BY OLIVIA DILLON
Port Stephens MP Kate Washington is seeking a briefing on how proposed changes to flight paths at Newcastle Airport will affect Hunter residents.
Airservices Australia, the government-owned corporation which manages air traffic, will this month, hold a series of community meetings, outlining their preliminary design for new departure and arrival flight paths at the airport.
The proposed changes come after a study revealed a significant increase in traffic at Williamtown, together with the RAAF's new Joint Strike Fighter, would require an airspace redesign in accordance with international best practice.
The company says the changes will better separate civilian and military aircrafts, and will see the introduction of new procedures to ensure safer and shorter runway approaches.
However, when speaking to the Newcastle Herald, Ms Washington said she is seeking clarification on how both military and civil flight paths will impact noise levels, particularly in the Lower Hunter.
"Without a complete picture of the potential increase to noise levels, it's difficult for residents to meaningfully engage," she said.
On it's website, Airservices says noise levels have been taken into consideration during the design process.
"Where residential areas cannot be avoided, we have attempted to design the airspace so operations can be distributed and noise shared, and to avoid the most populated areas of these communities, where possible."
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| Preliminary plans have been made for changed flight paths at Newcastle Airport. |
