TagAEDT(16)

Appendix H of the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac Airport) Part 150 Study, containing official Noise Exposure Maps (NEMs) for 2022 Existing Conditions and 2032 Future Conditions, signed by Sarah Cox, Director of Aviation Environment & Sustainability, Port of Seattle, dated 06/20/26. Includes Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT) flight tracks — North Flow and South Flow

The Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT) Version 3g is a Federal Aviation Administration software system used to model aircraft operations and calculate their environmental impacts, including noise, emissions, and fuel consumption. This Quick Start Tutorial guides users through building basic noise and emissions studies, covering steps such as adding airports, creating flight tracks, setting up receptors, and running metric results. The tool is relevant to airport noise policy analysis, as it provides a structured method for quantifying and evaluating the environmental effects of aviation activity around airports like Sea-Tac.

The Integrated Noise Model (INM), developed by ATAC Corporation for the FAA, was the standard computer tool used to assess aircraft noise impacts near airports like Sea-Tac, calculating noise exposure contours and predicted sound levels at sensitive locations such as schools and hospitals. It was required for airport noise compatibility planning under FAR Part 150 and environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act until it was replaced by the Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT) in May 2015. Though no longer valid for regulatory use in the U.S., the INM was used by over 1,000 users in 65 countries to evaluate the noise effects of runway changes, flight routing, air traffic procedures, and shifts in aircraft fleet mix.

A large study of nearly 75,000 female nurses living near 90 U.S. airports found that those exposed to higher levels of aircraft noise were more likely to have higher body mass index (BMI) and greater weight gain since age 18. Women exposed to the loudest aircraft noise (55 decibels or more) had an 11% higher chance of being obese and a 15% higher chance of falling into the highest category of weight gain compared to those in quieter areas. The findings suggest that chronic aircraft noise exposure — such as that experienced by residents near Sea-Tac Airport — may contribute to obesity risk, potentially through stress-related pathways including disrupted sleep and hormonal changes.

This technical memorandum from Landrum & Brown (February 2024) explains that noise modeling for the Seattle-Tacoma Airport (SEA) Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Environmental Review was updated from AEDT Version 3e to the newer AEDT Version 3f, released December 13, 2023. The upgrade allowed modelers to use actual aircraft data for the Boeing 737-7 and Cessna 408 SkyCourier rather than substitute aircraft, improving modeling accuracy. The document details the specific airframe, engine, and Aircraft Noise and Performance (ANP) data changes made between the two software versions.

A large study of over 35,000 female nurses across the United States found that exposure to aircraft nighttime noise levels at or above 45 decibels was associated with 23% greater odds of sleeping less than 7 hours per night. The research, which tracked participants living near 90 U.S. airports between 2000 and 2014, suggests that aircraft noise — including at levels below the federally regulated threshold of 65 decibels — may meaningfully disrupt sleep duration. Stronger effects were observed among residents in the Western United States and those living near major cargo airports, findings with direct relevance to communities around airports like Sea-Tac.