Overview

Download the study overview handout.

Purpose

This two-year study is intended to provide a clear picture of the region’s aviation system (King, Pierce, Snohomish and Kitsap counties) and form the technical foundation for future decisions by regional and state leaders.

The objectives of the Regional Aviation Baseline Study are to:

Identify the roles of each airport and the aviation activities within the region.

Provide a regional perspective on how aviation activities at airports in the study area interact with each other, the community and the broader economy.

Obtain input from stakeholders about their needs and build a common understanding about aviation and airspace constraints.

Identify future aviation needs within the central Puget Sound region and set the stage for future planning.

Scope

The Regional Aviation Baseline Study will support future planning efforts by collecting information about:

Existing conditions and recent trends in aviation, including the roles of each airport and the aviation activities within the study area.

Economic contributions of regional aviation sectors and the factors that affect different market sectors.

A conceptual level of analysis of primary airspace flows and relevant airspace constraints. It will analyze whether the current airspace system can deliver future demand scenarios.

Relationships and dependences between airports within the region and with the National Airport System.

Landside access to the region’s airports and adequacy to meet future demand.

Community perspectives, concerns, issues and impacts gathered through a robust stakeholder engagement process.

Difference from master planning and siting studies

An airport master plan is a comprehensive study of an airport and usually describes the short-, medium-, and long-term development plans to meet future aviation demand. Sometimes an existing airport cannot be expanded to meet the future demand and a new or supplemental airport is required. In these cases, a new airport site may be selected as part of an airport’s planning process or as identified through a siting study.

The Regional Aviation Baseline Study will build on master planning processes underway at many of the region’s airports. The study will provide empirical data and describe potential scenarios to accommodate future demand, but it is not a siting study and will not offer recommendations or solutions. The study is intended to provide a comprehensive view of the regional aviation system and inform follow-up actions by policymakers.