Australia’s government will start consultations with a view to reviewing the list of business jets that are allowed to operate during the curfew periods at Sydney and Adelaide airports, but has given no indication it will allow more commercial jets onto the list.
Infrastructure Minister Warren Truss says that the last time that the aircraft permitted list was updated was in 2005, and since then newer and more quiet aircraft have become available but are not yet permitted to operate from the airport between the 11pm to 6am curfew.
“The Coalition Government proposes to update the list of aircraft by allowing newer, quieter Chapter 4 aircraft models to operate during the curfew,” says Truss. “Older, noisier aircraft currently on the list will no longer be able to land during the curfew after 2022.”
Aircraft permitted to take off and land during the curfew include a limited range of Gulfstreams, Learjets and Challenger business jets with a MTOW less than 34,000kg. Propeller aircraft also under the same MTOW limit are also allowed, while there is also dispensation for a limited number of movements by BAe 146 Freighters at Sydney.
The announcement was welcomed by the Australian Business Aircraft Association (ABAA), which has been campaigning for some years to revise the list of exempt aircraft.
ABAA chief executive David Bell says that the organisation is “looking forward to working with the Department… during the forthcoming consultation period regarding amendments to the types of low noise jet aircraft permitted to operate during the curfew.
Despite the likely changes for business jets, Truss has given no indication that the list will be extended to include modern commercial airliners. Emirates, Jetstar and other carriers have received fines in recent years for permitting their aircraft to take off during the curfew period at Sydney.
He also emphasised that the government will retain Sydney airport’s cap of 80 movements per hour.
[Updated with comment from ABAA]
Source: Cirium Dashboard
