SAVE Swan Hill Serenity Action Group (SSHSAG) has issued Swan Hill Rural City Council with a response to its report on the Aerodrome Curfew and User Fees and Charges, with the local group concerned with the noise which can be generated from student pilots’ circuit training.
In their submission to council, the group stated while they considered the original report ineffective, they have acknowledged the proposed aerodrome fees for landing and ‘touch and go’ could potentially deter the risk of noise from visiting industrial scale aircraft.
‘Having said that, we have no desire to adversely burden local aviators with additional operating costs’, the submission read.
“I moved back to Swan Hill to retire and work, like a lot of people my age,” chair Jacquie Kelly said.
“And the appeal lies in the fact that this town, this community, is peaceful and quiet.
“We don’t want noise pollution from visiting training schools, where they do industrial scale flight training.”
Ms Kelly said neighbouring city Mildura has a similar situation before the Covid crisis, where visiting student pilots from China would fly overhead and regularly disrupt the peace of locals.
“Just over a year ago, around 18 months, we heard council was negotiating with an offshoot of the company that runs the flight school,” Ms Kelly said.
“We think the prospect of those pilots coming here sounds terrible.
“Covid has meant the Chinese students are not currently here, but we’re concerned for when they come back,” she said.
“Circuit training is repetitive, and a lot of the time the planes are flying at low altitude over houses.
“We have been actively lobbying ever since, by attending general council meetings, writing letters, and creating a Facebook page which has 800 followers.”
Ms Kelly said the group had also been seeking advice from other groups across Australia who are concerned with noise pollution from aircraft.
Within their submission, SSHSAG have proposed thirty ERSA (En Route Supplement Australia) recommendations.
On Let’s Talk Swan Hill the council are asking for feedback on a proposed night-time curfew and new user fees and charges for the aerodromes in Swan Hill and Robinvale, after residents had expressed concern about circuit training noise.
The curfew would take effect from 11pm until 6am, each night.
Both aerodromes are currently open for 24/7 access, and the curfew would be designed to only limit circuit training, not emergency service and landing aircrafts.
The user fees and charges (landing, parking, etc.) have been structured to be ‘non-discriminatory’ and ‘consistent with the current up-to-date charges across similar airport and aerodromes within Australia’.
The survey is currently open, and the curfew will also be addressed at the general council meeting for July.
“Council has indicated its proposed position in relation to fees and charges and circuit training at our two aerodromes,” chief executive John McLinden said.
“Before making a final decision, council wants to hear and understand the views of our community who have an interest in this matter.
“That is why we have put the matter out to public consultation.
“Council does not record usage at our aerodromes.
“The introduction of user fees will necessitate the implementation of an aerodrome use recording system.”
Mr McLinden said anyone who wishes to contribute and provide feedback on the proposed curfew and new user fees and charges for the Swan Hill and Robinvale Aerodromes is encouraged to visit Let’s Talk Swan Hill.
