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Sunshine Coast Noise Abatement Procedure Overview

A Noise Abatement Procedure (NAP) is a procedure designed to reduce the impact of aircraft noise on the community.

Airservices Australia has the following NAP in place at Sunshine Coast Airport:

Reporting is now available for:

  1. Preferred Runway Use
  2. Preferred Flight Paths

The following NAPs are not able to be reported on by Airservices Australia as we do not have ready access to the required data.

  1. Training flight
  2. Other restrictions

NAP reporting for this airport will be released in the third week of the month for the previous month.

It is important to note that NAPs are not mandatory; Air Traffic Control (ATC) and pilots apply the NAPs whenever possible. ATC and Pilots will determine when critical operational requirements override the use of NAPs.

The overview below provides monthly movement numbers, runway end usage, and the types of aircraft operating at Sunshine Coast airport. Note that the percentages shown at each end of the runway represent the proportion of arrivals or departures using that direction.

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.

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Sunshine Coast Airport NAP 1: Preferred Runway Use

The NAP lists the preferred runways as:

Priority 1:

Arriving Runway 31 , departing Runway 13

Weather, in particular wind speed and direction, is generally the main factor in determining which runways are in use, as aircraft operate safest when taking off and landing into the wind. Air traffic control (ATC) will determine the optimal runway to be used based on wind and weather conditions, type of aircraft, traffic conditions and runway availability. Pilots can also request a runway that is best suited to the capability of their aircraft.

When there are easterly or southerly winds, aircraft will usually approach the runway from an inland direction (landing on Runway 13) and depart towards the ocean (taking off from Runway 13). This happens most frequently during the summer and autumn months.

When the wind is from a westerly or northerly direction, the runway is more commonly used in the opposite direction. This is more often in the winter and spring months.

ATC monitor wind and runway selection at all times, as weather conditions can quickly change. Once the runway is chosen, it needs to be available for an extended time to allow pilots to plan their descent, approach and landing. As this involves predicting developing weather, aircraft may continue to land on a runway when local weather conditions no longer appear to require it.

For more information on runway selection and seasonal winds, please visit this page

The report below provides the percentage of each operating mode during daytime and night-time periods for each month. Other Operations refer to modes used when preferred modes are not available, due to things like runway works, adverse weather and emergency situations.

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 ±0.1% are expected and do not indicate any errors in the underlying absolute figures, which remain accurate and unaffected.

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Sunshine Coast Airport NAP 2: Preferred Flight Paths

The NAP lists the preferred flight paths as:

2.1 Preferred Flight Paths

All arriving and departing aircraft to track via a SID and STAR for aircraft above 5,700kg.

Arrivals (STAR)

Departures (SID)

Adherence with this procedure is reported below.

The Preferred Flight Paths Report below shows a historically low adherence of arrivals to Runway 31 following the preferred flight paths. This means that aircraft that are arriving to the runway over water are not following the preferred arrival flight path.

Our investigation of this low adherence shows that while arriving aircraft are following the arrival path over land, many of the aircraft that are approaching from southern destinations often deviate from the arrival flight path when over water.

Noise abatement focuses on methods to minimise aircraft impacts over land. As this deviation from the arrival flight path is occurring over open water, the operation remains consistent with the intent of the preferred flight paths NAP, being to avoid populous areas.

We are working to modify the collation and reporting of this data to better reflect the on-ground experience of noise abatement.

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 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.

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