September 19, 2001August 2, 2026

EXH AR052091: FAA Letter to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers — Delay at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport SIMMOD Comparison

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Letter dated September 19, 2001 from Lowell H. Johnson, Manager, FAA Airports Division, Northwest Mountain Region, to Thomas F. Mueller, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regulatory Branch, Seattle District Office, responding to Mueller’s August 15, 2001 inquiry comparing operational data to SIMMOD model predictions for Sea-Tac Airport (KSEA). Enclosure paper titled ‘Delay at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)’ dated 9/19/2001 details history of third parallel runway need, FAA Airport and Airspace Simulation Model (SIMMOD) calibration using 1982–1992 National Weather Service data, and Table 1 summarizing average arrival delay in minutes per operation under VFR1, VFR2, and IFR1 weather conditions for existing two-runway system vs. proposed third runway at 345,000, 425,000, and 525,000 annual operations. AR numbers AR 052091, AR 052092, AR 052093.

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As the source for federal transportation grants, the Puget Sound Regional Council was charged with developing a system to meet the growing need for commercial aviation. When the search for a second airport failed, they authorized the Port of Seattle to build the Third Runway, with a mandate to develop a noise abatement and mitigation program. In their effort to stop the Third Runway, the ACC argued over every detail of the Port's efforts--including property buyouts and sound insulation. The dispute was meant to be settled by a three member Expert Arbitration Panel. This is their final report. It finds 2-1, that the Port's program was insufficient in several respects. Despite that, funding for the Third Runway was approved by the PSRC, and the 'Port Package' program, proceeded largely unchanged. Expert Arbitration Panel's final decision finding that the Port of Seattle had not shown sufficient reduction in real on-the-ground noise impacts to satisfy noise reduction conditions required for approval of a third runway at Sea-Tac International Airport. The majority decision concluded the Port's noise abatement programs were insufficient despite being impressive in scope.

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