TagKCIA(63)

A May 1982 newsletter from the Port of Seattle and King County describing an airspace study examining overlapping flight patterns between Sea-Tac International Airport and Boeing Field. The study found that delays caused by these overlapping traffic patterns were expected to grow gradually through 1990 and accelerate through 2000, particularly at Sea-Tac. The public was invited to a May 18, 1982 meeting to review preliminary findings and provide input on whether to proceed with identifying solutions to reduce aircraft delays.

A 1982 draft working paper prepared by Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. for the Port of Seattle assessed airspace interactions between Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) and King County International Airport (Boeing Field). The study analyzed existing and projected airfield capacities, aircraft delays, and the effects of overlapping airspace on both airports, taking into account factors such as air traffic demand, aircraft mix, weather conditions, and runway procedures. Its findings were intended to help the Port of Seattle determine whether more detailed investigation and mitigation measures were needed in a subsequent phase of the study.

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.

A 1982 Port of Seattle memorandum presents draft forecasts of aviation demand for Sea-Tac International Airport and Boeing Field, projecting aircraft operations through the year 2000. The forecasts cover annual take-offs and landings as well as peak-hour traffic under both visual and instrument flight conditions, with Sea-Tac's total annual operations expected to grow from roughly 214,000 in 1980 to over 261,000 by 2000. The document was circulated to FAA, King County, and Washington State DOT representatives for review as part of an airspace capacity and noise planning study.

Port of Seattle memorandum announcing the second Airspace Study Advisory Committee meeting scheduled for February 24, 1982. The agenda includes aviation demand forecasts for Sea-Tac and Boeing Field, discussion of airfield and airspace capacities, and aircraft delays.

A January 1982 letter from the FAA's Northwest Region to the Port of Seattle reviews a draft aviation demand forecast for Boeing Field (BFI) prepared for the SEA/BFI Airspace Study. The FAA requests that the final report include more detailed aircraft mix data by class, a full list of assumptions behind the forecasts (such as economic conditions, fuel costs, and general aviation trends), and a clear indication that the projections are unconstrained. The agency also recommends presenting both high and low forecast ranges to account for uncertainty, particularly in long-range general aviation projections.

In a December 28, 1981 memorandum from Boeing Field/King County International Airport, Airport Manager Donald W. Smith responds to a Port of Seattle representative regarding the forecasting methodology for aviation demands at BFI. Smith confirms that the proposed approach is consistent with prior discussions and historical statistics, and acknowledges that, given limited current information and resources, the methods and sources used are acceptable.