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# Melbourne preferred flight paths

> Melbourne preferred flight paths.

All time windows below use **Melbourne local time**. Heights marked **AGL** are above ground level; altitudes marked **AMSL** are above mean sea level.

## Departure runway use

Jets departing **runway 16 between 23:00 and 06:00 must use the full runway length**. Jet noise-abatement climb procedures apply to **runways 16 and 09**.

The source states where those climbs apply but does not give the aircraft climb sequence. That sequence and the training-flight provisions remain missing from this draft.

## Flight paths over populated areas

Over densely populated areas, the minimum height is **5,000 ft AGL for jets** and **3,000 ft AGL for non-jets**, except where impractical in the normal course of operation to and from the airport runways.

ATC normally routes instrument-flight-rules (IFR) departures along a **standard instrument departure (SID)**. When an aircraft is not following a procedural SID, ATC uses flight paths approximating the relevant SID tracks where possible, while complying with the populated-area height rule above.

IFR arrivals must follow **standard arrival route (STAR)** tracks where available. ATC may vector an aircraft from a STAR downwind or base leg to final approach. Other variations from STAR tracks are allowed only when essential for sequencing or separation. Arrivals that are not following a STAR must comply with the populated-area height rule above.

## Runway 16: left-base arrivals

Aircraft fly the **STAR via BELTA**, or a **visual left-base track to the final approach fix (FAF)**, with these conditions:

* Do not shorten the track before **SEKNU on the BOOIN STAR** or **VALES on the BOYSE STAR**. The source labels those points **20 ML** and **30 ML**, respectively.
* If separation requires positioning north of the STAR base leg, ATC should route the aircraft clear of **Wallan township**. If Wallan cannot be avoided, jet overflight should be at or above **6,000 ft AMSL whenever practicable**.

## Runway 34: arrivals

| Arrival position | Required track or permitted alternative |
| - | - |
| Right base | Follow the STAR via **Essendon Airport**. If separation requires, ATC may radar-vector the aircraft **south of Essendon Airport** to intercept the runway centreline. |
| Straight-in or left base | Follow the applicable STAR. **Only from 06:00 to 23:00**, ATC may instead radar-vector the aircraft to become established on the runway centreline **no closer than 5 DME ML**, which the source identifies as **3.5 NM from touchdown**. |

DME is distance-measuring equipment; **5 DME ML** means a distance of **5 NM from ML DME**, not 5 NM from the runway threshold.

## Night arrivals from the south-east

From **23:00 to 06:00**, aircraft arriving from the south-east must not proceed **west of the ONAGI–MOSVO track until MOSVO**. Aircraft landing on **runway 09 or 34** may instead proceed via the **PORTS STAR**.

The [preferred-runway page](https://www.narev.ai/docs/irl-gym/airports/melbourne/charts/preferred-runways.md) contains the day and night runway combinations and their exceptions.

Chart **MMLNA02-186**, revised **19 March 2026**, from the fixed publication cycle effective **3 September 2026**.

Source: © Airservices Australia, [Departure and Approach Procedures](https://www.airservicesaustralia.com/aip/current/dap/), MMLNA02-186.


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