Those of you who have brought up "practical applications" of curfews abroad have hit the nail on the head. This is a professional pilots/aviation forum and the real issue being discussed here should be under which (if any) conditions there should be an automatic extension to the curfew granted. Is there anyone on this forum with practical experience of applying for an extension to operate outside the curfew? It'd be interesting to hear how the process evolved.
Curfews aren't a bad thing, it's just the way it's managed in Sydney is the issue. Give an example of a common sense policy. If an aircraft goes tech or the aircraft is delayed due operational reasons and can't make curfew, then no dispensation. However, if for environmental reasons traffic flow is hampered or the Airport is closed for a period of time then common sense would dictate that the airport would remain open to accomadate the quota of scheduled flight for that day. Quite simple really, and it's not like these events are daily so the Pollies save face as they have still maintained a curfew in Sydney.
As mentioned in another post about TOGA. I remember doing the 1 coming in from BKK and scheduled to land after 5am on 34L. Tower was giving 10kts tail so we made the approach, needless to say the tailwind was significantly more so around we went waking up the whole bloody neighbourhood.
Little things like this example make a mockery of Sydney's curfew policy as far as noise goes.
