Earlier this month, the Seattle Times reported that the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) project, “Greener Skies Over Seattle“, calls for “significant changes” in flight patterns to airplanes approaching Sea-Tac airport from the northwest and southwest. So, rather than jets flying over North Seattle, they’d be re-routed over Elliott Bay, with a final approach over Harbor Island.
The changes in flight patterns are part of “NextGen,” a larger project by the FAA to reduce the use of fuel and to lower emissions by using “Optimized Profile Descents” (OPDs), which is a fancy way of saying that the pilots could set the jet’s engines “near idle throttle while they descend, instead of flying the more typical ‘step-down’ approaches with intervening level flight segments, increased throttle settings, and added fuel burn.” A tighter descent path is also possible, using a new aircraft navigation called Performance Based Navigation (PBN), which, according to this riveting video, is “a new method that uses on board avionics to navigate with greater precision and accuracy,” using advanced flight management systems that are on board aircraft, on the ground, and in space. Two key elements include Area Navigation (RNAV) and Required Navigation Performance (RNP). With the new technology, “pilots no longer need to zig zag from one ground navigation to another, which helps to reduce flight distances, and allows aircraft to fly more accurate paths within a narrow corridor.” The improvement means more lanes can be built in airspace, and RNAV and RNP can also allow pilots to use safe and flexible re-routes for changing weather conditions.
The project is still in flight trials and is undergoing an environmental assessment, and must be reviewed for compliance with a score of airline, safety, and environmental agencies including the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969; but once the project receives the A.-O.K., the new procedure would be implemented by Alaska Airlines and Southwest Airlines. In the meantime, two meetings are scheduled to allow for public comment. The first one will be held on September 5, from 6:00pm to 7:30pm at the Federal Way Library, and the second will be held on September 6 at the Ballard Public Library, also from 6:00pm to 7:30pm.
Public comments will also be accepted in email to [email protected] through September 14, 2012. For more information, visit the Green Skiers Environmental Assessment website here.
Thanks to Rachel F. for sending us this story!
sounds great. Now what about those news helicopters which hover?
This is very encouraging.
It seems to me that SEA-TAC air traffic over Wallingford has gotten more dense (frequent), more intrusive in the past few years.
Has anyone else noticed this? Particularly the cloverleaf turns over the neighborhood.
To help the Port of Seattle assess neighborhood impact we can leave messages on the SEA-TAC noise complaint line: 206-433-5393. I have it in my cell phone contacts list.
Thanks for your great coverage of a very complex subject. Just one slight correction to the line that reads, “Two key elements include Area Navigation (RNAV) and Required Navigation (RNV).” The two key enabling technologies of performance-based navigation (PBN) are actually area navigation (RNAV) and required navigation performance (RNP). There is no such thing as RNV. As for NextGen, it’s the FAA’s reinvention of traditional air traffic control, which has long relied on ground-based radio-navigational aids and surveillance radar. Today the world is conducting a phased transition to tomorrow’s air traffic management (ATM) operating environment, which will be safer and make flying more direct and efficient for reduced fuel consumption and reduced greenhouse and other emissions. PBN is a key element of this global transition.
@Jay, thanks so much for the correction and your insight behind NextGen! I’ve made the change from RNV to Required Navigation Performance. I appreciate you catching that!
Now we need work on the routes for the float planes in and out of Lake Union.
Hear here!
@Jay – you seem to have some expertise in this area. Can you explain the seemingly random jet noise that sounds like an engine reversing (or something crazy like that). I have noticed it only happens at night.
Am I really the only one that likes having planes fly over the neighborhood? Especially in summer when the seaplanes buzz our house – it’s one of those things that seems like a minor nuisance but will likely turn into a fond memory of living near Lake Union. I especially like using the Plane Finder iPhone app to see where the flights originated from.
Me too, I really like it.
I like it too. Michael H – thanks for the tip on the Plane Finder app. I just downloaded it!
Oops, sorry! I mean thanks to imaginary friend!
I attended this “meeting” last night in Ballard. Basically it wash a white wash job by Greenerskies IE: The FAA and their shills. The fact is air traffic and noise is going to INCREASE over Seattle, Downtown, Capitol Hill, CD, Beacon Hill etc.
The graphic in the above story is not correct–these planes won’t be coming in at higher altitudes–period. If you “noticed” an increase in airplane noise this summer that was just the test–it’s going to get worse.
NO public comment was allowed at this sham meeting. Basically the FAA in the disguise of “Greenerskies” was there to tell us how it was going to be–end of story. The “research” was presented in a contradictory, confusing and combative manner and when confronted with their OWN figures they finally relented and admitted that traffic and noise will INCREASE over the areas mentioned.
If you’re concerned about the quality of life in Seattle I urge you to get involved with this issue.
Call / write you’re local reps! This should be vetted through the communities which will be impacted the most!!!
“NO public comment was allowed …”
“… and when finally confronted with their OWN figures …”
Confronted by whom? Just curious to know who’s involved in this process.