Curfew at Adelaide Airport

Summary of Key Features

The Curfew

  • The Adelaide Airport curfew was put in place to minimise the impact of aircraft noise on nearby residents. A limited number of aircraft types are allowed to operate during the curfew, including emergency service aircraft and any aircraft that needs to land for safety reasons.
  • The rules for the curfew at Adelaide Airport are laid down in the Adelaide Airport Curfew Act 2000 and the Adelaide Airport Curfew Regulations 2018.
  • The curfew operates from 11pm until 6am
    • during this period, take-offs and landings at the Adelaide Airport are restricted to specific types of aircraft and operations. During the curfew period, aircraft should land on Runway 05, and should take-off on Runway 23.

Curfew Restrictions

  • Aircraft, other than those to which an exception applies, cannot take-off from or land at Adelaide Airport, unless the aircraft is involved in an emergency.
  • An aircraft should not depart from its origin port unless the estimated time of arrival will be before 11.00 pm Adelaide local time. Where the estimated time of arrival will be at or after 11.00 pm a dispensation should be sought before departure.
  • An aircraft that arrives at Adelaide Airport before 6.00 am must hold until after the curfew ends, or divert to an alternative airport.

Exceptions to the curfew

General Exceptions
The following aircraft are permitted to operate during the curfew:

  • Jet aircraft which have a noise certificate and comply with noise standards specified in the Adelaide Airport Curfew Act 2000 (the Act) and that have a maximum take-off weight of up to 34,000kg.
  • Propeller-driven aircraft which have a noise certificate, comply with noise standards specified in the Act and that have a maximum take-off weight of up to 34,000kg.
  • Any aircraft that received taxi clearance by Air Traffic Control before the curfew period starts.
  • An aircraft involved in an emergency, or interrupted by an emergency. An emergency includes aircraft being used for or in connection with search and rescue, medical emergency or natural disaster, security or safety incident, insufficient fuel or in-flight emergency.
  • An aircraft operating under a dispensation granted by the Minister or the Department in exceptional circumstances.

Low noise heavy freight aircraft

  • Low noise heavy freight aircraft are permitted to land at Adelaide Airport during the curfew period subject to the limits prescribed by reg 7 of the Regulations. Currently, the Regulations permit:
    • 15 take-offs per week; and
    • 25 landing per week.
  • Low noise heavy freight aircraft are aircraft with a noise certificate which have a maximum take-off weight of 34,000 kgs and comply with noise standards specified in the Act.
  • Low noise heavy freight aircraft operating during the curfew must land on Runway 05 and take-off from Runway 23 unless it would be unsafe to do so.

International passenger movements

  • During the curfew shoulder period, international aircraft may operate at Adelaide Airport where the aircraft has a noise certificate.
  • The 'curfew shoulder period' means the period 11:00 pm–12:00 am and 5:00 am–6:00 am.
  • The total number of aircraft movements during the curfew shoulder period are subject to the limits prescribed by the Regulations. Currently the Regulations permit no more than 8 landings per week (and zero take-offs).

Penalties