PORT OF SEATTLE
MEMORANDUM
COMMISSION AGENDA - STAFF BRIEFING

Item No.

4c

Date of Meeting

May 24, 2011

DATE:

May 16, 2011

TO:

Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer

FROM:

Stan Shepherd, Manager, Airport Noise Programs

SUBJECT: Special Order of Business: Recognition of the Winners of the Fly Quiet
Incentive Program

The Port of Seattle completed a Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 150 Noise Study
Update in 2002. As a component of the Part 150 Study, staff requested and received
Commission approval on March 26, 2002, to develop and oversee implementation of a
"Fly Quiet" Program. "Fly Quiet" refers to a family of programs that encourages airlines
and pilots to operate aircraft as quietly as possible.
In 2002, Port staff formed the Fly Quiet Committee consisting of local community
leaders and city staff. The committee developed a set of recommendations for the Port to
consider as measures to enhance its noise mitigation programs. At the completion of its
mission to develop the program, the committee disbanded. Through those
recommendations, the Port developed a competitive program based on the following
composite scoring criteria:
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Airlines must have jet aircraft in their fleet to compete.
An airline must have at least 312 or more operations per year at Sea-Tac Airport
that are monitored by our flight tracking system.
Airlines receive a rating based on compliance with existing noise abatement
procedures.
Any violations to the ground run-up rules and regulations are severely penalized.
Airlines receive a rating based on aircraft noise levels with close-in noise
monitors.

The intent of the Fly Quiet Incentive Program is to use the competitive nature of the
airline industry in support of Sea-Tac Airport's noise abatement efforts, rewarding those
airlines with the highest success rates with positive media attention.

COMMISSION AGENDA
Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer
May 16, 2011
Page 2 of 2
WINNERS OF THE 2011 FLY QUIET AWARDS:
1st Place Airline
Air Canada Jazz
2nd Place Airline
SkyWest Airlines
Honorable Mention
Mesaba Airlines
The next steps in the program include publicly acknowledging the three winning airlines
with banners located in the terminal of Sea-Tac Airport, a press release and
congratulatory advertisements in the local newspapers.