In respect of Standard Terminal Arrivals Routes (STARs) published by Airservices Australia under Regulation 4.12 of the Air Services Regulations 1995 —

(1)   What are the procedures involved with the planning and approval of STARs for the Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport.

(2)   What are the dates for implementation of the Boree Four STARs, and all predecessors.

(3)   What the (a) daily, (b) weekly, and (c) monthly frequency of use of the Boree Four Arrival STAR for aircraft arriving at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport Runway 34L for the (i) fourth quarter of 2008, (ii) first quarter of 2009, and (iii) second quarter of 2009.

Airservices Australia has advised that:

(1)   The process involves initial procedures design by Airservices conducted in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) requirements and the Airservices Australia design manual. The Long Term Operating Plan (LTOP) Implementation and Monitoring Committee (IMC) is notified of the proposal and advises the Sydney Airport Community Forum (SACF). After Airservices conducts environmental and safety assessments and consults with industry it prepares a submission to IMC - Airservices or IMC may elect to refer the draft design to SACF for consideration. The design is then finalised and published by Airservices.

(2)   The Boree Four STAR became effective on 5 June 2008 with a minor revision (the current procedure) effective on 20 November 2008.  Boree Three, which was replaced by Boree Four, was established on 10 August 2000, with minor revisions occurring on 22 February 2001, 21 February 2002, 7 August 2003, 25 November 2004 and 17 March 2005.  Prior to 2000, aircraft arriving from the north were radar vectored to runways from points north of the airport.

(3)   Boree Four provides two alternative approaches to Sydney Airport: either over the city on the western side of the airport or over the ocean to the east of the airport.  Airservices’ data does not specifically identify a Boree Four STAR flight path.