The prescribed flight patterns for jet aircraft at SEA were established by the FAA in 1990 and have not changed. The Noise Programs Office monitors flight paths and meets regularly with the FAA to discuss aircraft that do not adhere to established SEA Noise Abatement flight procedures.
Noise Abatement procedures for jet aircraft are always secondary to safety in the sky. For reasons such as weather, separation from other aircraft, onboard emergencies, and missed approaches, aircraft can occasionally be seen in areas they don’t normally fly over.
There are no noise abatement procedures in place for smaller propeller-driven aircraft since these aircraft are slower and must be turned out of the paths of the faster jet aircraft.
