Boeing Field/King County International Airport (BFI)

The airspace at BFI is Class D with a 2500’ MSL ceiling. It underlies SEA Class B airspace which begins at various altitudes over BFI ranging from 1100’ to 3000’. (Refer to Seattle TAC Chart)

Class D Airspace Requirements (CFR §91.129 and AIM 3-1-4; 3-2-5):

Hot Spots 

• HS 1  TWY Z restricted access area
• HS 2  RWY 14R–32L and TWY A9. Wrong RWY departure risk
• HS 3  Extensive copter operations in the vicinity of TWY B5

Departure

• Hot Spot 2 – TWY A9 wrong direction departure problems here
• Verify proper heading prior to starting takeoff roll on all intersection departures
• Note - TWY A centerline seems to lines up with RWY 32R. This makes aircraft departing on RWY 14L appear to be taking off over TWY A
• VFR pilots (inbound/outbound) requesting a VFR arrival/departure should be familiar with the BFI VFR Transition routes published on the back of the Seattle TAC Chart.  
  • Pilots should request a published VFR departure/arrival route on initial contact.
  • BFI controllers can only provide VFR departure/arrival routing outside of published VFR routes on a very limited basis.

Landing

• Wrong Surface Landing risk exists here
• Closely spaced, staggered, parallel RWYs 14L/32R and 14R/32L
• RWY 14L/32R is noticeably narrower and shorter than RWY 14R/32L
• A note on the BFI ILS or LOC RWY 14R approach plate states “A descent to, at, or below 1500 may be required when executing an early missed approach”.
  • Be aware that when initiating a go-around above 1500’ on the approach, and aircraft maintaining altitude and/or beginning a slow descent to the OCEZE restriction, may come into conflict with aircraft on final approach to SEA.
  • BFI TWR may issue an instruction to overfly BFI RWY 14R at or below 1,500’ for traffic separation.

Surface Risk – Movement Area

• Hot Spot 1 – TWY Z appears to be an extension of TWY B however TWY Z can only be used with prior permission from Airport Management.  When taxiing to RWY 14 R do not continue beyond TWY B1 without permission
• Note - TWY A centerline seems to lines up with RWY 32R.  This makes aircraft departing on RWY 14L appear to be taking off over TWY A
• Hot Spot 3 – TWY B5 is a Helicopter Landing Area – Pilots taxiing north or south on TWY B must have clearance to cross Hold Short Markings on TWY B

  Additional Cautions

• West Point and the West Point lighthouse (not depicted on the sectional chart) is an area of highly increased aviation traffic due to sightseers and pilots who loiter in this area at altitudes up to 2000’ AGL or more.  
  • Be aware that this area is along/under the BFI 14R localizer; and 
  • Aircraft on approach transition this area at 1600’ AGL and above.
  • Increased number of TCAS Resolution Advisories are reported in this area.
  • VFR Pilots are strongly encouraged to contact BFI Tower when operating in these areas to receive traffic advisories/instructions to assist in traffic separation.
• If ever in doubt about your position or your instructions, ask the TWR

BFI Tower (TWR) operates 24 hours a day, 7 day a week. 

Frequencies: 

• 118.3 (312º–127º) Departing and arriving runway 14L–32R
• 120.6 (128º–311º) departing and arriving runway 14R–32L and all jets; heavy aircraft and IFR arrivals 

When TWR is NOTAM’d closed:

• For Clearance Delivery contact Seattle approach at 206-214-4722 

General

• Tower is normally worked by a controller that is transmitting and receiving on two frequencies at the same time (118.3, for east side traffic, and 120.6, for west side traffic). 
• Pilots should use caution when on either frequency and note that transmissions made by the tower may be for an aircraft on a different frequency than their own. 
• Pilots are encouraged to use good judgment and careful listening to avoid inadvertently taking instructions meant for a different aircraft, and to not make a transmission immediately after the tower has just given an instruction despite hearing silence, as an aircraft is likely reading back the instruction on another frequency.

