Airservices statement regarding Hobart flight path changes

At today's Community Aviation Consultative Group meeting in Hobart, Airservices announced it intends to implement an alternative flight path into Hobart Airport based on safety, air traffic management and community feedback.

The implementation of an alternative flight path will see aircraft move further away and provide an improved noise outcome for some existing affected areas starting from Kellevie in the north to Dunalley in the south.

The alternative flight path is now closely aligned to the original flight path while still achieving the safety outcome.

This implementation is planned to be completed in March 2018 due to the requirement to publish the procedure in aeronautical documentation and provide airlines with sufficient time to program it into their flight management systems.

Airservices introduced changes to arrival and departure routes at Hobart Airport on 14 September 2017 which were designed to organise aircraft arriving into or departing from Hobart Airport onto standard routes - SIDS and STARS.

Following implementation, Airservices acknowledged that community consultation was not adequate regarding the changes to the new STAR flight path to Runway 30. In light of that, Airservices undertook a review of the flight path and facilitated a community consultation session in Dunalley on 11 November 2017 to better understand community concerns. Airservices also encouraged community members to provide written submissions as another feedback mechanism.

Airservices has considered the community feedback, including 71 submissions received, which has informed Airservices intent to implement an alternative flight path with an improved noise outcome for those affected communities while still achieving the intended safety outcome.

Information about the flight path at Hobart Airport is available on the Airservices website.

The full report of the review will be made available by the end of this week.