Continental, FedEx Named Most Quiet Air Carriers at Sea-Tac

-First annual Fly Quiet Award for passenger and cargo operators-

The Port of Seattle Commission announced the winners of the Fly Quiet Awards, honoring Continental Airlines as the quietest passenger airline, and Federal Express as the quietest cargo airline operating at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. United Airlines received an honorable mention.

The Fly Quiet Committee, which consists of airline and airport staff, pilots, and members of the community, established the incentive program to honor airline companies that work to reduce the impacts of jet noise on the region.

"I'm very pleased that we're working in a positive way with the airlines and the communities around the airport to reduce airport noise impacts. The awards provide an incentive for the airlines to do their very best to comply with noise-abatement procedures and ground run-up rules. Congratulations to Continental and Federal Express for their exceptional consideration for airport neighbors," said Port Commission President Bob Edwards.

Airlines and cargo carriers operating at Sea-Tac were judged in three categories:

How well their pilots followed noise abatement flight paths for both take-offs and landings. The paths are designed to create the least possible noise impacts on people below.

Compliance with rules for testing engines on the ground at Sea-Tac. "Run-ups," as they are known in the industry, are necessary for flight safety, but produce a great deal of noise.

The overall noise from an airline's fleet as measured at Port-owned monitoring stations near Sea-Tac.

The competition is for jet aircraft only, as propeller-driven aircraft fly different paths and it's not possible to make a direct comparison.

The Port has communicated with all pilots about the need to be good neighbors, and recently arranged to have noise abatement procedures included in the published charts that pilots use when flying in or out of Sea-Tac. Additionally, the Port has significantly increased the fines imposed on airlines that conduct run-ups outside of approved daytime hours; there was only one run-up violation at Sea-Tac during 2004.