Federally-leased airports (excluding Mt. Isa and Tennant Creek) have established Community Aviation Consultation Groups (CACGs), which provide an effective avenue for local community engagement on airport planning and operations, including aircraft noise. The Department for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications provides guidelines for CACGs.

Non federally-leased airports may also choose to establish CACGs or community forums.

CACG membership depends on the characteristics of the airport and any local issues of community concern however, generally includes:

• airport management
• aircraft operators
• community organisations or representatives
• representatives from state, territory or local government bodies
• local tourism and business groups.

Airservices does not formally belong to CACGs, but is invited to attend to provide relevant information and assist in discussions. We engage with CACGs on flight path and airspace changes, as well as technical reviews, such as noise monitoring and noise abatement procedures.

Find out more information on the Cairns Community Aviation Consultation Groups (CACGs).

Airservices investigated whether the Smart Tracking (RNP) arrival flight path to Runway 15 could include a “kink” to avoid the suburb of Holloway’s Beach. Due to the capabilities of Smart Tracking navigation, this was feasible and a change was delivered.

Around five helicopters a day flew over Palm Cove because of the location of a reporting point. The investigation found that moving the reporting point over water was feasible from a safety and efficiency perspective and would be a noise improvement for Palm Cove. The change was implemented.

Aircraft making late turns after departure from Runway 15 impacts on residents in the Esplanade area in Cairns. The investigation established that this was occurring more frequently than expected. Airservices wrote to the airlines to communicate the community concerns and ask for confirmation that they would comply with the requirements of the departure procedure at all times, unless there were critical reasons not to do so (ie emergency or weather). Subsequently community representatives on the Airport Environment Consultative Committee noted that they had seen a difference.

In Cairns there is significant helicopter traffic to and from the reef. While helicopters usually track direct between the Cairns Airport helipad and the reef, at times helicopters are tracked over residents to the north of the airport resulting in concerns being raised by residents.

Discussions with air traffic control revealed that due to the helipad’s location to the west of the runway, at times there was conflict with arriving or departing fixed wing aircraft which prevented helicopters tracking directly to or from the helipad.

A possible noise improvement was identified that, where it was not possible to provide direct tracking and where it is operationally feasible, helicopters be instructed by air traffic control to track via the inlets and not over the residential areas. This would mean that track miles would be increased on these occasions. Further discussions with air traffic control will be undertaken.

The Airport Environmental Consultative Committee requested an investigation into concerns that some airlines were not performing the required turn correctly after departure from Runway 15. Aircraft are required to begin their turns at the earlier of the end of the runway or when they reach 400 feet. Non-compliance is followed up by air traffic control.

Data on 4178 jet departures from July to November 2016 was analysed. The investigation found that variations in the turns were not confined to any one airline, and were the result of the differing turn performance of different aircraft types. While aircraft were beginning their turns at the correct point in flight, some aircraft types would take longer to complete the turn than others, creating a wider arc.

In April 2018 the Noise Complaints and Information Service conducted an investigation to review the concerns raised in complaints from community members and the Airport Environmental Consultative Committee about non-compliance with the Runway 15 departure procedure.

Runway 15 Departures Report