TagFly Quiet(13)

The Sea-Tac Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART) Aviation Noise Working Group outlined five near-term action items in 2019 aimed at reducing aircraft noise for communities surrounding Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. These actions include a Late Night Noise Limitation Program to discourage loud flights between midnight and 5 AM, revisions to the Runway Use Plan to limit 3rd Runway use at night, raising the glideslope on Runway 34R to reduce approach noise, a comprehensive ground noise analysis, and a study of 'distant' noise abatement departure profiles. The Port of Seattle, FAA, airlines, and cargo operators share responsibility for implementing these measures, with most initiatives targeted for mid-to-late 2019 completion.

The Late-Night Noise Limitation Program is a voluntary Port of Seattle initiative that monitors aircraft noise at Sea-Tac Airport between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m., using four close-in noise monitors to track takeoffs and landings that exceed established thresholds. Airlines that violate these thresholds receive penalty scores under the Port's Fly Quiet Incentive Program, which has evaluated airline noise compliance since 2005. The program, developed in 2019 as an outcome of the Sea-Tac Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART), aims to encourage air carriers to schedule flights during less noise-sensitive hours or switch to quieter aircraft.