Airservices is a government-owned corporation providing safe, secure, efficient and environmentally responsible services to the aviation industry. We manage air traffic operations for around 75 million passengers on more than three million flights every year.

Cairns Airport

Cairns Airport is situated on the coastal flats approximately five kms north of the CBD. The airport is surrounded by high terrain from the south-east through the west to the north-west with Lumley Hill 1km due west of Runway 15/33 (height 1120ft).

Hours of operation/curfew

There is no curfew at Cairns Airport but noise abatement procedures apply. These include:

  • Turbojets will be routed clear of populous areas until seawards of the coastline or established on their final approach course. To assist with noise reduction on final approach course, pilots are requested to delay flap deployment until as late as is operationally practicable.
  • Circuit training by jet propelled aircraft (and other aircraft exceeding 5700kg MTOW) is not permitted between 10pm and 7am local time
  • No aircraft is permitted to conduct engine runs (unless associated with the normal preparation of flight) between 11pm and 6am local time without permission from the Cairns Port Authority.
  • Operators and pilots of jet aircraft are requested to cooperate in limiting the use of reverse thrust when landing between the hours of 11pm and 6am local time.

Runway configuration

Cairns aerodrome is serviced by two runways: Runway 15/33 (3196 metres) and Runway 12/30 (925 metres). Precision approaches exist to Runway 15/33.

Traffic

Cairns hosts a full range of traffic from light through to heavy jets. Cairns does not have a secondary aerodrome situated nearby and therefore also accommodates local fixed and rotary flying training. Annual movements range between 80,000 and 100,000, including heavy traffic (approximately 7%) and medium traffic (25%).

Noise and Flight Path Monitoring

Noise Monitoring Terminals are located at Yorkeys Nob, Halloways Beach and Cairns North.

View Quarterly Noise and Flight Path Monitoring System Reports for Cairns.

Related links

Technical resources