This January 2020 FAA document updates a flight procedure at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), allowing the airport's air traffic control tower to automatically direct southbound turboprop aircraft to make a westerly turn shortly after takeoff during north-flow operations, between 6am and 10pm. The change, which applies to roughly 90% of affected turboprop departures, was previously halted after the City of Burien filed a legal challenge. A thorough environmental and noise review found only minor noise increases in some areas, well below the FAA's thresholds requiring further review.Open full document
Notes
This FAA document is a limited update to the Burien Categorical Exclusion prepared on remand from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals case City of Burien v. FAA. It addresses a Letter of Agreement update to automate a 250-degree westerly turn for southbound turboprops at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport during north-flow operations between 6am and 10pm. The document summarizes the FAA’s environmental review process, including noise analysis findings that showed minor expected noise increases well below established significance thresholds.