On Saturday morning (Dec. 19th) at 10am, Sound Transit opened its Link light rail service to SeaTac with lots of ceremony, local dignitaries, curious passengers, and of course, functioning trains that now link the airport to downtown Seattle.

The first 14 miles of light rail opened from downtown Seattle to Tukwila in July. This final segment from Tukwila to SeaTac / Airport Station, built under a close partnership with the Port of Seattle, connects the airport from downtown with 13 stops serving the SeaTac, Tukwila, Rainier Valley, Beacon Hill, SODO to the final stop at Westlake.

“It’s been a heck of a journey, but we delivered on what we promised: light rail from downtown Seattle to the airport in 2009,” said Seattle Mayor and Sound Transit Board Chair Greg Nickels. “This opens an entirely new option for travelers and commuters, and represents the first steps of a truly regional network.”

Service on the 1.7-mile extension line kicked off with an inaugural ribbon cutting at the SeaTac / Airport Station before the station and trains opened for regular passenger service at 10am, and Photographer Michael Brunk was there to capture this Photo Slideshow:

Click to View Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

“Opening the doors to Sound Transit’s airport line in time for the holidays is great gift to residents of the Puget Sound region,” said U.S. Sen. Patty Murray. “This new line will provide fast and easy connections to downtown Seattle and a low-cost way to get around. This is just the latest in environmentally friendly transportation that will help ensure our region’s long-term economic growth.”

Sound Transit and the Port of Seattle collaborated on the Airport Link project which included the new light rail station, pedestrian bridges connecting the station to the airport parking garage and a pick-up and drop-off area to the east serving the city of SeaTac. The Port also relocated and upgraded the Airport Expressway and the Return-to-Terminal roadway loop.

“With more than 30 million passengers through Sea-Tac every year, and 15,000 airport employees, we anticipate light rail will be a welcome “green” alternative for travel to and from the airport,” said Port of Seattle Commissioner John Creighton. “Using light rail will reduce air emissions and traffic congestion. It’s good for the airport and it’s good for our region.”

The next light rail extension is scheduled to open in 2016 with service from downtown Seattle to Capitol Hill and the University of Washington. Construction is underway on that segment while Sound Transit plans for 36 more miles of light rail extensions to Lynnwood, Bellevue, Redmond, Mercer Island and Federal Way by 2023.

Link’s normal Saturday schedule will be from 5 a.m. – 1 a.m. with regular fares required. On weekdays, the first train from the airport to downtown will depart at 5:16 a.m. and the last one to downtown will leave at 12:07 a.m. The last train to Mt. Baker Station in the Rainier Valley departs at 12:46 a.m.

More detailed schedule and fare information is here: http://www.soundtransit.org/x11204.xml.

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You can now get free wi-fi at Sea-Tac Airport, courtesy of Google, which announced Tuesday that it is now sponsoring free wireless access at 47 airports around the US.

Sea-Tac’s free offer (along with Burbank Airport), are considered “indefinite,” while the others are scheduled to expire Jan. 15, 2010.

According to the Google Free Wi-Fi website:

When you’re traveling this holiday season, you can enjoy free WiFi at 47 participating airports and on every Virgin America flight. Just bring a WiFi-enabled laptop or mobile device and stay connected to family and friends for free while you travel now through January 15, 2010.

The promotion, in cooperation with three wireless carriers, is clearly a marketing effort to use free Wi-Fi to boost the Google brand.

Just be careful when logging on though – many hackers have set up “Free Wi-Fi” networks in public places, so make sure you’re actually hopping on board the Google one.

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Sea-Tac Airport is re-opening a new, larger Cell Phone Waiting Lot at 9am on Monday, July 27th, just north of the old lot on Air Cargo Road

This new lot includes nearly 100 spaces for vehicles, doubling the size of the old one.

The Cell Phone Waiting Lot is a free service courtesy The Port of Seattle that allows drivers to wait up to 30 minutes until arriving passengers have deplaned, collected luggage and called to be picked up outside of Baggage Claim. Drivers must stay with their vehicles.

