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A UNIVERSITY OF , INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND GOVERNMENT RESEARCH VOL. VI, NO. 2

AIRPASSENGER ANDCARGO TRANSPORTATION IN ALASKA The air transportation industry in Alaska is undergoing March that they were beginning an Alaskan Service Inves­ dramatic changes, which are likely to further strengthen tigation . In an announcement to the and other in­ its economic value to the state. New technology and trans­ terested parties, the CAB stated; "The board has decided port needs are increasing carrier competitiveness, while to undertake a comprehensive review of major route pat­ rising equipment and operating costs are lowering profit terns serving Alaska. margins. These conditions, plus growing reluctance on the " It has been over ten years since the board completed part of the federal government to subsidize less efficient an extensive examination of intra-Alaska air transporta­ operations, have resulted in attempts to increase efficiency tion requirements and almost four years since we last ex­ through mergers . amined the need for realignment and rievision of the four­ In 1967, Western Airlines International, plagued by an carrier air route complex between the announced profit squeeze on its western continental U.S. and Alaska. Significant changes in recent years suggest and Mexican routes, purchased based Pacific that the time is now ripe for a broad-scale investigation Northern Airlines and expanded operations into Alaska. into Alaskan air transportation requirements. A sound air in the past two years acquired Cordova transportation system is vital to the Alaskan economy and Airlines ( the former Coastal and Ellis_Airlines), extending the board intends to examine the entire Alaskan air route its routes throughout Southeastern Alaska and into Dawson, structure to determine what changes are necessary to pro­ Y.T., Canada. The two major intra-Alaska carriers, Wien vide for better service to the public, improved scheduling Air Alaska, Alaska's oldest airline, and ·Nor:thern Consoli­ and operational flexibility for the carriers, elimination of dated Airlines, joined forces in 1968 to form Wien Consoli­ uneconomic and wasteful competition, and reduction of dated Airlines. These combined major city and bush federal subsidy payments.'' routes extend from Juneau to the Arctic Ocean and The coming introduction of jet aircraft that can carry Bering Sea coasts. more than 100 tons of freight or up to 400 passengers, plus Settlement of the long standing Trans-Pacific Route the increasing cargo requirements resulting from oil ac­ Case, which has been in the works since the mid-1950's, tivity on the Arctic Slope, are additional factors effecting · will bring additional changes in Alaskan aviation. major changes in the Alaska air transportation picture. President , after rescinding and review­ HISTORY OF AVIATION IN ALASKA ing routes approved by the Johnson Administration, granted The era of the airplane in Alaska began on the Fourth Pan American World Airways a route from New York to of July, 1914, when a group of Fairbanks businessmen spon­ Tokyo via Fairbanks. Approval of a Western Airlines route sored an aerial circus and brought pioneer aviator James from Anchorage to is expected in the near future. Martin north with his flying machine. The businessmen The Pacific Northwest-California route case also affects hoped to make a profit by selling seats in the ballpark to Alaska. watch the take-off and landing . The undertaking was not Growing interstate, intrastate and international traffic a financial success . Few people came to the ballpark al­ is putting great strains on aircraft facilities in Alaska. An though hundreds climbed trees and sat on roofs, as Martin, upsurge in and facility construction is expected. for nine minutes, circled the city at an altitude The Civil Aeronautics Board, the federal regulatory of 400 feet. agency concerning airline operations, announced late in Commercial aviation began in Alaska during the early PAGE 2 UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA, INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND GOVERNMENT RESEARCH

