TagStART(485)

This presentation from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) explains what flight go-arounds are and how often they occur. A go-around happens when a pilot or air traffic controller decides it is not safe to land, due to factors like bad weather or aircraft spacing issues, and the plane must circle back for another attempt. SEA's go-around rate averages about 0.4% of all arrivals, closely matching the 0.39% national average reported by the FAA across 30 major U.S. airports.

The Port of Seattle and communities near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport have outlined five shared policy priorities for the 2025 state legislative session, addressing aircraft noise, air quality, and regional growth. Key proposals include repairing noise insulation in homes, identifying new regional airport capacity within three years, improving air quality programs, expanding sustainable aviation fuel production, and reducing emissions from ground transportation. The document calls on the Washington State Legislature to pass new laws, allocate funding, and coordinate with state agencies to make these changes a reality.

The StART (Sea-Tac Airport Roundtable) Noise Working Group, a collaborative body of roughly 20 members representing various community and aviation stakeholders, was formed to identify and pursue achievable noise reduction efforts at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. This presentation serves as a year-end recap of the group's work and progress. Members include representatives from local communities, airlines, and the Port of Seattle.

The Port of Seattle's StART Aviation Noise Working Group analyzed glideslope options for Runway 34R at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The presentation covers the existing Instrument Landing System, which uses a 2.75-degree glideslope rather than the standard 3-degree angle, along with alternative navigation systems and path indicators. The group evaluated alternatives and developed a recommendation aimed at addressing community noise concerns associated with arriving aircraft.

This document lists the members, resources, and consultants of the StART (Sea-Tac Airport Roundtable) Federal Policy Working Group, a collaborative body focused on aviation noise and policy issues around Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The group includes community members and city officials from Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Normandy Park, and SeaTac, alongside representatives from the offices of several federal legislators. Port of Seattle staff, an FAA district office manager, and two outside consultants round out the working group's roster.

This diagram shows the runway layout at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac), illustrating three parallel runway pairs oriented roughly north-south: 34L/16R, 34C/16C, and 34R/16L. Black aircraft icons represent arriving or departing flights on the northern runways, while blue icons indicate traffic on the central and southern runways, reflecting how flight operations are distributed across the airfield. The map is relevant to noise policy discussions as it visually documents the flight paths and runway usage patterns that affect surrounding communities.

The Port of Seattle's Late Night Noise Limitation Program monitors aircraft noise levels at Sea-Tac Airport between midnight and 5am, using SEL noise thresholds measured at four monitor locations for both arrivals and departures. Airlines whose flights exceed these thresholds are notified and face penalties to their Fly Quiet Award scores. All airlines are encouraged to reduce late-night operations or switch to quieter aircraft, with results reported publicly on a regular basis.