COMMUNITY INFORMATION BOOKLET TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Our vision 5 2 For those planning to move into the area 6 3 What do we do at Essendon Airport? 7 4 Aircraft movements 8 5 Fly Neighbourly program 8 6 WebTrak 12 7 Airport operations 13 Tower hours 13 Curfew restriction 13 Weight restrictions 13 8 Noise complaints and enquiries 14 9 Ground based noise 15 10 Historical aviation activity 16 Table 7.1 Historic aviation activity at Essendon Airport (calendar years) 16 Table 7.2 Essendon Airport in 2012 proportion of aircraft movements 16 11 Australian Noise Exposure Forecast 2033 (ANEF 2033) 17 12 Community Aviation Consultative Group 18 13 Airport development proposals 19 14 Frequently asked questions 19 15 Who can I contact? 20 3 Essendon Airport remains a vital aviation resource for Melbourne and regional Victoria. It continues to provide excellent facilities to the aviation industry, with 1 | OUR VISION a special emphasis on Police and Emergency Services, flight support and the corporate aviation market. In addition, it offers the opportunity to create an Essendon Airport Pty Ltd’s vision for the airport is: integrated business environment, unlike anything else in Melbourne. Essendon Airport is a strategically important parcel of land, providing a unique “To establish a commercially viable, safe and functional general opportunity to reinforce its activity centre function by realising non-aviation aviation facility which meets projected aviation requirements development potential. whilst utilising the property’s strategic land holdings for high The site has potential for the creation of thousands of new employment quality commercial development”. opportunities, through the enhancement and expansion of the range of services and facilities presently located in the northwest of Melbourne. EAPL has established the following development objectives to achieve the vision: Further information on these opportunities can be found in the Essendon Airport • To improve and maintain safe, • To improve the integration of the Master Plan which is available on the Essendon Airport Website secure and efficient airport airport with its surrounds; and operations; (www.essendonairport.com.au). • To consolidate airport operations • To add value to the airport by and aviation requirements to realising development opportunities; ensure efficient and sustainable land use. • To increase market awareness of development opportunities at the Chris Cowan airport; 4 5 2 | FOR THOSE PLANNING TO MOVE INTO THE AREA With residential and commercial communities located immediately adjacent to our airport boundary, the protection of Airspace is a major focus. EAPL is working with the Federal, State and Local Governments to support improvements in planning outcomes that will improve the safety and viability of operations in the Melbourne region. 3 | WHAT DO WE DO AT ESSENDON EAPL has recently worked with the • Consider using Airservices Australia’s Moonee Valley City Council to finalise online WebTrak tool which will allow AIRPORT? a planning scheme amendment you to investigate actual flight relating to building height restrictions movements over the location that in areas under the runway approach you may be considering (see page Essendon Airport provides facilities and services for International and departure paths. 12 for further details); and Domestic corporate aircraft, aircraft maintenance, airfreight, An Airport Environs Overlay has not • Review the current Noise Exposure aircraft charter, regional activation services and emergency air been prepared for Essendon Airport. Forecast plan (on page 17). This shows the forecast noise levels service providers. Combined, these operators undertake more For those considering a move into the for residential zones close to the than 50,000 annual aircraft movements. area we recommend the following: airport and can be obtained on our website; The maps shown on page 10 and 11 The flight paths servicing Melbourne • Refer to Chapter 8 of the EAPL show the primary flight paths Airport are not shown on these maps Master Plan (Aircraft Noise and • You should also refer your building provided by Airservices for arriving as these are outside the Essendon Airspace Management) advisors to the Airspace Charts of and departing aircraft and helicopters Airport prescribed airspace and (http://www.essendonairport.com. page 79 – 87 of the MP. at Essendon Airport. It is important generally involve the operation of au/planning/masterplan); If you have further questions after to note that aircraft may diverge from aircraft at a higher altitude. These • Speak to people already living in following the above process you can these flight paths on some occasions. aircraft may also contribute to noise the area; get