ing between the lower states and the ALASKA REVIEW OF BUSINESS since 1929, beginning with the first flight in a Lockheed AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS Vega of Ancel Eckmann for Alaska Washington Airways. VOL. VI, NO. 2 The 1930's witnessed a steady growth in the use of air~ April, 1969 craft in the Northland. It was the era when men like Fred Published by the Institute of Social, Economic and Government Research, Moller decided the plane could be used as a prospecting University of Alaska, College, Alaska tool, when Harold Gillam proved that radios and instru­ William R. Wood-President, University of Alaska ments would make planes useful in bad weather, and when Victor Fischer-Director, Institute of Social, Economic Bob Reeve, now president of , pio- and Government Research James D. Babb, Jr. Judy M. Brady Institute Editor Terry T. Brady - Author Review Editor It was an era when planes were identified by the men and the exploits of the men who flew them. Sig Wien, Art Woodley, Ray Peterson, John Cross, Jim Dodson, Sam 0. 1920's, as pilots decided to try their luck on the last fron­ White, Merle "Mudhole" Smith, Shell Simmons, Alex Hol­ tier. One of the foremost of these men was Carl Ben Eiel­ den, Russell Merrill, Bob Ellis, and Archie Ferguson are son, a Fairbanks schoolteacher, who like other early bush but a few of those who brought the air age to Alaska pilots became a legend in his time. prior to World War II. Several of these former pilots are Eielson inaugurated the first air mail service in Alas­ still active in aviation as executives of the combines that ka, flying a DeHaviland between Fairbanks and McGrath have succeeded the small operators of that time. during the winter of 1924. He covered the distance in a few The 1920's and 1930's was also the period when global hours, whereas it took dog team drivers three weeks to air pioneers realized the strategic importance of Alaska, make the round trip. In 1928, Eielson, in company of Cap­ both in military and civil aviation. General Billy Mitchell tain George Wilkins, made the first airplane flight across sponsored a flight of the Black Wolf Squadron, U.S. Army the Arctic Ocean, from Alaska to Spitzbergen. Air Service, from New York to Alaska in 1920. Mitchell had The route, over the northern tip of Greenland, pio­ previously served in Alaska with the Signal Corps. It took neered the way for World War II military flights and the the squadron, in four open DeHaviland planes, six weeks much later commercial flights that began at the end of to make the trip to Fairbanks. From Fairbanks they flew the 1950's. Eielson was only 32 years old when he crashed to Nome, and would have pioneered a route to Siberia, if and was killed near Siberia in 1930, while going to the aid the Army had allowed it. of the Nanuk, a fur trading ship frozen in the arctic pack The route from Alaska westward to Siberia was to be ice. flown by thousands of lend lease planes entering Russia Other pilots were also testing the airways of Alaska from the by the "back door" during World when Eielson was making his historic flights. Noel Wien, War II. The that has enveloped the world since with his pilot's license signed by Orville Wright, came north World War II has also made Alaska an important military in 1924 to join the Fairbanks Airplane Company. Later, basing area for aircraft. Defensive interceptors, surveil­ with his brothers, he founded Wien Alaska Airlines which is lance aircraft, and huge tankers have all been used along now a major part of Wien Consolidated Airlines. In March the Soviet Arctic frontier. 1929,Wien made the first flight between Alaska and Siberia. However, it is in world wide civil aviation that Alaska Joe Crosson, A. A. Bennett, and Harold Gillam were has come into its own. Since the late 1950's when Scandi­ others who pioneered commercial flying in Alaska. Cros­ navian Airlines System, the giant co-operative airline of son, a veteran pilot, and Gillam, then a neophyte, flew Sweden, Norway and Denmark, made its maiden polar open cockpit planes in search of Eielson in 1930. It was flight from Europe to Japan via Anchorage, Alaska has Gillam, himself to die following a crash in Southeastern been referred to as the "air crossroads of the world." Anch­ Alaska during World War II, who found Eielson and his orage now has one of the world's most important interna­ mechanic, Earl Borland, near the Siberian coastline. tional , with multi-daily flights stopping enroute to Crosson, who worked for Eielson, helped merge Eiel­ and from the continental United States and the Orient, son's company and several other early Alaskan flying and from the Orient to Europe. services into Pacific Alaska Airways, a subsidiary of Pan Groundwork for this key position began early in the American World Airways. The Pan American combine aviation history of Alaska. The flight of the Black Wolf helped establish local scheduled routes in Alaska, and in Squadron, Carl Ben Eielson and George Wilkin's pioneer 1940, inaugurated the first scheduled service between Alas­ flight across the Arctic, the early operations of Pan ka and Seattle. Some charter type services had been operat- American World Airways in Alaska and the exploits of UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA, INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND GOVERNMENT RESEARCH PAGE 3

Wiley Post and famed humorist Will Rogers (who were killed near Barrow in 1935 on a round the world flight) TABLE 2 all contributed. Forecast of Total Passenger Enplanements on Today, the booming oil business is making great de­ Scheduled U.S. Flag Air Carriers in Alaska mands on speedy, large capacity cargo planes. Increased Ratio: Forecast international flights are adding to the need for additional Fiscal Total Rate of Enplanements/ stopover facilities in the state, and intrastate travel con­ Year Enplanements Increase Population tinues to keep bush pilots busy, though they are now flying 1969 969,000 3.25 turbine-powered Pilatus Porters and DeHaviland Otters, 1970 1,072,000 10.6 3.47 rathrr than th

