Government backs down on Essendon Fields Airport curfew

CORPORATE high-flyers won’t be able to swan into Essendon Fields Airport at all hours of the night after a backdown by the Federal Government.

CORPORATE high-flyers have been banned from landing at Essendon Fields Airport at all hours of the night.

In a win for local residents, there will be no change to the airport’s jet curfew hours of 11pm to 6am.

Residents were outraged at proposed changes to the airport’s curfew, which ­effectively bans jet movements in the small hours. Small propeller planes, which are quieter, are not banned overnight. Larger prop planes have noise limits.

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The proposals, considered by the Federal Government, would have opened up the airport to business jets as loud as 90 decibels landing overnight.

Essendon Field Airport had argued that modern jets were quieter than those of decades gone by, and the curfew change would add just 100 corporate jet movements a year.

But Gowanbrae Residents’ Group president Ron Dorre said the Department of Infrastructure’s decision to keep the status quo was a great win for the local community. “We’ve been fighting this change for about a year, which is when we first heard about it,” he said.

“We were always optimistic. A lot of people weren’t happy about the proposal when it first came out. Our main concern was noise levels … at all hours of the night.”

Planes on the tarmac at Essendon Fields Airport. Picture: George Salpigtidis

Labor’s federal member for Wills, Peter Khalil, said it was a “huge win for our community”.

“I advocated for residents every step of the way, speaking and writing to all three infrastructure ministers who have come and gone since the initial proposals were announced last year,” Mr Khalil said.

Essendon Fields Airport, which could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Its CEO Chris Cowan had argued that operators of corporate jets “require the ability to fly anywhere any time in the course of their business. The proposed changes to the curfew simply remove red tape which restricts efficient airport operations. Modern jets are relatively quieter nowadays than many propeller aircraft”.

An increase in the weight limit for all planes using the airport outside curfew hours, from 45,000kg to 50,000kg but limited to 19 seats, is being considered by the Department of ­Infrastructure. A spokesman said it was seeking feedback on that proposal.

“There will be no changes to the current curfew arrangements,” the spokesman added.

Essendon Fields Airport changed its name from Essendon Airport last November.

@Gallo_Ways