The Port cautions however:

“Please be aware there is no parking or waiting allowed on the airport roadway shoulders at any time.”

The previous lot was closed for six weeks in order to facilitate a new air cargo operation in the cargo terminal building next to the lot. The building now houses a number of air cargo airline operations that ship freight of all kinds, including exports of Washington state’s bumper cherry crop. The Port of Seattle estimates lease and cargo related earnings of $40,000 per week from that facility during the closure period, or over $240,000 in total. The new lot was not available to open until Monday.

Driving Directions To the Cell Phone Lot:

• From the Southbound Airport Expressway: Take the Air Cargo Rd./Cell Phone Lot exit, turn right onto 170th, turn right onto Air Cargo Road and follow that road until you see the Cell Phone Waiting Lot on your left.
• From Southbound International Blvd: Turn right onto 170th, turn right onto Air Cargo Road and follow that road until you see the Cell Phone Waiting Lot on your left.

From the Cell Phone Lot to Baggage Claim (Arrivals Drive):
Take a right out of the Cell Phone Lot and make left on Air Cargo Road (sign reads to terminal). Follow signs to Arrivals.

For more information on Sea-Tac Airport’s parking options, visit their website: http://www.portseattle.org/seatac/ground/

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By Mark Neuman

There is a certain endearing modesty about Al Haynes, who worked for United Airlines for 35 years, and has lived in the same house near Sea-Tac airport since 1963.

One would never know from the sound or words of this neighborly and unselfish man, that he is one of the heroes, along with his crew, in a horrific plane crash that occurred 20 years ago this Sunday, on July 20, 1989:

We recently spoke with Captain Haynes as he was returning home from a luncheon and heading out to volunteer as a public address announcer at a Little League baseball tournament, something, including umpiring, he has loved doing for years.

On July 19, 1989, United Airlines flight 232, with almost 300 people on board, took off from Denver, heading to Chicago. Captain Haynes, with over 30,000 hours of flight experience, was at the controls.

Things were quite normal. The weather was fine. Nothing seemed wrong with the Douglas DC-10.

Suddenly, a foot-long, pie-shaped piece of fanblade flew off, cutting and destroying all three independent hydraulic systems.

Captain Haynes and his flight crew had only the thrust levers for the two remaining engines to work with, forcing them to make only right turns. As much fuel as possible was dumped and the crew made an emergency landing at Sioux City, Iowa.

Stunningly, 185 people on board survived the cartwheeling, fiery crash landing.

And since then, Haynes’ expertise and experience in handling in-flight emergencies, and the story of United Flight 232, have been constantly sought, with emphasis on addressing professionals in the aviation industry.

“I’ve done about ten talks this year with about four more lined up. I really have cut back.”

His speaking engagements have included instructing new astronauts at the Space Center in Houston

We asked Captain Haynes to comment on the frequently held belief by some over the years that the location of a passenger’s seat on a flight might influence that person’s chance of surviving an emergency landing.

“We had fatalities in every section of the aircraft and we had survivors in every section of the aircraft,” he replied. “It can be a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Al Haynes first moved to Seattle in 1957.

“The airport here was very, very small. It only had about ten gates. Seattle was very friendly and very comfortable. My wife was from Southern California and she fell in love with Seattle, and there was no question we were staying right here.”

Many people thought of Al Haynes this past January when Captain Chesley Sullenberger landed US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River after that aircraft suddenly became disabled just after taking off from from New York’s LaGuardia Airport.

“He did a superb job,” Haynes said of Sullenberger. “And he did it in a very short period of time. He did an outstanding job of making those quick decisions and reacting as fast as he did. The decision was forced upon him, but to make that decision is still tough.”

While the two had never met before, Haynes and Sullenberger have spoken on the phone with each other twice since the Hudson River landing.

We asked Captain Haynes about his flight crew from that fateful day twenty years ago. The crew included First Officer William Records, Flight Engineer Dudley Dvorak, and Dennis Fitch, a United training pilot who happened to be on board.