further advice from Essendon levels experienced by the community • Spend time in the location to gain Airport via the enquiry link on our from time to time. an understanding of aircraft activity website (see page 20 for details). and noise level. Try to cover both day and night periods; 6 7 4 | AIRCRAFT MOVEMENTS The Master Plan contains the following In broad terms, it is envisaged that forecasts for the period 2013 to 2033: aircraft movement declines in some airframe types (namely single • Single Propeller Aircraft propeller and twin propeller) will Movements are likely to continue largely be offset by increases in to decline by 2% to 3% per annum; others (namely turboprop, jet and • Twin Propeller Aircraft Movements rotary wing aircraft). are likely to continue to decline by 2% per annum; It is therefore considered that whilst there has been a decline in flight • Twin Turboprop Movements are activity during this decade, this will likely to increase by 1% per annum; now be stabilised and will remain • Jet Movements are likely to increase consistent in the future. by 2% to 3% per annum; and More particularly, we therefore • Rotary Wing Movements anticipate that total average (helicopters) are likely to increase movements over the next 20 years by 2% per annum. will be within the range of 53,000 to 57,000 movements per annum. 5 | FLY NEIGHBOURLY PROGRAM Aircraft noise will always arise as part of an airport’s operation, and while modern aircraft are becoming quieter, considerable ongoing attention is required to manage the noise associated with an airport. Initiatives undertaken by EAPL in While aircraft flight paths and conjunction with the Community responses to noise created by Aviation Consultative Group (CACG) aviation movements are primarily the include the implementation of the responsibility of Airservices Australia, first Fly Neighbourly Agreement EAPL takes a proactive approach to in Australia. noise impacts on the community. Currently 22 operators have signed the Fly Neighbourly Agreement. 8 9 Standard flight tracks for fixed wing arrivals Standard flight tracks for helicopter arrivals Standard flight tracks for fixed wing departures Standard flight tracks for helicopter departures 10 11 7 | AIRPORT OPERATIONS Tower hours • A dispensation is granted by the Secretary under regulation 15 that The Essendon Airport Control Tower authorises the take-off or landing, is active Monday to Friday from and the take-off or landing is in 6.00am to 10pm, Saturday and Sunday accordance with the dispensation. 7am to 10pm. Outside of these hours Airservices includes data on curfew control service is managed by movements in its quarterly aircraft Airservices at Melbourne Airport. noise information reports. A recent report shows the following: Curfew restriction 6 | • On average, there are around WEBTRAK The Air Navigation (Essendon six movements per night during Airport) Regulations 2001 (Cth) curfew hours; prescribe a curfew period which • The records show the operations Airservices provides a tool called WebTrak on its website applies to aircraft from 11pm until are spread across both runways. which allows you to access flight activity of most aircraft over 6am the following day. Movements metropolitan areas. Using a map to display surrounding that are permitted during curfew Weight restrictions periods include: suburbs within 55km of a selected airport, WebTrak allows The Air Navigation (Essendon • Propeller driven aircraft and you to view information about arriving and departing aircraft, Airport) Regulations 2001 (Cth) does helicopters subject to specified not permit aircraft over a maximum ranging from 40 minutes to three months ago. Limited maximum take-off weights and take-off weight of 45,000kgs to or maximum noise levels; emergency operations are not always shown on WebTrak. operate at Essendon Airport at • Where the aircraft is involved in any time. You can also: How does it work? an emergency; or Domestic passenger jets are well in • Locate your street address to have WebTrak uses information from air • Where the aircraft is involved in excess of 45,000kgs. your home appear on the map; traffic control secondary surveillance a Police Air Wing operation; or radars to monitor aircraft: • See noise levels of individual An example of one of the largest aircraft; • Within 55km of the airport; aircraft able to operate from Essendon • View information about the aircraft • Up to a height of 30,000ft above Airport is shown below. including aircraft type, height, mean sea level (AMSL). origin and destination; Aircraft noise data is downloaded • Display an aircraft’s flight path daily from noise monitors and point of closest approach strategically located around the to your home; communities close to the airport. • Zoom in and out down