TagForecast(43)

Snohomish County is developing a 20-year Master Plan for Paine Field Airport near Everett, WA, driven by growing aviation demand and Sea-Tac International Airport approaching its capacity limits. The plan examines existing facilities, passenger and cargo forecasts, and development alternatives, with passenger volume projected to exceed 4 million annually by 2040. Public input is being gathered through online open houses and community engagement sessions throughout the planning process.

A 2021 EUROCONTROL presentation examines how COVID-19 devastated European aviation, with flights dropping as much as 88% below 2019 levels and airlines, airports, and air navigation service providers suffering €56.2 billion in net losses. The presentation outlines three recovery scenarios ranging from an optimistic return to 2019 traffic levels by 2024 (if vaccines proved effective quickly) to a prolonged recovery not expected until 2029 if vaccines failed. It frames the crisis as an opportunity to advance aviation sustainability, including reduced carbon emissions and noise impacts.

The FAA Aerospace Forecast for Fiscal Years 2019–2039 projects steady growth in U.S. air travel, with domestic passenger traffic expected to increase an average of 1.8 percent per year over the next two decades. The report highlights how U.S. airlines have restructured since the 2007–09 recession, achieving ten consecutive years of profitability by cutting costs and consolidating operations. Increased flight activity and a growing commercial aircraft fleet may have implications for noise levels at busy airports such as Seattle-Tacoma International.

This September 2015 technical report, prepared by Leigh Fisher for the Port of Seattle, provides long-range forecasts of aviation activity at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport as part of the Sustainable Airport Master Plan. It examines historical and projected trends in enplaned passengers, air cargo, and aircraft operations, drawing on regional socioeconomic data such as population growth, employment, and income in the Seattle-Tacoma area. The forecasts are intended to support future airport planning decisions, including infrastructure and capacity needs.

This chapter from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Part 150 Noise Compatibility Study presents aviation activity forecasts developed to support noise exposure planning through 2018 and beyond. It covers historical passenger enplanement trends showing growth from 8.2 million in 1990 to 15.6 million in 2009, as well as domestic and international air service patterns dominated by Alaska Airlines. The forecasts, approved by the FAA in August 2010, were used to project aircraft fleet mix and noise exposure contours for future planning purposes.

This document is Appendix N of the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Part 150 Noise Compatibility Study Update, compiled by Landrum & Brown in October 2013. It contains the FAA's official approval, dated August 19, 2010, of the aviation activity forecast submitted by Sea-Tac Airport in July 2010. The FAA determined that the forecast provided adequate justification for total aircraft operations and authorized its use in the airport's Noise Compatibility Plan Update.

This 2009 Washington Aviation System Plan chapter presents long-term forecasts of passenger traffic at Washington State airports through 2030, with Sea-Tac projected to grow from roughly 14.6 million to 26.6 million enplanements—an 82% increase. Sea-Tac is expected to continue dominating statewide air travel, accounting for 85% of all passenger enplanements in 2030. The forecasts were developed to help the state and FAA identify future capacity constraints and plan necessary airport infrastructure improvements.

This 1992 study compares three planning reports on Sea-Tac Airport's future capacity and delays: the 1988 Airspace Update Study, the 1992 Terminal Development Plan, and the 1991 Enhancement Plan. The reports differ significantly in their passenger and flight operation projections for the year 2000, and show striking discrepancies in delay estimates — with the Enhancement Plan projecting delay hours more than five times higher than the Airspace Update Study. The document also outlines proposed solutions to reduce delays, including new runway construction, airspace conflict resolution with nearby Boeing Field, and improved approach procedures.

This document presents forecasts of aircraft operations at Seattle-Tacoma (Sea-Tac) International Airport and King County International Airport from 1980 to 2000, broken down by aircraft classification and flight category including air carrier, general aviation, and military. It projects that total annual operations at Sea-Tac will grow from approximately 213,600 in 1980 to over 260,800 by 2000, driven largely by increases in larger Class D air carrier aircraft. Peak hour operation estimates are provided for both Visual Flight Rules (VFR) and Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) conditions, offering planners a detailed basis for noise impact and capacity assessments.