13 Aircraft Noise ADELAIDE AIRPORT / MASTER PLAN 2019 221 13.1. Introduction 13.2. Overview The Airports Act requires a master plan to specify the following noise-related matters: • A curfew currently operates at • An Australian Noise Exposure Forecast (ANEF) for Adelaide Airport between 11:00pm the areas surrounding Adelaide Airport and 6:00am. Some aircraft are • Flight paths at Adelaide Airport permitted to operate during • Adelaide Airport’s plans (developed following consultation with the airlines that use the airport curfew hours (mainly for medical and Local Government bodies in the vicinity of emergency flights and delivery of the airport) for managing aircraft-noise intrusion in freight and mail). areas forecast to be subject to exposure above the significant ANEF levels (i.e. 30 ANEF levels) • A new Australian Noise Exposure Additional information is provided to Forecast has been technically ensure stakeholders are informed about endorsed by Airservices. aircraft-noise management. • Adelaide Airport has a broad range of programs in place to manage aircraft noise exposure around the airport. These include: – Working with stakeholders to observe the existing curfew arrangements – Consulting and engaging with the local community – Working closely with the Commonwealth, State and Local Governments – Consulting with the airlines that use the airport – Investing in airport infrastructure to support new-generation quieter aircraft – Noise abatement procedures 222 ADELAIDE AIRPORT / MASTER PLAN 2019 13.3. Aircraft Noise Management Aircraft noise is an unavoidable impact of aircraft operations. Roles and responsibilities regarding aircraft-noise management vary across a range of organisations, as shown in Table 13-1. Management ORGANISATION RESPONSIBILITY Airlines Airlines purchase particular types of aircraft which are suitable for the routes they wish to fly or are currently flying. International Civil Aviation Organization ICAO is responsible for setting noise standards for manufacturers of new aircraft. Civil Aviation Safety Authority CASA is responsible for regulation and ensuring safe operation of civil aviation in Australia. CASA is responsible for approving the use of new aircraft types in Australia. Airservices Australia Airservices manages the airspace around Australia to maintain control over the movement of aircraft into, and out of, airports in Australia. Airservices also designs and manages the flight paths and manages aircraft-noise complaints and enquiries through its Noise Complaints and Information Service (NCIS). Aircraft Noise Ombudsman The Aircraft Noise Ombudsman oversees the handling of aircraft-noise enquiries and complaints by Airservices and the Commonwealth Department of Defence. Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development The Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure, Transport, and Communications (DITRDC) Regional Development and Communications (DITRDC) develops and enforces the policy and regulatory framework for airports and the aviation industry and administers the Airports Act. DITRDC also administers the Adelaide Airport curfew, including dispensations and regulators matters for quiet aircraft to operate during the curfew period. Adelaide Airport Limited (AAL) AAL is responsible for providing and maintaining aviation infrastructure at a high standard for aircraft movements and passenger moments at the airport. AAL does not control aircraft noise. However, through direct engagement and through the Adelaide Airport Consultative Committee and the Technical Working Group sub-committee, it implements aircraft noise- management activities. AAL actively manages ground-based noise at the airport. Adelaide Airport Technical Working Group The Adelaide Airport Technical Working Group sub-committee discusses aircraft-noise management and improvement opportunities. South Australian Government The State Government is responsible for developing land-use planning frameworks, implemented by Local Governments, C13 to prevent inappropriate (noise-sensitive) developments in the vicinity of the airport. Table 13-1: Responsibilities for Aircraft Noise ADELAIDE AIRPORT / MASTER PLAN 2019 223 13.3.1. Aircraft Noise Mitigation The Secretary of the Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and There are a broad range of programs in place to Communications has the power to grant a dispensation manage aircraft-noise exposure around the airport. that allows an aircraft to operate during a curfew These include: period. In practice, a dispensation is granted by the • Working with stakeholders to observe Minister where there are exceptional circumstances to curfew arrangements justify the flight. Dispensations must be granted before a flight operates into, or out