“Everybody’s in good shape,” Haynes said. “We hope to have a crew reunion sometime this summer.

“There is a bond there, and we try to keep in contact.”

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KOMO News reports that Friday night (April 17th) brought another flurry of laser beam pointing incidents of airplanes heading into Sea-Tac Airport for landings.

Four airplanes were targeted, beginning around 8:30pm, and this time the laser was red. Previously a green laser was used.

All airplanes landed safely without incident.

Investigators say that the laser was based in an area 2-3 miles north of the airport, near Glen Acres Golf Course and east of SR-509 (see map below).

Previously, the most recent laser incident happened last Saturday night (April 11th). Lasers have been pointed at over two dozen aircraft since February, and despite arresting and releasing a Burien man in March, police are still investigating.

It’s a felony to point lasers at airplanes, and if you saw anything unusual in that area, or know anything about this incident, please contact Port of Seattle Police immediately at 206-433-5400.

Read the full story here.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• Has The SeaTac Airplane Laser Pointer Returned?
• Laser Pointer Aimed At Airplane Tuesday Night
• Police Arrest Airplane Laser Suspect
• Another Laser Incident Near SeaTac Wed. Night
• Second Laser vs Airplane Incident Near Sea-Tac
• Laser Pointed At Numerous Aircraft Near SeaTac

View Larger Map

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It appears that the airplane laser-pointer has returned, this time Saturday night (4/11) as Alaska Airlines flight #469 was targeted around 8:20pm as it was landing at SeaTac Airport.

This makes over 20 laser incidents since February.

A Burien man was briefly arrested then released last month. He was alleged to have “accidentally” pointed a laser while at a party, but no charges were ever filed.

Pointing a laser at an airplane is not a joke – it’s a felony.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• Laser Pointer Aimed At Airplane Tuesday Night
• Police Arrest Airplane Laser Suspect
• Another Laser Incident Near SeaTac Wed. Night
• Second Laser vs Airplane Incident Near Sea-Tac
• Laser Pointed At Numerous Aircraft Near SeaTac

SISTER SITE B-TOWN BLOG’S APRIL FOOL’S FAKE INTERVIEW WITH “LASER FLOYD”:

• EXCLUSIVE:B-Town Blog Interviews Laser-Pointing Culprit

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Sea-Tac Airport won an award this week from a source you don’t usually associate with airports – PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), which gave them a “Proggy Award” in the Most Progressive Airport category for 2009.

The honor was bestowed upon the airport for its innovative use of bird radar, lasers and pyrotechnics used to deter birds from flying into the paths of airplanes, as well as its full-time staff biologist and more.

Here’s the press release from PETA:

For using radar, lasers, and pyrotechnics to keep birds away from airspace that could put them on a collision course with aircraft, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has won a PETA Proggy Award in the Most Progressive Airport category. Sea-Tac will receive a framed certificate and will be featured on PETA’s award-winning Web site, PETA.org. PETA’s Proggy Awards (“Proggy” is for “progress”) recognize animal-friendly achievements in commerce and culture.

According to news reports, Sea-Tac employs a staff wildlife biologist and 20 assistants who work to prevent potentially disastrous collisions between rapidly moving aircraft and flocks of slow-moving birds. The airport uses a special radar system to detect flocks of birds and, by observing their flying patterns, identify their species. Once it’s determined that a flock could be on a collision course with an airplane, the wildlife team focuses lasers in the birds’ eyes to mimic a predator. This is usually enough to make the birds change course and fly to a safer area. If the lasers don’t do the trick, the team rolls out the pyrotechnics–explosive shells that are shot into the air. The program has proved effective in protecting both aircraft and birds.

Sea-Tac has also done several things to make the airport less attractive to birds and other animals. It installed netting over storm-water ponds, put in plants that would deter birds from nesting, and installed underground fencing to prevent burrowing animals from reaching runways. Not only is killing birds around airports cruel, it is also ineffective. As long as conditions remain attractive to birds, others will move in to fill the void left by those who are killed.

