Port Of Seattle Sea-Tac Jet Aircraft Flight Track Patterns: North Flow and South Flow, Summer 1998

This Port of Seattle document explains flight track plots for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, which map the ground paths of jet aircraft arrivals and departures during daytime hours (6am–10pm). It describes how wind conditions determine whether aircraft fly in a north or south flow pattern, with south flow occurring about 65% of the year. The document also notes that even aircraft following identical routes will not fly the exact same path, due to variations in pilot technique, weather, air traffic control, and aircraft performance.

Notes

Port Of Seattle Sound Information newsletter explaining flight track plots for Sea-Tac Airport turbojet aircraft, Summer 1998, 6am–10pm. Includes ARTS (Automated Radar Terminal System) FAA data-generated flight track maps showing north flow and south flow patterns for jet aircraft arrivals (red) and departures (green). North flow occurs 35% of the time, south flow 65%; wind conditions in Puget Sound region determine flow direction. Maps show flight corridors over Seattle, Tacoma, Vashon Island, Mercer Island, Duwamish, and surrounding areas. Document explains why aircraft on identical procedures do not fly identical ground tracks due to pilot technique, air traffic control, weather, and aircraft performance variations.

V V