August 23, 2023
Redlands, Queensland – A wave of criticism has surged from residents of northern Redlands as they vehemently oppose a new plan to redirect increased flight traffic over their communities. The contentious proposal, released as part of Airservices Australia’s Noise Action Plan, has sparked a call to arms among locals, urging them to participate in forthcoming community consultations to express their concerns.
The Noise Action Plan, unveiled by Airservices Australia, outlines a series of flight path modifications for Brisbane Airport, aiming to distribute flights more evenly across the city’s southeast region while reducing air traffic over the eastern suburbs. One specific flight path alternative under scrutiny entails routing aircraft directly over the Birkdale and Thorneside neighbourhoods at 6100 feet.
Community representative Steve Muller, a Brisbane Airport Aircraft Advisory Board voice, voiced his distress, citing that departing aircraft on this proposed route would fly at a low altitude, emitting excessive noise due to full-throttle operation. “The roar of the engines is deafening, and the departure noise is particularly disruptive,” Muller lamented. He emphasised that the impending flight path could severely disrupt residents’ sleep patterns due to the remarkably low altitude of the aircraft.
In response to the growing outcry, an Airservices Australia spokesperson stated that the newly proposed noise-sharing flight path approach was formulated to mitigate the nighttime noise impact on communities north and northwest of Brisbane Airport. The spokesperson clarified that this novel approach aimed to disperse the noise effects across the city, as recommended by Trax International and influenced by community feedback.
Noise level analyses conducted near Tingalpa Creek revealed that the projected noise level from a typical international jet was anticipated to reach 60-65 decibels, akin to the sound generated during a normal conversation.
Earlier discussions this year had considered routing the flight path over Wynnum, but this notion was met with resounding resistance during a May drop-in session in the Wynnum community. In response, the proposal was realigned to cover Birkdale and Thorneside, raising questions about the rationale behind the adjustments.
Critics, including Muller, raised concerns about the route changes and the lack of consideration for the communities impacted. Muller accused Airservices Australia of merely shifting the problem to different neighbourhoods until complaints arose. He denounced the simplistic approach and lack of awareness among Redlands residents regarding the imminent changes.
The crux of the issue for Muller and other critics was that the proposed flight path sent aircraft southeast over Redlands despite their northwestern destination. He asserted that this approach unnecessarily intruded upon the lives of residents in the area.
The Airservices Australia spokesperson defended the plan, stating that they were tasked with devising a flight path option that would guide aircraft swiftly over water during initial ascent, thus reducing noise impact on communities. Subsequently, once the plane reached higher altitudes (approximately 17,000 feet), they would veer back towards the coastline for their northwest-bound journey. While the aim was to traverse less densely populated regions, it was acknowledged that complete avoidance of communities was infeasible.
Airservices Australia has arranged two drop-in sessions for community engagement to address growing concerns. The first session took place on August 19 at the Redlands Lions Club Hall in Cleveland from 8 a.m. to noon. The second is scheduled for August 30 at Club Manly from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Muller encouraged residents of Birkdale and Thorneside to actively participate in these sessions actively, emphasising the importance of considering alternative flight path options.
Anthony Sullivan, a former Air Navigation Technician with 14 years of experience at Airservices Australia, urged the community to take the matter seriously, stressing that the anticipated noise levels would exceed expectations. “If we don’t voice our concerns now, we could face increased noise without recourse,” Sullivan cautioned.
As tensions rise and the debate intensifies, the fate of these proposed flight path alterations hangs in the balance, with residents poised to make their voices heard to preserve the tranquillity of their neighbourhoods.
Source: Redland City News
