Sea-Tac Airport Can't But Boeing Can

Since the start of the noise study at Sea-Tac Airport, our organization has asked for air-traffic forecasts for the Airport for the next 20 years.  We've been told by the study team (led by the consultancy Landrum & Brown) that such forecasts are next to impossible.   Never mind that for purposes of justifying Sea-Tac expansion the same consultants (& the Airport) were able to make 20-year forecasts. For purposes of mitigation, it's just too hard to figure what air travel will do in 20 years.

Well, as it turns out, the Boeing Company has a different view.  The news item below, found in a recent issue of the on-line aviation daily news service, "Airwise", tells us all that Boeing feels quite confident that they can predict the general direction for 20 years to the point that they are willing to go public with estimates of how many passenger aircraft will be needed to meet travel demand. 

Here's something that might help Landrum & Brown to figure it all out -- the main phone number for Boeing's commercial-aircraft division:  206-655-1131.

Now the news item:

------------------------------------------------------ Boeing Sees USD$700 Bln Market In North America ------------------------------------------------------ September 3, 2010 Boeing has reiterated that it expects North American airlines
to take delivery of about 7,200 new planes over the next 20 years
at a value of about USD$700 billion. Details: http://news.airwise.com/story/view/1283497136.html