Departure 

• See VFR Departure Procedures on King County Airport website: https://kingcounty.gov/services/airport/news-announcements/2021/May/15-final-vfr-routes.aspx 

Arrival

• See VFR Arrival Procedures on King County Airport website: https://kingcounty.gov/services/airport/news-announcements/2021/May/15-final-vfr-routes.aspx
• Traffic Pattern Altitude RWY 14L/32R 1000 MSL;
• Traffic Pattern Altitude RWY 14R/32L 700 MSL east of the Duwamish River 

Special Traffic - Helicopter 

• Very large Helicopter Tour Operations

• Heavy Boeing Presence

Do: 

• Refer to the airfield diagram and/or airport moving map while stopped and/or prior to taxiing.
• Keep your eyes outside to observe traffic, potential threats and airport signs and markings.
• Ask the controller to repeat instructions and clearances if you are not sure.
• Ask for progressive taxi instructions if you are unfamiliar or have lost situational awareness.
• Taxi your aircraft to the side of the run-up area to allow other aircraft to taxi around you if you are not ready for departure. 
• Advise TWR on initial contact (ground or air) if you are a student pilot. 
• Using runway and/or taxiway designators to describe your position, and turning on exterior lights will assist the controller in identifying you.
• Acknowledge all ATC instructions and read back all hold short restrictions with your call sign. 
• Always make sure that your aircraft is completely behind all hold- short lines.
• Advise GND/TWR if you want an intersection departure and wait for TWR clearance to take off. There may be a delay due to wake turbulence or traffic. 
• When using any RWY, verify mag heading and look for the white markings to avoid a wrong surface event.
• Consider backing up a visual approach with an underlying instrument (ILS/LOC/GPS) approach if time and workload allows.
• Remember that you must have a clearance to cross all RWYs, active and not active.
• Reference GPS User Waypoint, or if available, the assigned runway’s instrument approach. If unsure that you are aligned for the assigned runway, announce going around and why.
• Verify proper heading prior to starting takeoff roll on all departures. Consider checking and calling out, Wet compass, runway heading, runway paint/signage for departure runway, and directional gyro shows runway heading.  
• Use caution when taxiing smaller aircraft/helicopters in the vicinity of larger aircraft/helicopters. Controllers may use the words rotor wash, jet blast, or prop wash when issuing cautionary advisories. A general rule of thumb is 100 feet behind a jet aircraft. 

Do Not:

• Do not taxi on your own without obtaining taxi instructions from ATC.
• Do not cross an active RWY without specific controller permission to cross that RWY. 
• Do not use a RWY as a turn-off during landing unless cleared to do so by TWR. 
• Do not wait until you are ready for departure to request an IFR clearance. Making your request to clearance delivery or ground control prior to taxiing will allow time for ATC coordination. 
• Do not, on departure, leave TWR frequency while still in TWR airspace unless previously approved. (Note: frequency change outside of TWR airspace is at pilot’s discretion.)
   

• Squawk Transponder Code 7600 if you experience loss of two-way radio capability.
• If you can hear other aircraft but nobody responds to your calls then you should check for proper frequency selection, popped circuit breaker, radio panel setup, or an improperly hooked up intercom.
• Weak batteries in intercoms are often the cause of “radio failure”. Your emergency checklist may come in handy for checking other areas specific to your aircraft.
• If you can’t hear anything on the receiver, check the volume control, squelch, intercom, circuit breaker, or a stuck mike. 
• After you have determined the extent of the radio failure, you can determine how to communicate with the ATC.
• Additional information in the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) Chapter 6 - Section 4

• FAR 91.123 (d) states: Each pilot in command who (though not deviating from a rule of this subpart) is given priority by ATC in an emergency and shall submit a detailed report of that emergency within 48 hours to the manager of that ATC facility, if requested by ATC.
• It is extremely rare that a pilot is asked to justify declaring an emergency. In most cases, when a report is needed, it can usually be accomplished with a phone call.
• Additional information is also found in the AIM in Chapter 6 – Emergency Procedures

• Special VFR is primarily intended to offer pilots a way to operate into, out of, and through tower controlled airspace when local weather restricts the visibility or ceiling to below VFR minimums.
• There are times, for instance, when visibility is below three miles due to ground fog or the ceiling is below 1000 feet AGL due to a cold front passage, it may be advantageous to use the Special VFR rules to be able to get to VFR conditions.
• There are rules and conditions that apply to Special VFR and the one that controllers deal with the most often is the requirement that the pilot must request the clearance. We cannot offer it, as we cannot determine your abilities as a pilot and have no wish to talk you into accepting a clearance that may be beyond your experience level.

The basic requirements for Special VFR are:

• The clearance must be requested by the pilot.
• If it is after sunset and before sunrise the pilot requesting the clearance must be IFR rated and the aircraft must be certified for IFR flight.
• A minimum of 1 mile visibility must exist as reported by the tower.

What you may do with a Special VFR clearance:

• You may depart for another destination
• You may transition
• You may enter and land
• You may do touch and go landings