Airspace design and flight paths for the new runway at Sunshine Coast Airport out for technical review
Sunshine Coast Council’s Airport Expansion Project is progressing well and remains on target for completion by the end of 2020 as scheduled.
Sunshine Coast Council’s Airport Expansion Project is progressing well and remains on target for completion by the end of 2020 as scheduled.
Sunshine Coast Council has engaged Airservices Australia, the nation’s air navigation service provider, to finalise the flight path designs. Airservices Australia manages 11 per cent of the world’s airspace in which there are more than four million aircraft movements carrying more than 156 million passengers annually.
The proposed flight paths and airspace changes for the new runway are progressing well and the designs have been released for community and aviation industry comment today, Wednesday, March 20.
Sunshine Coast Council, Airservices Australia and the Sunshine Coast Airport will conduct information sessions and briefings to present the proposed airspace and flight path designs for the new runway.
An analysis indicates that there will be minimal material change to the information originally included in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) consultation process conducted in 2014 and 2015.
Sunshine Coast Council Economic Development Portfolio Councillor Stephen Robinson said this was the final step in the airspace design process and while there are minimal changes to what was presented as part of the EIS, it is an opportunity for a more detailed look at how the airspace will operate once the new runway is in service.
“The engagement program will run for six weeks, from Wednesday, March 20 until Tuesday, April 30 2019,” Cr Robinson said.
Councillor Robinson said there would be several opportunities for the community to meet with Sunshine Coast Council, Airservices Australia and the Sunshine Coast Airport to find out more detail about the frequency, exact location and height of planes along the new flight paths.
“There will be drop-in sessions and pop-up information stands for the community during the engagement period and the opportunity to provide feedback via Airservices Australia’s online portal,” Cr Robinson said.
Sunshine Coast Airport CEO Andrew Brodie said the finalisation of the airspace and flight paths was great news for the aviation industry.
“The new runway will enable Sunshine Coast Airport to attract new direct flights from longer-haul destinations in Australia, the Pacific and Asia,” Mr Brodie said.
“It will be a game-changer for the region, providing a major boost to the economy and sustainable jobs for the community.”
For further information on the engagement program and how to provide feedback, visit the Sunshine Coast Airport Expansion project page.
Other community engagement activities being conducted include:
1. Drop-in sessions
- Saturday 23 March 2019 between 10am and 1pm, North Shore Community Centre
- Wednesday 27 March 2019 between 5.30pm and 8pm, Coolum Civic Centre
- Saturday 30 March 2019 between 2pm and 4.30pm, Surfair Beach Hotel, Marcoola
- Wednesday 3 April 2019 between 5.30pm and 8pm, Coolum Civic Centre
- Monday 8 April 2019 between 12pm – 8pm, Cooran Memorial School of Arts
- Wednesday 10 April 2019 between 12pm – 7pm, Pomona and District Community House
- Thursday 11 April 2019 between 12pm – 7pm, Verrierdale Hall
- Saturday 13 April 2019 between 11am – 3pm, Cooroy Memorial Hall
2. Information kiosks
- Thursday 28 March 2019 between 3pm and 7pm, Noosa Civic Shopping Centre
- Saturday 30 March 2019 between 9.30am and 12.30pm, Big Top Shopping Centre, Maroochydore
- Sunday 31 March 2019 between 10am and 12noon, Peregian Springs Shopping Centre.