Category : Explainers
Almost everything about every airport is complicated. And Sea-Tac Airport is more challenging than most. These short-form articles try to make things as simple as possible. Use them to branch off into deeper dives.
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2024-01-30 17:28The UnSustainable Airport Master Plan
Sea-Tac Airport is currently undergoing the largest and longest expansion in its history, collectively known as the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP). Some of it you can already <em>hear</em>, but you’re probably not aware of what it all means. Here’s what you need to know. -
2024-01-30 01:57Why did the City of Des Moines rescind its sound code in 2012?
At their April 26, 2012 meeting, the Des Moines City Council voted to remove any sound reduction requirements from its building code via (Ordinance #1539). This is exceptional given the fact that the two other cities in the area which had similar building code did not follow suit. At the time, the City Council would -
2024-01-25 17:30Airplane Wing Components and Aerodynamics Diagram
Educational diagram showing various parts of an aircraft wing including winglets, flaps, slats, spoilers, and other aerodynamic components with explanatory labels. The image appears to be taken at an airport with an aircraft on a runway or taxiway. -
2023-10-17 21:14Parking
Parking is a huge part of Sea-Tac Airport, both in terms of revenue and operations. By one measure, the main garage is the largest enclosed parking structure in the United States. It also plays a significant role for the City of SeaTac as part of its Inter-Local Agreement with the Port of Seattle. -
2023-08-20 21:42Beautiful Sunsets vs. Particulate Matter
Limit your exposure to particulate matter. Limit your cumulative risk. The smoke from wildfires has once again blanketed the areas around Sea-Tac Airport, creating PM2.5 air quality readings often seen more in Third World countries. Unfortunately, most of us are highly biased to only perceive dangers we can see. For example, many of you will -
2023-08-11 23:25What is a TRACON?
The area from 6-50 miles will affect you with or without a second airport. It’s an FAA acronym. Terminal Radar Approach Control. And if you live in any of the areas considered for a Second Airport, including Enumclaw or Pierce and Thurston Counties, keep reading. TRACONs are FAA facilities that house air traffic controllers who -
2023-08-08 19:57Airbus A320 vs Boeing 737 Cockpit Comparison
Comparative image showing the cockpit layouts of two major commercial aircraft types – the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737. The image displays the instrument panels, controls, and overall design differences between these competing aircraft manufacturers’ flight decks. -
2023-06-09 16:13Anatomy of an air quality monitoring network
This is a fixed site air quality monitoring (AQM) station. If your first reaction was, “So what?”, skip to the bottom, we’ll wait. You can view this as a stand-alone device, or you can view it as one node in a network of AQMs, which work together to allow for researchers to capture a much -
2023-03-05 00:33Aircraft Size Comparison – A320, A321, and Transcontinental/Transatlantic H2 Aircraft
Technical diagram showing side-by-side size comparison of four aircraft types: Airbus A320, A321, and two variants of hydrogen-powered aircraft designed for transcontinental and transatlantic routes. The diagram illustrates the relative scale and configuration differences between conventional and hydrogen aircraft designs. -
2022-12-23 00:49The Great Wall Of Sea-Tac
In 1996, the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) gave final approval to the Port of Seattle’s proposal to build a Third Runway. The airport was originally sited on a small plateau about 430 feet above sea level, which ended immediately at the west side of what is now Taxiway Tango. The basic struggle in airport