Return of 'Bennelong Funnel' flight path
21 Jul 10 @ 10:42am by SCOTT HOWLETT

THE “Bennelong Funnel” - the busy flight path tracking over the northern district - appeared to have returned, Lane Cove State Liberal MP Anthony Roberts has warned.

Mr Roberts said aircraft noise reached a peak when a plan was put in place in the early 1990s to funnel aircraft across Ryde, Hunters Hill and Lane Cove.

“From dawn with the first plane from Bangkok, to the last flight out to Auckland, there is no respite,” Mr Roberts had said in 2008.

Today, the planes are back, he said.

“I was recently contacted by a constituent living in Lane Cove who counted 15 planes between 6am and 6.30am and a total of 100 between 6am and 9am.

“This is just not acceptable and once again it appears that the Bennelong Funnel is back in action.”

For several years the Sydney Airport Community Forum - established to address, in part, the impact of aircraft noise on affected residents - was bipartisan.

“Following the change in Federal Government in November 2007, Federal Minister for Transport Anthony Albanese reconstituted the membership of this forum and removed those of us representing the northen suburbs,” he said.

“Now that the runway safety project has been completed and the east-west runway has returned to normal operations, it appears the northern districts has been left with more air traffic movements.”

He said he would keep making representations to the Federal Government and suggested residents contact the Sydney Airport Community Forum Noise Inquiry Unit on 1800 802 584 or send an email to community.relations@airservicesaustralia.com

Bennelong Federal Labor MP Maxine McKew said all available noise sharing modes have been in operation since the East-West runway was re-opened on April 1.

“I am advised by Airservices Australia that they have achieved the most equitable noise sharing for many years for suburbs north of the airport.”

Courtesy of Northern District Times