Residents in the Mid to Lower Mountains will be under many of the preliminary flight paths released for Western Sydney International Airport.
The planned routes were released on Tuesday, June 27 and can be viewed via an online tool which allows residents to check the proposed flight paths and expected aircraft noise levels for their address.
In several plans showcased, a flight path cuts straight over the Great Western Highway in the Blue Mountains, impacting areas from Faulconbridge to near Woodford.
Some Upper Mountains towns are also affected.
Blue Mountains mayor Mark Greenhill told the Gazette that the new flight paths are still bad news for Blaxland, which remains under a few proposed flight paths, but further noise is now spread to other Mountains villages.
"It appears that the change is from 2015, where the impact was very much centered on the Lower Blue Mountains, through to what we have now, where it appears that impact has been spread from the Mid to the Lower Mountains," he said.
"It's now more widespread, and flight paths over the Blue Mountains are something I cannot support."
The online tool factors in three modes of operation, depending on which runway is used. All modes will cross over some residential area in the Mountains.
Under one mode, flights between 5.30am and 11pm will avoid the Mid-Mountains but will instead cut over Medlow Bath and Blaxland.
Cr Greenhill is already planning to fight the flight paths at the council meeting scheduled for Tuesday, June 27. He will move for council to "campaign for a better outcome on flight paths".
This will include writing to the government, coordinating community-wide submissions to the Environmental Impact Statement once released, and community action.
"In 2015 the pain was concentrated in Blaxland. Now the pain is spread from Blaxland to Linden 24/7. That's unacceptable, and we will be campaigning against it. We will be making submissions... but also engaging our community in the campaign against it," he said.
"The Blue Mountains is a World Heritage Area, only city surrounded by World Heritage wilderness in Australia. We are different. We should be treated differently."
'People will be upset'
Federal Member for Macquarie Susan Templeman said while she welcomes the flight path update, she recognises that a number of new flight paths impact the Blue Mountains.
"While some people may feel relief, others will be surprised and concerned to see their area impacted," Ms Templeman said.
"As we digest the impact of the preliminary flight paths, I know people will feel angry. I know people will be upset. I also know we need to work together as a community to have effective input into this process."
Federal Transport Minister Catherine King said the government is "committed to balancing the needs of the community, environment, industry and users of the broader Greater Sydney airspace, while maintaining safety as a priority, in the design of WSI's flight paths".
She said her department will hold community information and feedback sessions as well as community information stalls across Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains over the coming months.
"Communities will be able to find out more information and speak with the flight path design team at these events."
On top of the flight path tool, the noise tool shows an animated example flight path over local areas, with a coloured ring indicating expected sound volume in decibels.
People can have their say on the paths and estimated noise through the website at www.wsiflightpaths.gov.au.
A draft Environmental Impact Statement for the airport will be released later this year.
