For those unable to attend the meeting Wednesday, June 9, in Burien on the SeaTac Part-150 NOISE Study, a report follows.

First we would like to thank The Beachcomber for the June 2 article addressing the concern by many Vashon-Maury Islanders over the substantial increase in overflight noise.  

Five members from the Vashon-Maury Overflight Committee attended the Part-150 meeting. Topics discussed included the “four-post landing system,” a takeoff and landing procedure designed many years ago that relates to overfly of Vashon-Maury. Currently important is the acknowledgment from SeaTac that “four-post” is not consistently being adhered to, possibly resulting in more noise in areas surrounding SeaTac, which includes Vashon-Maury. 

Additionally addressed and questioned as possibly being noise impacting were new landing and departure procedures, specifically Regional Navigational Performance (RNP), part of Performance Based Navigation (PBN). Currently these new procedures are in use at times at SeaTac and have been since early spring 2009. Promises for future information on RNP from Part-150 were made for the next meeting.  

Implementation of RNP/PBN coincides with the third runway opening and the dates numerous citizens throughout King County began experiencing substantial commercial airplane noise, including those from Vashon-Maury.

SeaTac representatives advised that the focus of Part-150 is to gather information about noise disturbances and work towards accountability to citizens impacted by noise created from the new runway and RNP/PBN gradual decent and departure procedures. Also announced was that 850 to 900 passenger and cargo planes take off and land at SeaTac daily, averaging 310,250 to 329,400 flights annually. 

With Vashon-Maury as one of the main overfly areas for SeaTac, Part-150 is our chance to become involved to protect our airspace and create quieter skies. If you are bothered by overflight noise please e-mail vashonoverflight@yahoo.com.

— Gay Rosser

Vashon-Maury Overflight Committee chair