of, Adelaide Airport and • Noise abatement procedures can be granted for certain situations such as: • Consulting and engaging with the local community • Search and rescue or medical emergencies • Working closely with the Commonwealth, State • A declared flight emergency landing or resumption and Local Governments to ensure a consistent of that flight approach, management and implementation of noise-mitigation measures • A low-fuel emergency • Consulting with the airlines that use the airport • For safety or security emergencies • Investing in airport infrastructure to support During the curfew period, aircraft take-off and new-generation quieter aircraft land over Gulf St Vincent using the main runway (Runway 05 for arrivals and Runway 23 for departures). • Quieter aircraft technology Under Section 15 of the Adelaide Airport Curfew Act 2000, Runway 23 can be used for arrivals only 13.3.1.1. Current Curfew Arrangements when Runway 05 is declared by Airservices to be not Adelaide Airport currently operates under a legislated operationally acceptable for arrivals. curfew (Adelaide Airport Curfew Act 2000) to limit The Adelaide Airport Curfew Regulations 2000 provide noise exposure from aircraft at night. During curfew for international passenger movements between hours (11:00pm to 6:00am), take-offs and landings 11:00pm and midnight and between at the airport are restricted to specific types of 5:00am and 6:00am (the curfew shoulder periods) aircraft and operations. For departing flights to meet subject to: the curfew they must be given taxi clearance by Airservices Air Traffic Control after 6:00am and • Jet aircraft meeting the strictest ICAO before 11:00pm. noise standards Some aircraft can operate during the curfew if • No more than eight arrivals per week and they meet certain low-noise criteria and observe no departures noise-abatement procedures. These aircraft movements include: 13.3.1.2. Noise Abatement Procedures • A maximum of 15 take-offs and 25 landings each Noise abatement procedures are implemented at all week during the curfew by low-noise heavy freight major airports, including Adelaide Airport, to reduce the aircraft that meet the noise level requirements set impact of aircraft noise on the community. The use of out in the Adelaide Airport Curfew Act 2000 noise abatement procedures, which include preferred runway use and preferred flight paths, are applied • Prescribed types of low-noise heavy freight aircraft by Airservices air traffic control subject to weather that may operate during the curfew conditions and aircraft requirements. (Adelaide’s • Aircraft that are listed as specified types of jet seasonal wind patterns primarily influence the use of aircraft, of a maximum take-off weight of 34,000 runways as aircraft take-off and land into the wind for kilograms or less, that comply with the Air safety and performance reasons). Navigation (Aircraft Noise) Regulations 1998 The noise abatement procedures for Adelaide Airport • Medical emergency flights, such as Royal Flying set out the preferred runway use during specific Doctor Service flights, by turbo-propeller aircraft periods of the day. Currently, between 6.00am and and small jets that comply with the Air Navigation 11.00pm the most preferred runway is main Runway (Aircraft Noise) Regulations 1998 23 (arrivals over the suburbs and departures over the water), followed by main Runway 05 (arrivals over the • Medevac helicopters are permitted to use the water and departures over the suburbs) as a second airport during curfew hours preference. If the main Runway is not available, the preferred runway is cross Runway 30 and the second preference is cross Runway 12. 224 ADELAIDE AIRPORT / MASTER PLAN 2019 Airservices conducts regular reviews to check the These regular meetings consider off-airport land-use effectiveness of noise abatement procedures and to planning including seek improvements. land-use development suitability, aircraft noise and airspace protection. 13.3.1.3. Commonwealth Noise AAL continues to work with State and Local Insulation Scheme Governments to formalise the long-term land-use In 2000, the Commonwealth Government introduced planning of land surrounding the airport. The South and operated a noise insulation program for buildings Australian Government has committed that the in areas of high aircraft noise exposure. Residential new Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act properties in the ANEI 30 contour and public buildings and the associated Planning and Design Code will (schools, places of worship, day care centres and include planning policy for the implementation of the hospitals) in the ANEI 25 contour were eligible for National Airports Safeguarding Framework (NASF). assistance under the programs. This includes