Further information about aircraft operations

You can find a range of information on the Airservices website.

• to read more about how we monitor aircraft noise visit our monitoring aircraft noise webpage
• to learn more about aircraft operations visit our aircraft operations webpage
• visit Engage Airservices to engage with our program of flight path and airspace changes.

Accessing earlier noise and complaint information reports

Our interactive noise and complaint reports include data from 1 January 2017. Previous reports are available on request.

Understanding noise and annoyance – video

Everyone encounters sound every day. It is only when that sound causes an adverse effect on a listener, such as annoyance, does that sound become noise. Noise is not always just about how loud the sound is, there is a complex set of factors that drive annoyance both based upon the noise itself and what that noise means to us. Find out more by watching this video:

From the ATC archives – video

Take a look at how air traffic control and flight operations used to operate.

Although the terms noise and sound can be used interchangeably, noise is used to refer to an unwanted sound, while sound is the generic term used to refer to anything acoustic.

In the case of aircraft noise, the acoustic energy can pass through 500 metres to 10 kilometres (or more) of air to reach local communities. As a result an aircraft can sound very different depending on the distance between the community and the aircraft, be that at flying or on the ground at a nearby airport.

The following video explains how aircraft noise is generated and how the characteristics of sound from aircraft can vary depending on a range of factors, such as the height of the aircraft, the type of aircraft (jet/propeller), its speed and weather:

If you would like to read more about aircraft noise and how we monitor it, you can visit our aircraft noise webpage.

We have assembled a list of our commonly asked questions that are asked in most areas.

Why can aircraft fly at sensitive times?

Aviation is a vital industry for the Australian economy.  Business, tourism, social and freight activities rely on aviation. Unlike many other industries, aviation is regulated by the federal government rather than by state governments.  This makes aircraft noise regulation quite different from the type of noise regulation you are used to at a local level that might, for example, prohibit noisy activities before 8:00 am on a Sunday.

Major airports in Australia are situated very close to residential areas and for this reason it is not possible to design flight paths that avoid flying over homes.  In cities where the airport is located on the coast, flight paths will be designed to fly over water wherever possible. However because aircraft must take off and land into the wind, it is not always possible to avoid flying over residential suburbs by staying over water.

Aircraft noise remains a key challenge for an industry that is forecasting high levels of growth in air traffic movements over the next 20 years. Managing noise impacts on communities requires careful balance between the protection of affected residents and recognition of the broader economic and social contributions of the aviation activity.

Why can’t the flight paths be moved away from me?

Flight path design is a complex process.  Flight paths must comply with international design standards and Australian safety regulations.  Changes to flight paths may be made for a variety of reasons, including safety and noise management.  However, changes are not easy to make as changes to one flight path usually impact other flight paths. 

In considering any change, first of all we must have regard to safety – any change that could compromise safety cannot be progressed. Managing aircraft in a regular way and minimising complexities are central tenets of safety. We also consider the efficient operations of the airport and whether there would be an overall noise improvement for the community. We do not generally consider that moving noise from one part of the community to another is a noise improvement. In considering this we have to have regard to the entire flight path and the fact that moving it at one point may result in adverse effects many kilometres away. Unfortunately, the reality is that it is very difficult to identify flight path changes in metropolitan areas that can be made without moving the noise, or compromising safety or efficiency.

If a potential change is identified it must be environmentally assessed, the community, including potentially affected areas, the airlines and other stakeholders must be consulted and feedback from all must be considered. Finally, if the change is to go ahead, aeronautical documents for pilots must be produced and published and time allowed for crews and air traffic controllers to be trained in the new procedures. All these requirements mean that changes can take several years to make.

Weather, in particular wind speed and direction, is generally the main factor in determining which runways are in use at an airport, in which direction aircraft will take off and land and which flight paths are used.

At all times, the safe operation of aircraft will be the primary consideration.

Runway naming

Runways are named using a numbering system which reflects the runways’ orientation. The number, between 01 and 36, correlates to the degrees on a compass, for example:

• A runway numbed 09 points east at 90 degrees
• A runway numbered 27 points west at 270 degrees.

Some airports will have additional runways side-by-side, in this case the letters, left, right and even center are used to differentiate the different runways.

Runway use

Runways can be used in both directions and a runway will have a different name to refer to each end. In the above example the runway runs east-west, with runway 09 pointing east and 27 pointing west.

How can I find out more?

You can read more in our factsheet, available here.

The following video explains how our system calculates location-specific data used on this website:

The NFPMS

We source data directly from the Airservices Noise and Flight Path Monitoring System. The largest monitoring system in the world, combining data from air traffic control systems with a network of monitors deployed in local communities.

By using the location you provided when you entered the website, we extract data collected by this system and combine this with geographically relevant information, tailoring the site.

The grid

To be able to analyze the number of flights over your area, we have created a grid of identically sized, 1 kilometre by 1 kilometre squares. In total, the grid extends for 95 kilometres around each of the major airports in our coverage area. Initially this portal covers:

• Adelaide
• Brisbane
• Cairns
• Canberra
• Gold Coast
• Hobart
• Melbourne
• Perth
• Sunshine Coast
• Sydney

How we count the number of flights

We start by drawing a cone at the centre of each grid. Using the location that you provided when you entered the site, we determine the nearest cone to you.

Flights that pass through each cone are recorded and that
data is presented on this website.

To avoid underestimating the flights in each area and to fully cover all locations in our grid, we lower the cone 2,600 feet (800 metres) into the ground.

The cone extends up to 15,000 feet (4.5 kilometres) above local ground level and at the very top, the cone is over 30,000 feet (9.4 kilometres) wide.

Why we use a cone

We use a cone because research undertaken by the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority identified that a cone best aligns with how we determine if an aircraft has overflown a location or not.

The 48.5-degree angle of the cone was selected as it incorporates an evaluation of noise, in that if one aircraft flew directly above the observer, followed by a second aircraft off to the side along the 48.5 degree line, the second aircraft would be 3 decibels quieter than the first.

There are two types of airspace — controlled and uncontrolled.

Controlled airspace

Airservices air traffic controllers manage controlled airspace. To enter controlled airspace, an aircraft must first gain a clearance from air traffic control. In controlled airspace all aircraft must have continual radio contact with air traffic control and submit a flight plan detailing the route and height they will fly. Some emergency operations do not have to submit a flight plan, due to the urgency of their flights.

Uncontrolled airspace

All other airspace is uncontrolled. No clearance is required to operate in uncontrolled airspace and there is no supervision by air traffic control. Pilots operating in uncontrolled airspace must still comply with aviation regulations. However, they do not need to submit a flight plan and they may only have partial radio contact. The large majority of light aircraft and helicopters operate mostly in uncontrolled airspace.

Find out more

Learn more about classes of Australia airspace