Generally, aircraft land and take-off into the wind. Therefore, the prevailing wind conditions influence which runway direction is being used at any time during the day and evening. When Runway 05 is used, all aircraft arrive from the south-west and depart to the north-east. When Runway 23 is used, all aircraft arrive from the north-east and depart to the south-west.

During the day and evening (5.30am to 11pm), arrival and departure paths are designed to ensure separation from arriving and departing aircraft from Sydney Kingsford-Smith Airport (Sydney Airport).

At night (11pm to 5.30am), when additional airspace flexibility is available because of the curfew at Sydney Airport noise preferential flight paths are used to direct aircraft away from residential areas, where possible. The use of night runway operating modes at WSI is dependent on transition to and from Sydney Airport curfew, so this means there may be variations from day to day to accommodate these transitions.

Departures

Departing aircraft will initially follow the runway heading after take-off. Once they have reached the appropriate altitude and air traffic control clearance, they will then turn onto their designated flight paths and continue toward their destination.

Depending on the runway mode in use, residents in suburbs located to the south-west and north-east of the runway centreline may notice aircraft overhead shortly after take-off. These aircraft will generally be climbing and following the runway heading before commencing any turns onto their assigned departure routes. This means that the areas experiencing departing aircraft can vary depending on which runway configuration is being used on the day.

The altitude of aircraft after departure will depend on factors such as the type of aircraft, how heavily laden it is with fuel and passengers, and the atmospheric conditions at the time. All these factors affect an aircraft’s climb rate. There is no regulated minimum altitude for an aircraft in the process of taking off.

Arrivals

Aircraft arriving at the airport will generally follow their designated flight paths as they approach the runway. As they get closer to the airport, aircraft will align with the runway centreline and continue straight ahead for landing.

Depending on the runway mode in use, residents in suburbs located to the south-west and north-east of the runway centreline may notice aircraft overhead during the final stages of their approach. These aircraft will typically be descending and aligning with the runway in preparation for landing. As a result, the areas experiencing arriving aircraft can vary depending on which runway configuration is being used on the day. The altitude of an aircraft when it begins its final approach will depend on how far it still has to fly before reaching the runway.

Flight path information

You can access historical information about flight path use through WebTrak. To access this information click the “Historical” link below the text in the Quick Start Guide at the top left-hand side of the screen. Then use the tick boxes at the bottom-right of the screen to select monthly, quarterly or yearly information. Use the sliders to refine your selection to specific timeframes.