Qantas has launched required navigation performance proving flights at a
number of airports in Western Australia and Queensland as part of the
carrier's ongoing use of RNP technology.

Broome, Kalgoorlie, Karratha and Mount Isa are the latest airports to
join the RNP programme, with trials set to continue through to 2010.
Qantas launched RNP procedures into and out of Queenstown airport, New
Zealand, in September 2004. Two years later it added domestic RNP
procedures at Alice Springs, Ayers Rock Uluru, Canberra, Gold Coast,
Hobart, Sydney and Townsville. Cairns in Queensland was also part of the
programme, but RNP approaches and departures to that airport were
dropped after a year following complaints by local residents about noise
caused by the new approach procedures.

Qantas says that in conjunction with Airservices Australia it has
undertaken extensive environmental assessments in the latest cities to
ensure the trials are not detrimental to the environment or local residents.

Rob wrote:

The only RNP flight path discontinued in Cairns was the departure from
RWY15, all the others are still used. The cancellation was due to the
savvy media work of one person. This departure saved QF a lot of fuel
(track miles and no split arse turn off the normal SID giving reduced
power on takeoff). It was only about 300 metres closer to this persons
apartment than the normal IFR departure from 15 and as said earlier this
departure is at higher power settings, so possibly noisier.
AA