sydney Airport Community Forum and Minister for Infrastructure and Transport

Sydney Airport Community Forum – a community forum providing advice to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Sydney Airport and aviation authorities on the abatement of aircraft noise and related environmental issues at Sydney Airport, particularly as the primary body for consultation on LTOP.

NSW and local Governments – determines the planning frameworks for areas around the airport, the aim being to ensure inappropriate development is avoided in areas where aircraft noise impacts are (or are forecast to be in the future) excessive.

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ICAO’s balanced approach to aircraft noise management

The four pillars of the ICAO Balanced Approach

A useful framework for understanding aircraft noise management can be found in the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) ‘Balanced Approach’. ICAO’s overarching policy on aircraft noise, especially comprehensive guidance on its reduction, is published in ICAO Doc. 9829 – Guidance on the Balanced Approach to Aircraft Noise Management, and consists of four key pillars:

Pillar 1 – Reduction at the source
Noise reduction at the source with quieter aircraft and noise-reducing engine/wing technologies and advancements in airframe design

Pillar 2 – Land use planning & management
Land use planning and development controls to safeguard and protect local communities from aircraft noise disturbance and passive noise control programs

Pillar 3 – Noise abatement operational procedures
Noise abatement operating procedures in the air and on the ground

Pillar 4 – Operating restrictions
Operational restrictions imposed on certain aircraft types and airport runway use and hours of operation

Learn more about the ICAO Balanced Approach by clicking here.