The number of persons moving to, from, through and Source: Federal Aviation Administration within Alaska by air has grown substantially since the end of World War II. Alaskans log on an average several times more airline trips per year than the U.S. population as a The greatest growth has been in Anchorage, the state's whole. In Alaska, the airplane has virtually taken the place largest city, where 70,109 U.S. flag carrier enplanements of busses and trains in intercommunity transportation. were recorded in 1955. This grew to an estimated 325,000in Since World War II airlines have supplanted ships as the 1968. At Fairbanks, the number grew from 35,110 in 1955to primary transportation mode for passengers to and from an estimated 106,949in 1968. Alaska. The Federal Aviation Administration predicts that U.S. By the mid-1950's, during the military construction per­ flag carrier enplanements in Alaska will continue to grow iod when the DEW Line and White Alice systems were at a rapid rate, and recently revised estimates put the built, air transportation of passengers came into its own in number for the entire state at 3,400,000in 1985- 1,585,000at Alaska. In 1955, 264,700passengers enplaned within Alaska Anchorage alone. This forecast growth rate would far out­ on scheduled U.S. flag carrier flights. By 1957, enplane­ strip the predicted population gain, and would result in ments had increased to 364,000.In 1958, toward the end of 6.42 enplanements per person. In 1966, Alaska had 2.47 en­ the construction period, this dropped to 334,000, and took a planements per capita, while the rate for the U.S. popula­ further drop to 331,000in 1959, the first year of statehood. tion as a whole was 0.59. (See Table 2.) Since then the number of enplanements on U.S. flag car­ Enplanements on U.S. flag carriers alone do not tell riers has grown steadily, and reached an estimated 887,949 the entire story of the growth, past and predicted, of pas­ during 1968. (See Table 1.) senger air service in Alaska. Table 3 depicts the total utili­ zation growth of both the Anchorage and Fairbanks Inter­ national Airports during the period 1955to 1966. TABLE 1 That there was a growth in passenger traffic, while at Airline Passenger Enplanements the same time the number of aircraft operations at the two (On Scheduled U.S. Flag Air Carriers Only) major airports remained nearly stable, can be explained Fiscal Year Alaska Anchorage Fairbanks in large part by the introduction of bigger and faster pro­ 1955 264,700 70,109 35,110 peller aircraft in the 1950's and the use of big jets begin­ 1956 320,400 87,368 46,795 ning in the early 1960's. The bigger prop planes (Douglas 1957 364,400 101,160 54,739 DC-6's and 7's and Boeing Stratocruisers) during the 1950's 1958 334,000 88,791 41,507 1959 331,200 91,834 41,181 allowed the carriers to move more passengers. The jets 1960 367,800 96,803 43,566 (Douglas DC-S's, Boeing 707's and 720's, Convair 880's) 1961 423,000 120,994 52,330 which began flying in the 1960's, further explains the 1962 522,990 143,640 70,622 growth. 1963 566,950 163,300 68,731 1964 605,107 187,920 80,530 Also, bigger and faster planes were being introduced in­ 1965 656,564 202,609 78,118 to intra-Alaska service about the same time, allowing local 1966 704,850 223,700 75,871 carriers to move more passengers with less total opera­ 1967 777,944 261,174 81,084 tions. The Fairchild F-27 prop jets went into service in the 1968* 876,000 325,000 95,000 late 1950's, taking over the work done earlier by small * Preliminary Estimate Source: Federal Aviation Administration, and individual airport statistics planes and the older transports, Douglas DC-3's and Curtis C-46's. PAGE 4 UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA, INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND GOVERNMENT RESEARCH

