Regarding the current reports on flight paths for BBI Airport: Berlin Airports calls for return to factual and constructive debate on flight paths
15.12.10 15:06
In light of the current dispute over flight paths for the new BBI Airport, Berlin Airports is calling for a return to a factual and constructive debate.
Current allegations of deception in connection with airport planning are without foundation:
Flight paths were discussed in the approval procedure: linear flights are the norm
Defining flight paths is not part of the planning approval procedure for BBI. However, since flight paths play a significant role in the noise expected to be generated and in determining conservation areas, they were discussed at length – and made available and transparent to all – in public hearings with citizens and public bodies within the scope of the planning approval procedure. It emerged from the official report of the hearing, that topics of discussion included “linear departures, the norm?” and “15-degree deviation, yes or no?”. According to the hearing report, and Deutsche Flugsicherung (DFS), deviations are only possible in exceptional cases such as “independent parallel departures”.
Flight paths and Federal Administrative Court proceedings The subject of flight paths was also raised in the Federal Administrative Court proceedings, as documented in the court records. Brandenburg’s Ministry for Infrastructure and Agriculture (MIL) made it clear yesterday “that both letters referred to in the media from DFS dated 20/08/1998 and 26/10/1998 are fully included in the records of the Ministry and correspondingly the planning approval authorities”. Thus the ruling given by the Federal Administrative Court on the BBI planning approval decision also took into account the debate held on flight paths at that time. The notion that the subject of flight paths was kept secret is thus without foundation.
Linear flights are the norm
As a result of planning approval and the judicial review by the Federal Administrative Court in the last instance, all parties involved could and had to assume that the proposals for linear flights made by DFS painted a realistic picture of what is the norm and thus the level of noise expected to be generated.
Completely new plans for flight paths in 2010 unforeseeable
The current dispute over BBI flight paths is in no way related to the discussion held during the approval procedure and court proceedings. On the contrary, it is a result of Deutsche Flugsicherung presenting its new proposals on 6 September 2010 to diverge flight paths by up to 50 degrees. DFS also turned “independent parallel departures” into the norm rather than the exception. Such plans could not have been foreseen.
Return to a factual, constructive debate on routing necessary
Particularly in the interests of residents living near the airport, Berlin Airports is calling for all parties involved to immediately return to a more factual, legitimate debate on flight paths, in order to reach a swift, safe and low-noise solution. The body responsible for this is the Noise Abatement Commission. The wilful intent by certain parties involved to combine a meaningful and legitimate debate on flight paths with a long-standing debate on the airport is causing uncertainty in the region and having a detrimental effect on Berlin-Brandenburg as a business location.
