Scrap Hobart Airport flight path changes and start again, says Lyons MP

AIRSERVICES Australia is being urged to drop new flight paths around the Hobart Airport and start all over again.

Flight path changes for Hobart Airport sparked a surge in noise complaints.

AIRSERVICES Australia is being urged to drop new flight paths around the Hobart Airport and start all over again.

Lyons MP Brian Mitchell’s comments come after Airservices Australia implemented changes in September last year which caused an outcry among affected people on the Tasman Peninsula.

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In a recent report the Aircraft Noise Ombudsman blasted a total lack of consultation by Airservices Australia in the period before the changes began.

Mr Mitchell said short-term measures introduced by Airservices Australia on March 1, 2018, known as alternative 2, were not satisfactory either.

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“I stand with the residents of Dunalley and surrounds and call for Airservices to go back to the original flight paths and then start a new, proper consultation process,” Mr Mitchell said.

He said there was no demonstrated need for the change from the old flight paths.

“There was no call from pilots or air traffic controllers and no evidence of any incidents which meant the route changes were needed,” he said.

He said the ANO report showed that the whole process was flawed and the environmental assessment process was so poor that it should be rendered null and void.

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The Airservices Australia change to Standard Instrument Departure and Standard Arrival Route flight paths came after a Civil Aviation Safety Authority audit in 2015 said increased air traffic was adversely affecting air traffic control and workload.

A local resident, who did not want to be named, said residents supported the call for a return to the previous flight paths.

The resident is still affected by up to 30 flights a day despite the March 1 interim measure.

“I strongly support the Aircraft Noise Ombudmans report which shows that they rushed to implement the changes and also rushed the March 1 changes,” the resident said.

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The resident said it appeared the flight path changes were made in a rush because the main ground-based navigation aid at the Airport had to be to be relocated to make way for the $40 million runway extension.

“Airservices has released a new consultation plan for Hobart, and we have been informed that consultation will be done by a private sector consultant,” the resident said.

‘The whole process will take more than a year. We still have little faith this will be anything more than a tokenistic exercise allowing Canberra bureaucrats to hide behind expensive consultants.

‘The flight path needs to be reverted back as soon as possible as a show of good faith and to prevent the damage it is currently causing to communities.”

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Airservices Australia has said consultation will begin in late May or early June and take 12 to 18 months.

It acknowledged this week that it failed to adequately inform and engage with residents who hade been affected by aircraft noise because of the flight path changes.

“Airservices is committed to working with the affected communities, undertaking open and transparent consultation regarding proposed flight path changes to rebuild goodwill and trust with local residents,” a spokeswoman said.

“We are engaging external expertise to guide and develop community consultation into the future.”