Europe and the Far East, and the Military Airlift Command TABLE 3 flights that refuel at Anchorage. (See Table 4.) In calen­ Air Carrier Passengers and Aircraft Operations, dar year 1959, 41,080 through passengers used the Anchor­ Anchorage International Airport: 1956-66 age facility. This increased to 360,631by 1967, and is pre­ dicted to reach 2,000,000through passengers a year by 1985. Aircraft Operations (See Table 5.) These figures do not take into consideration Air Carrier General tne past use of Fairbanks International Airport for through Year Passenger Total Air Carrier Aviation Military passengers as an alternate stop to Anchorage nor the use 29,396 32,081 53,495 1956 167,380 114,972 of Fairbanks as a regular through passenger stop in the 1957 194,102 121,464 29,679 32,885 58,900 195t, 192,Wb Also of military 1959 225,986 73,230 21,585 32,708 18,937 charter) stopped at the Cold Bay facility on flights to the 1960 232,266 95,910 28,364 45,678 21,868 Far East in the past. Increased use of the Cold Bay facility 1961 255,212 90,440 35,958 33,945 20,537 is predicted for the future, both as a primary gateway jet 1962 276,197 85,594 35,420 35,412 14,762 1963 306,693 73,858 30,022 34,525 9,291 airport for Alaska, and as a primary alternate to the Anch­ 1964 365,752 59,924 19,490 34,198 6,236 orage airport on the Great Circle route from the continental 1965 581,063 82,481 23,723 52,647 6,111 United States to Asia. 1966 447,113 104,181 30,254 68,903 5,024 As more large capacity aircraft become available to the Source: Department of Public Works, State of Alaska; and FAA records airlines, and as Fairbanks, and perhaps other Alaskan air­ Air Carrier Passengers and Aircraft Operations, ports become part of through route systems, the import­ Fairbanks International Airport: 1956-66 ance of the state on the worldwide route systems will be magnified. Subsonic jet aircraft carrying 400 passengers Aircraft Operations (the Lockheed 1011 and the Boeing 747) will be operational General Air Carrier within the next few years, and supersonic planes with 200 Year Passenger Total Air Carrier Aviation Military passengers (the Boeing SST and the British-French Con­ 1956 77,618 61,593 15,774 36,009 9,810 corde) will begin operating by the mid-1970's. Pre­ 1957 88,784 53,724 12,496 34,117 7,111 1958 84,819 68,359 12,047 49,929 6,383 dictions that by 1985 Alaska will be hosting more than 3.5 1959 98,139 59,597 14,156 40,423 5,018 million through passengers, with many of them enjoying 1960 111,349 49,048 25,336 31,068 2,644 stop-over privileges, may not be too excessive. Adding 1,999 1961 141,585 48,788 22,126 24,667 these figures to the predicted 3.4 million Alaskan enplane­ 1962 122,130 44,446 16,292 24,406 3,748 1963 128,647 37,948 14,408 20,883 2,657 ments on U.S. flag carriers for the same year, it is readily 1964 136,878 39,595 11,381 25,641 2,573 apparent that passenger traffic on the airlines serving the 1965 145,119 42,639 9,020 30,642 2,977 state is a large and growing business. 1966 151,598 57,982 9,221 47,419 1,324

Source: Department of Public Works, State of Alaska; and FAA record 0 TABLE 4 Through Passengers at The recent introduction of newer Convair prop-jets and Anchorage International Airport medium range pure jets ('s and 737's) into intra­ (1959 - 1967) Alaska service will aid the airlines in further increasing the ratio of passengers to flights, though this will be some­ Ratio: Through Ratio: Through Passengers to what offset by the number of pure cargo flights to the oil Calendar Through Passengers to Total Scheduled U.S. Year Passengers Outgoing Passengers Carrier Enplanements areas of the north. Another contributing factor to the sta­ bility in operations at the two major airports has been the 1959 41,080 0.36 0.45 1960 54,210 0.46 0.56 considerable decline of military operations at the civilian 1961 122,483 0.94 1.01 fields. Both Anchorage and Fairbanks international air­ 1962 121,209 0.86 0.84 ports were heavily used by military aircraft during the 1963 171,763 1.10 1.05 mid-1950's construction period. 1964 180,900 0.98 0.96 1965 167,853 0.80 0.83 One of the biggest factors contributing to the growth of 1966 359,943 1.60 1.61 facilities at the Anchorage International Airport has been 1967 360,631 1.20 1.41 the increasing use of the field as a stop-over for interna­ Source: Federal Aviation Administration tional airlines flying between the United States and Asia, UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA, INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND GOVERNMENT RESEARCH PAGE 5

