PORT OF SEATTLE 
MEMORANDUM 
COMMISSION AGENDA STAFF BRIEFING 
Item No.        7b 
Date of Meeting   February 28, 2012 

DATE:    February 21, 2012 
TO:     Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
FROM:    Stan Shepherd, Manager Airport Noise Programs 
SUBJECT:  Staff Briefing: Greener Skies Over Seattle 
SYNOPSIS: 
Today's Commission Briefing will consist of an overview of the Greener Skies Initiative
presented by David Suomi, the Deputy Regional Administrator of the Federal Aviation
Administration's (FAA) Northwest Region. This initiative consists of implementing
satellite-based technology to improve aircraft flight procedures into Sea-Tac Airport.
When implemented, the new procedures will reduce carbon emissions and noise in the
Puget Sound Region, and reduce air-to-ground communications and the possibility of
"hear back / read back" errors. 
BACKGROUND: 
In the summer of 2008, the Port of Seattle Noise Office met with Alaska Airlines to
discuss ways to further reduce noise and emissions through improved flight approaches at
Sea-Tac Airport. Alaska Airlines is a national leader in pioneering improved navigation
technology, and a logical partnership formed with the Port to explore options for
decreasing the environmental impact of arriving aircraft. The Boeing Company, another
worldwide leader in advanced aircraft navigation technology, joined the efforts with the
Port and Alaska Airlines, forming a strong team of industry experts to meet this
challenge. 
Much of the work accomplished by Alaska Airlines has been in the form of introducing
Required Navigational Performance (RNP) flight procedures into remote Alaska airports
with limited land based navigation technology. RNP is a satellite based technology
onboard aircraft that allows for very specific flight routes including altitude, speed and
time. The technology provides benefits of more direct routing and the elimination of fuel
consuming step down approaches, replaced instead with Optimized Profile Descents
(OPDs). Sea-Tac is an ideal location to pursue RNP technology because it has the
highest percentage of advanced instrument equipped aircraft and trained pilots in the
nation. In addition, the project has broad Congressional support.

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 
February 21, 2012 
Page 2 of 2 
From 2009 through 2010, the team focused on understanding the implementation of RNP
within the Puget Sound's complex airspace. Many difficulties regarding implementation
were identified during that timeframe. Alaska Airlines expended significant time and
resources researching this effort by volunteering three different demonstration flights.
Various FAA and other Greener Skies team members were onboard the aircraft observing
the RNP flight procedures. Aircraft performance data and communications information
was captured during these flights for further evaluation. 
In June 2010, the FAA NextGen (Next Generation Air Transportation System)
Management Board adopted the Greener Skies Initiative as an official project. (NextGen
is the FAA's plan to modernize the National Airspace System (NAS) through 2025.) The
initiative will increase airspace capacity and efficiency while improving safety and
reducing environmental impacts. This is accomplished by replacing ground-based radar
with new satellite-based equipment and advanced aircraft navigation capabilities. The
original team of Alaska Airlines, the Port, and Boeing remain actively involved in the
project in an advisory capacity. 
The Greener Skies Initiative is serving as a blueprint for NextGen RNP technology
throughout the country. To fully integrate into the Seattle area's complex airspace,
Greener Skies procedures will require significant rule changes to be made by the FAA.
To accomplish this revision process, the FAA has separated the project into two specific
initiatives: 
Initiative One - Development of Sea-Tac specific arrival routes and procedures. 
Initiative Two - Identification and resolution of current policies, procedures and
regulations necessary to derive the full value of Initiative One procedures.
Initiative Two work has implications for successful implementation of similar
approaches nationwide. 
During 2012, work will continue on the environmental review process initiated in the
autumn of 2011 and the FAA expects to allow limited testing on revenue flights under
narrowly defined conditions. Absent a fatal flaw identified during the environmental
review or initial flights, the project is anticipated to conclude in the spring of 2013, with
published RNP approaches and procedures for arrivals into Sea-Tac. Implementation
will be phased in, as controllers are trained and become familiar with the new routes.
Additional work will continue at the national level during Initiative Two, to ensure full
NAS integration of RNP.
OTHER DOCUMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS BRIEFING: 
PowerPoint Presentation