Fly the friendly skies

FURTHER to “We need joy flight guidelines too” ( Letters, January 8), Hobart City councillors are aware of their ability to establish a Fly Neighbourly Agreement with small aircraft companies that fly over Hobart. No doubt, recently, councillors have had more pressing issues. However, now is the time to implement this voluntary agreement before the next wave of tourists.

In 2018, the World Health Organisation stated noise pollution was a growing public health issue, second only to air pollution; and aircraft noise has negative impacts on health and wellbeing. Airservices Australia data in 2019 showed there were about 10 flights a day across Hobart and numbers were increasing. Some are for rescue, emergency or fire fighting, but many are scenic and leisure flights. These are circular and prolonged and an intrusive disturbance to the enviable Hobart lifestyle and brand and wellbeing of locals. Noise from acrobatic, RAAF display flights and helicopters may be distressing for people with experience in war, emergency and fire zones.

The other issue is safety, because there are many examples of small aircraft crashing over populated areas. Concerns are for circulating flights by people learning to fly, doing acrobatics and skywriting ( which also releases paraffin oil that settles out of the atmosphere). Yes, now is the time to implement a Fly Friendly Agreement. Leonie Steindl Mount Stuart