Hi Spuds,
surely there have been mistakes in the past. However, the way this thing has gone now is in my opinion unacceptable.
As far as I am concerned, on an international airport like ZRH, there should be ILS approaches onto all runways, no doubt. I see the fact that an ILS is finally installed on 28 and 34 as an additional safety feature for the airport which will finally do away with constant tailwind approaches and impossible regimes like the 16 landing/34 take off moronity of the past.
I guess what has happened was that all concerned went the way the considered the one of least resistance and also the way that they thought was the least damaging in terms of number of people affected. If you look at the map, it is pretty clear to me that the 14/16 approaches are overflying a significant lower number of people and at a greater altitude than at 28 and 34.
I am NOT convinced at all however that the German SPD/Grüne Government has acted simply on the behalf of the very few voters north of the border, who on top of that make their income from Swiss cross border shoppers, but with clear economic and political goals in mind. I would like to see one federal politician (unless he has a house there himself) who would risk this kind of international exposure (they were slammed into the ground by Flight International just for a starter) and the good relations with a neighbouring country just to satisfy an anti noise league of some 300 people.
The issue I have with the current situation tough is that this new regime was put in force totally uncoordinated and through an act of threats and force rather than in a way that 2 neigbouring states should deal with each other.
What Germany has done is against ICAO guidelines. On top, with the "fait accompli" at ZRH, it has made other border airports like LUX or SZG extremely vulnerable, as they have only got approaches over foreign territory due to terrain or border limitations.
Correcting something that is wrong by breaking international agreements and thereby putting in question the whole concept of ICAO is not the answer to solve political powerplays. Putting the lives of passengers and inhabitants alike at risk is unacceptable. Apart from that, I have a sneaking suspicion that the whole concept can backfire deadly on the Germans. I suspect that their anti noise leagues in FRA and their other airports are only waiting for the court cases to be ruled finally to demand equal treatment.
As the German airports can only have deps/arrs over German territory, that would mean a quite comprehensive night ban. Can you imagine Frankfurt reducing it's hours like that? With regard of Europe being one happy family now, I too was against this contract for this very reason, as it sets a precedent that could damage civil aviation in Europe beyond belief as those suffering from noise elsewhere would not sit on their behinds and see one airport being restricted without asking for the same.
The solution I would like to see is one in which ZRH has precision approaches on all directions which are then used according to a concept taking in account 1. safety, meaning wind, weather, conditions and so on 2. traffic flow and 3rd noise and convenience considerations. If you look at the weather conditions at ZRH you would get a pretty much fair distribution of noise which would not be pressed into a corset that is determined to spark the kind of unrest we have now.
Best regards
AN2 Driver