AIRFREIGHT The movement of freight by air in Alaska began with TABLE 6 the first commercial flights in the territory. Trappers, pros­ Alaskan Air Cargo Compared to Cargo pectors, surveyors, and sportsmen all made use of the Handled by Other Transportation Modes early day planes to move gear into the wilderness and be­ (In Tons) tween towns and villages. Year Commercial Airlines Total All Modes However, unlike passenger service, in which the air­ 1950 13,100 3,200,000 lines took an early lead over other transportation modes, 1955 39,000 5,500,000 air freighting has consistently lagged far behind railroads, 1960 31,200 7,200,000 1982 83,300 9,500,000 1963 55,700 9,900,000 from, and within Alaska. 1964 52,000 9,900,000 In 1950, of 3.2 million tons of Alaskan cargo handled by Source: Alaska Trade Study, Federal Maritime Commission, 1967 the different transportation modes, only 13,100 tons were handled by the airlines. By 1964,9.9 million tons of Alaskan cargo was handled by all transport means. The air freight generation of aircraft (Lockheed 500 and Boeing 747) will total only neached 52,000tons that year. (See Table 6.) be able to carry up to 160tons of cargo. There are several reasons for the airlines being last Airports capable of handling the Lockheed "Hercules" among cargo transportation modes. Until recently, air­ four engine turboprop planes will also be able to take the planes have not been large enough to handle the big, bulk bigger jets. Considering the size of the new aircraft, the cargoes. Also, in the past, plane design allowed only nar­ increasing demand for air services, and the predicted drop row doors in the airframes, restricting the size of cargo in ton-mile costs, the Federal Aviation Administration has carried to that which could be taken in through the doors. predicted that by 1985, 1,150,000 tons of freight will be In addition, the airlines, while promoting passenger serv­ handled by aircraft in Alaska. (See Table 7.) The same ice, did not put equal planning effort into cargo handling. source predicts Anchorage International Airport will be All these points resulted in high unit costs that could handling about 575,000tons of this 1985 freight. (See Table only be offset by handling specialized cargo into remote 8.) areas where other transport means were not available, or The FAA acknowledges these air freight predictions by promising delivery in a short time. are only broad estimates, based partly on past growth However, due to advanced design, size and capabilities factors in Alaska and air freight predictions made for the of newer aircraft, and demand for air freighting, there is United States as a whole, and taking into consideration a change underway in the air freight industry. Terminal some of the special features of Alaska. The tremendous in­ facilities are being expanded, and methods of speeding crease in air freight moving through Fairbanks and Anch­ completion of the paperwork accompanying cargo handling orage for the North Slope oil development in the Arctic, are being developed. foretells what may be in store for the Alaskan air freight Where but a few years ago air cargoes were limited industry. to a few thousand, and in many cases a few hundred Even though surface and water transportation are to pounds, present planes (Lockheed 100 series "Hercules," be used in the development of the area, the use of air for example) can handle 25 tons of freight, and the next

TABLE 7 TABLE 5 Projection of Air Cargo in Alaska Forecast of Through Passengers (In Tons) Anchorage International Airport Showing Annual Rate of Increase Between Key Years (In Per Cent) Forecast of FMC Alaska FAA National Air Industry FAA Aviation Year Through Passengers Trade Study Projection Projection Forecast for Year Rate Rate Rate Alaska Rate 1969...... 403,000 1970 ...... 440,000 1964 52,000 52,000 52,000 52,000 1975...... 760,000 1970 105,000 12.4 155,000 20 155,000 20 131,000 16-18 1975 189,000 12.4 365,000 20 365,000 20 325,000 20 1980 ...... 1,400,000 1980 340,000 12.4 960,000 20 765,000 15 655,000 15 '1985 ...... 2,000,000 1965 610,000 12.4 2,400,000 20 1,250,000 10 1,150,000 12

Source: Federal Aviation Administration Source: Compiled from FAA Data and FMC Alaska Trade Study PAGE 6 UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA, INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND GOVERNMENT RESEARCH

both on the ground and in the air, and over certified routes, TABLE 8 in volumes justifying modern equipment at low enough cost Forecast of Air Cargo Activity in Anchorage to be competitive. The last category, that of the contract (1969 - 1985) charter carrier, must be available to handle varied types of cargo under different conditions, in competition with the Year Tons of Cargo Annual Rate of Growth certified carriers. Like any other carrier, the contractor 1969 56,000 must be efficient and must find volumes suitable to keep 1970 66,000 18 1975 165,000 20 expensive equipment in operation. 1980 330,000 15 At the present time, Alaska is served only by combina- 1985 575,000 12 tion rontnid 11/fostof ths

