New flight paths proposed for controlled airspace

EACH year, more than 635,000 commercial passengers use Ballina Byron Gateway Airport.

It’s predicted that by 2040, that number will jump to 900,000.

To ensure safety with increasing air traffic, starting in 2025, air traffic controllers will manage the airspace around the airport.

This decision resulted from the 2022 Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Airspace Review of Ballina, which included extensive feedback from the industry.

The airspace around the airport is currently uncontrolled, where pilots self-separate.

The move to a controlled airspace includes a change to flight paths, and Airservices Australia will engage with community and industry stakeholders on the proposed options. CASA is leading industry engagement in the airspace change process.

A $20.68 million airport upgrade opened in March, designed to meet future aviation demands with improvements to the runway surface, approach indicators and the addition of LED runway lights.

The Ballina airport has a single runway, oriented in an east-west direction.

The path taken by a plane when landing or taking off depends on several factors, including prevailing wind, the plane’s navigation equipment and crew certification, and whether the RAAF base south of Evans Head is in use, restricting airspace.

Proposed flight paths aim to avoid planes flying low over Alstonville, West Ballina, Evans Head, Woodburn, Casino, Swan Bay and Coraki.

The paths take planes over water and less populated areas or bushland at higher altitudes.

Airservices Australia is seeking community feedback on the nine preliminary flight paths. Go to engage.airservicesaustralia.com/ballina-controlled-airspace/surveys/submit-feedback to see the proposed flight paths and to leave feedback.

It will assist in the development of the preferred designs for full environmental assessment.

Submissions close on Sunday, September 8.