Cairns Airport NAP 2: Preferred Flight Paths
The NAP lists the preferred flight paths as:
2.1: Arrivals General Procedures
- Aircraft will be routed away from populated areas until they are either over the ocean, or lined up with their final approach path – reporting options currently under review.
- Pilots should delay using flaps as long as safely possible to reduce noise during landing – data not available.
2.1.a: Arrivals to Runway 15
When weather is good (VMC), aircraft will:
- Follow STAR procedures (Standard Arrival Routes).
- May be directed to do a Runway 33 LOC approach.
- May also visually manoeuvre from BENJI waypoint to cross the coast at Richter’s Creek.
2.1.b: Arrivals to Runway 33
- Track via LOC approach or
- If suitable weather join a visual right circuit seaward of the coastline.
2.2: Departures
- Aircraft to follow SID procedures and then be routed clear of populous areas.
Jets (Runway 33) NAP has been investigated and has been confirmed as relating to operations that leave the SID over water when heading south. We will revise reporting in future months to focus only on operations over land in the initial part of the SID which is the focus of noise abatement. This will change the reporting results.
Note: Air Traffic Control may adjust paths for weather and/or traffic conditions.
Standard Instrument Departures (SID) and Standard Instrument Arrivals (STARs) are published flight paths designed to enhance safety, efficiency, and predictability. Air traffic control (ATC) may issue a deviation to a SID or STAR due to weather and/ or traffic conditions.
The report below provides the percentage adherence against the NAP criteria for preferred flight paths from June 2025. Reporting dating back to January 2025 is currently being prepared and will be added to this page soon.
The report is best viewed in full screen mode.
Note: Due to rounding, percentage values may not sum to exactly 100.0%. Minor discrepancies of up to ±1% are expected and do not indicate any errors in the underlying absolute figures, which remain accurate and unaffected.
