County Wants To Study Noise Impact

The FAA wants to commission a new Localizer-type Directional Aid (LDA) approach at Boeing Field. The proposal was intended to move traffic farther out over Elliot Bay away from residential communities.

But King county officials in Seattle aren't so sure that's a good idea.

County council Chairman Larry Phillips told the West Seattle Herald, "I have been a long-time advocate of an Elliott Bay approach for planes using Boeing Field. I have always said, however, that the solution to Boeing Field's noise impacts is not shifting noise from one neighborhood to another.

Of the three available approaches to Boeing Field's southeast runways, two use a straight in localizer for lateral guidance. Arriving aircraft track directly over Magnolia, WA, a heavily-populated residential area off Puget Sound.

An LDA approach provides the same localizer precision for course guidance, but allows the final approach path to be as much as 30 degrees off runway heading (see graphic above). An extra few degrees could place the majority of the approach corridor for Boeing Field's runway 13 out over Puget Sound and Elliot Bay.

The county council has added a 60,000-dollar noise study to next year's budget to review the impact the new approach might have.

"This study will allow us to discover exactly where the noise impacts of [a] Localizer Directional Aid flight path would occur," said Phillips.

Officials say they will use the money to hire a nationally-recognized, FAA-approved consultant to map the noise footprint of aircraft using the approach.

"I hope this study will yield positive results for the noise impacts of [the LDA]," said Phillips. "If so, this may be a step toward ending the gridlock over changing Boeing Field flight paths and improving the quality of life for impacted neighborhoods."

FMI: www.faa.gov