Proposed Temporary Restricted Area for the New Years Eve Laser Display over the Melbourne CBD

AIRSPACE CHANGE PROPOSAL MELBOURNE CBD NEW YEARS EVE LASER DISPLAY - 31 DEC 2025-01 JAN 2026 

The Melbourne CBD Laser display is an annual event conducted on behalf of the City of Melbourne (CoM) and has been successfully held three times since 2022. The CoM has recently extended the contract with Genius Laser Technology (GLT) to plan, design and execute an impressive 10-minute timecoded laser show to bring in the New Year. Since its inception in 2022 the size and scope of the display has changed, increasing each year.

To achieve the display for 2025/2026, high powered laser projectors have been strategically positioned at eleven key locations across the city. The lasers have a visibility range of over 50 kilometres, potentially making them visible from the opposite side of Port Phillip Bay (depending on weather conditions). Inherently as the spectacle grew on the ground aircraft operators took advantage of the displays around the CBD which increased orbits around the CBD at that time. Whilst numerous efforts had been made in particular by Essendon ATC to reduce the risk of aircraft straying into the path of the laser(s) a number of lasers have had to be shut down in order to reduce the exposure risk to those aircraft that have strayed into the laser path.

For the 2024/2025 display an exclusion zone was established in consultation with Essendon ATC along with a register of operators wishing to conduct city orbits. Those who registered were also required to attend dedicated pilot/operator briefings to enable ATC to better manage and control aircraft wishing to orbit the CBD, Whilst the majority of aircraft circled outside of the exclusion zone a number of aircraft strayed into the zone which necessitated lasers being shut down and 12.5% of the show being lost.

In order to mitigate the exposure risk and in order to better manage and control the airspace an ACP (Airspace Change Proposal) has been submitted to the Office of Airspace Regulation for consideration. It is proposed that the TRA be established an be active from 23:50 (AEDT) 31 Dec 2025 until 00:20 (AEDT) 01 Jan 2026.

The TRA will be established along with specific air traffic services and procedures defined to prevent inadvertent laser exposure to aircraft operating in Melbourne CBD airspace, to maintain compliance with Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) laser safety regulations and to eliminate the risk of distraction, flash blindness, or glare to flight crews.

Please see TRA Boundaries below: 

Enlarge image

Enlarge image

This configuration still allows for tracking to YMML RWY 34 via AKDEL and YMEN RWY 26 via EGEKA (with ATC clearance into the TRA) or a 3 nautical mile (NM) visual approach to RWY 35. This will affect YMML departures via YARRA (NZ or USA southern routes) and the RWY 26 ILS/RNP and RWY 17 RNP published missed approaches. This will affect YMMB northern departures and previous CBD orbit traffic.

The TRA will be controlled by Airservices Australia and will be activated via a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) and Aeronautical Information Publication Supplement (AIP SUP) as required.

GLT are seeking any relevant input from interested parties that may use the airspace.