The Late Night Noise Limitation Program was initiated by the Port of Seattle to reduce aircraft noise during nighttime hours. It is voluntary and encourages airlines to reschedule flights to more favorable times or use quieter aircraft types.
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The main goal of the program is to raise awareness among carriers about the impact of nighttime noise on residents of neighboring areas and to reduce the number of operations between midnight and 5 a.m.
How it works
Four noise monitors located near the runways are used for analysis. They record every takeoff and landing during the specified time. Data collection has been ongoing since July 2019, and a penalty point system has been introduced as part of the Fly Quiet program since 2020. Points are awarded for exceeding the noise threshold, which affects the carrier’s rating in port reports.
- Monitors SEA12 and SEA13 are located north of the runways, SEA18 and SEA19 south of them
- Every takeoff and landing between 00:00 and 05:00 is recorded
- Exceeding the noise level results in penalty points
- Points are taken into account in the Fly Quiet program and affect airline ratings.
Measurements are taken using the Single Event Noise Exposure Level (SEL) metric, which takes into account the total sound energy from a single flight in decibels. This allows different operations to be compared and their impact to be objectively assessed.
Who participates
The program is the result of a joint effort by the StART advisory board, which brings together the port, the Federal Aviation Administration, airlines, and communities near the airport. The board began operating in 2018 and was the basis for developing practical steps to monitor and reduce the impact on the population.
Monitors are installed on both the north and south sides of the runways to cover all directions of movement. Each exceedance is recorded, and the results are published in quarterly reports.
The data is checked in detail before the reports are published. Airlines receive notifications of exceedances and can analyze the results to adjust their schedules or fleets. After that, summary documents are prepared and made available to the public. They contain general data on the number of night operations, the number of exceedances, and the percentage of violations out of the total number of flights.
This way, the program serves as a tool for dialogue between carriers and residents. It increases transparency and encourages companies to seek solutions to reduce the burden on the community.