New flight paths proposed for planes going over the Sorell municipality

More than three years after initial proposals were first released to the public, community consultation on the preferred flight path for aircraft travelling through the Sorell municipality en route to Hobart Airport is entering its final stages.

Through public consultation, Air Services Australia has recommended a flight path that will see aircraft go further south than they currently do as they loop into land at Hobart Airport.

The change will apply only to southbound landings, as general aviation protocols recommend that aircraft land into the wind where possible.

The current flight path has aircraft flying between Carlton and Primrose Sands, affecting an estimated 971 residents.

The proposed flight path, which will be shifted further south, will only directly affect 94 residents.

That option was presented to the community and industry by Air Services Australia in late 2024.

Following the assessment, it was determined that the route offers a net noise improvement and has been endorsed as the preferred flight path option.

An Air Services Australia review found that the flight path: 

• meets the stringent safety standards for approach procedure design;
• strikes the best balance between community noise improvements and maintaining industry efficiency through RNP-AR operations;
• is located over primarily vacant land between Connellys Marsh and Primrose Sands, avoiding direct overflight of homes, noting communities on either side of the proposed flight path location may notice the operations
• minimises additional track miles and associated CO2 emissions;
• and enables the use of the recommended 3-degree descent approach, which results in a slightly higher altitude over communities (approximately 210m) than current operations at waypoint BAVUR, where the procedure starts.

Further community engagement sessions took place between November 23 and 25 at Primrose Sands, Dodges Ferry and Dunalley.

Air Services Australia is accepting public submissions on the flight path until January 11, with a preferred design assessment outcome set to be released in the first half of 2026.