“Sea-Tac’s program is an effective and compassionate way to handle wildlife around aircraft, and it should be a model for every airport,” says PETA Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. “We commend Sea-Tac for adopting nonlethal measures that protect airline passengers without hurting birds and other animals.”

For more information about PETA’s work to protect animals, please visit PETA.org.

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According to various sources, someone aimed a laser beam Tuesday night (March 24th) around 8pm at an Alaska Airlines flight making its landing approach in to Sea-Tac Airport.

Previously we reported about a 24-year old Burien man who was arrested and then released on March 11th; he is considered a “person of interest” in this incident, according to airport spokeswoman Terri-Ann Betancourt.

In Tuesday night’s incident, a laser was pointed at Alaska Airlines flight number 487 from San Diego about two miles northwest of the airport, in the same area where other planes had been targeted previously.

The targeted aircraft landed without incident, as had all previously-targeted airplanes.

Police are currently investigating this incident.

Shining a laser at an aircraft is considered a felony, and is punishable under the Patriot Act.

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Aviation High School, currently housed at the former Olympic Elementary School building in Des Moines, has received a private donation of $4 million, moving it well on its path to landing at the Museum of Flight in south Seattle.

The identity of the donor will be revealed at a press conference this Thursday (March 26th) and here’s more info from a press release:

Local officials, students, parents, school administrators, and general aviation advocates will join Highline Superintendent John Welch and Aviation High School Principal and CEO Reba Gilman as they announce the first major private donor investment in the relocation of Aviation High School to The Museum of Flight in South Seattle.

Aviation High School has adopted an ambitious plan to relocate to the Museum of Flight by 2012. Construction costs for the new facility are $43.5 million, of which about $20 million has been raised from public and private sources.

This announcement of a major anchor private donor is the first of what is expected to be several other major contributions from individuals and businesses prominent in the aviation, engineering, and technology sectors of the Pacific Northwest.

The major donor will be in attendance to be acknowledged for his sizable gift, and to accept the naming rights to this unique high school.

Aviation High School’s mission and vision is:

To prepare all students for college, career and citizenship through a personalized, rigorous and relevant learning experience that is facilitated in the context of aviation and aerospace.

To be the premier public high school of choice for students in King County and the region who wish to pursue their passion for aviation and aerospace in a learning environment that prepares them for higher education, citizenship, and work.

The Museum of Flight is located at 9404 East Marginal Way South in Seattle, near Boeing Field, and Aviation High School is currently located at 615 South 200th Street in Des Moines – an 11.6 mile flight:

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9:30pm 3/8/09 UPDATE: The Burien man arrested in connection with the recent spate of laser-flashing of airplanes has been identified as Christopher C. Saunders, 24.

Saunders was apprehended around 4pm Friday and booked into King County jail for first-degree unlawful discharge of a laser, which is a felony.

In court on Saturday, Saunders was ordered to be held on $100,000 bail.

Police claim they found a laser at Saunders’ apartment, located near the area where the suspect green laser beam originated.

Numerous airplanes had been targeted by lasers over the past month near Sea-Tac Airport, including four incidents last Wednesday, one last Sunday, and another dozen in February.

Port of Seattle police detectives are still investigating the case. Anyone who has information are encouraged to contact Port of Seattle Police Detectives at 206-433-4621.

PREVIOUSLY: Port of Seattle Police confirmed the arrest of a 24-year old Burien resident for suspicion of Unlawful Discharge of a Laser – 1st Degree, a Class “C” felony.

The arrest occurred Friday, March 6th at about 4pm, and the identity of the suspect has not yet been released.

This arrest is related to the recent “lasering” incidents of aircraft at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. A laser was seized from the suspect, who was booked into the King County jail.

Port of Seattle Police Detectives are continuing their investigation, and anyone who has information relating to these aircraft lasering incidents is encouraged to contact Port of Seattle Police Detectives at 206-433-4621.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• Another Laser Incident Near SeaTac Wed. Night
• Second Laser vs Airplane Incident Near Sea-Tac
• Laser Pointed At Numerous Aircraft Near SeaTac

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