Edinburgh Airport have announced their plans for a five month trial of a new flight path which aims to modernise and increase the airport’s capacity.
The trial will test plans for a new Standard Instrument Departure (SID) route from 25 June 2015. There are hopes that the new flight path will enable planes to depart in one minute intervals allowing for a plane to take off every minute.
The new route, pictured above, will cater to larger modern airplanes and will see them rapidly ascending while heading west before going north, following the Forth east and finally turning south to head to their destination. The new route would suggest that large departing planes would avoid Wester Hailes instead heading east.
David Wilson, chief operating officer of Edinburgh Airport, said:
At the moment, Scotland’s aircraft currently fly on a network that was designed in the 1970s. What we’re aiming to do is begin upgrading the airspace above Edinburgh Airport and bring it into the 21st Century.
We’ve taken great care to design this new departure route with the utmost consideration for our neighbours. The route passes over very few populated areas and flies over the river for the bulk of its flight path.
Speaking of fears of increased noise and aircraft pollution, the officials at the airport commented that they would be monitoring levels during the trial and that they had taken great care to avoid populated areas while the planes are ascending.
You can find out more information about the trial here.
