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Greener Skies over Sea-Tac

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Marissa Brent-Tookey

One aspect of Boeing's "Greener Skies" initiative already shows significant benefits, according to a report the company released yesterday. The FAA awarded Boeing a $3.1 million contract in 2011 to work on improving navigation and air traffic control capabilities, and now some of the data is in. An Alaska Airlines press release, noted by Puget Sound Business Journal, explains that a more precise  landing protocol, called RNAV (RNP), that Boeing tested with Alaska Airlines "saved 87 gallons of fuel, compared to the typical route, and saved 8.8 minutes." Satellites make the old "stair-step descents" obsolete, and 80 percent of planes landing at Sea-Tac airport have the necessary avionics to put RNAV (RNP) into practice.

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Marissa Brent-Tookey

By Marissa Brent-Tookey

Marissa Brent-Tookey is an editorial intern at Crosscut. She holds a B.A. in French from Seattle University and now studies film production at Shoreline Community College. In addition to crewing a doz