This 1989 FAA draft Environmental Assessment examines proposed changes to arrival and departure flight routes at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, aimed at reducing air traffic congestion and improving airspace efficiency. The document identifies a key inefficiency: during good weather and peak demand, south-landing capacity (42 aircraft/hour) was significantly lower than north-landing capacity (56 aircraft/hour), largely due to a requirement routing turbojet aircraft through Elliott Bay. The assessment traces the issue back to noise abatement procedures established since 1970 that prioritized limiting jet overflights in certain Seattle metropolitan areas over operational efficiency.Open full document
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A draft environmental assessment prepared by the FAA Air Traffic Division examining proposed alterations to arrival and departure traffic patterns at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The document identifies inefficiencies in south arrival capacity (42/hour) compared to north arrival capacity (56/hour), attributed to routing requirements through Elliott Bay. It also addresses delays in adjusting metered arrival rates under the existing high altitude route structure.