Source: Federal Aviation Administration within the state under state certification, though in some cases (i.e., Alaska Airlines) a combination carrier per­ forms outside contract work. Other contract carriers and freighting for the oil industry is expected to continue to all cargo carriers fly through Alaska and use Alaska fa­ grow in importance. Several new, private airfields are cilities (primarily Anchorage International and Cold Bay) under construction on the North Slope, and more are ex­ on flights to and from the Orient. pected to be built as the industry expands its operations. AIRPORTS AND FACILITIES Proposed development, not only for oil, but minerals, Alaska's increased needs for airports and facilities timber, and other purposes in remote regions of Alaska, that can handle the present and future jet and turboprop will undoubtedly affect the air cargo industry. As an ex­ aircraft with their larger passenger and cargo loads has ample, air cargo is being used extensively for the already become apparent to the planners. The addition of Island Atomic Energy Commission project in the Aleutian new international and territorial routes will place heavier Islands, even though the area can be served year around demands on the existing major gateway airports. Increased by water borne carriers. The Kandik region of the upper intrastate traffic will affect many more facilities. Demand River area, the lower Kuskokwim, Bristol Bay, will be accelerated when the new "jumbo" jets become op­ Gulf of Alaska and the are all likely erational in 1971. Nearly all the airlines utilizing Alaskan areas for resource development in the future. Air freight­ facilities have placed orders for the new aircraft. Some ing can be expected to play a major role in each of these are already using "stretched" versions of the present day areas, though the air carriers will have competition from jets. other transportation modes. The jumbo jets will carry as many as 400 passengers, However, unless air freighting can become more com­ while the supersonic aircraft that will follow them into petitive with other modes in more circumstances, all the operation will carry approximately 200. In addition, intra­ gains predicted for the industry might not materialize. state jet travel has begun, and in order for the planes to be Lowering rates, speeding cargo handling from pickup to fully utilized, more fields must be made available for their delivery, and in some cases, changing federal and state use. This not only includes runways and landing facilities, rulings to allow the airlines (both combination passenger­ but passenger stopover facilities, cargo handling and stor­ freight, and pure cargo lines) to be more competitive, are age facilities, and in some cases, increased fueling facili­ all needed. These are not only Alaskan concerns but are ties. The state and federal governments and private indus­ problems facing the industry nationwide. try are currently working to meet these needs. (See Table Answering these problems will determine the makeup 9 for partial listing of current projects.) of the companies handling most of the air freight. While While more than 300 communities in Alaska receive there will be need for all-cargo flights and combination scheduled air service, it has been estimated that until passenger-cargo flights, the scheduling and frequency of 1985 the priority needs for jet aircraft may be met with a these flights over certified air routes, or off-line contract minimum of 37 jet airports. Many non-jet fields and facili­ hauls, will be determined in part by economics and in part ties will need upgrading, and some new ones will have to by political pressures. be built to serve smaller prop and turboprop aircraft, par­ Each category of carrier is faced with different prob­ ticularly in the northern and western areas. lems. For combination carriers the problem is one of pleas­ Following is a listing of the minimum jet airport needs ing and handling passengers while at the same time mak­ for Alaska by the year 1985. The compilation was made by ing room, with little delay for cargo, on scheduled flights Robert A. McEwing, of the Airports Division, Federal Avia­ over certified routes. For the federally certified all-cargo tion Administration, in the report Aviation Forecasts for carriers, the problem is how to speed up cargo handling Alaska, published in April 1968. UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA, INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND GOVERNMENT RESEARCH PAGE 7

Most of Alaska's airports serve more than a primary 6. West - Resource airport for petrol­ purpose. For example, Fairbanks and Anchorage Interna­ eum and minerals in the Chenik-Pile Bay area of tional Airports serve as gateway airports, international Southern Cook Inlet. stop airports, distribution hubs, and also as resource air­ ports, in that they are necessary for the tourist industry and supply points for resource development projects. The 1. Fairbanks International - Existing gateway jet McEwing report takes this into consideration. port serving central Alaska. Major distribution and resource airport for central and northern ALASKA'S MINIMUM JET AIRPORT NEEDS BY 1985 portion of the state. By 1985,the Fairbanks area may Alaska's jet airport locations can be loosely grouped into three categories which identify the primffi'y purpose of ing airport used primarily for air-taxi and general the airport. These are: aviation activity. 1. Gateway Airports - which serve as major hubs 2. Fort Yukon - Distribution hub for Northeastern on the routes of international and interstate air Alaska and resource airport for . carriers. 3. Border Airport - Resource airport for tourism 2. Major Distribution Hub Airports - which serve as and mineral development along Alaska-Canada bor­ transportation and distribution centers for a section der. Primary port of entry for general aviation fly­ of the state. ing into Alaska. 3. Resomce Airports - which serve as airports necessary to promote the development and expan­ NORTHERN AND NORTHWEST ALASKA* sion of one or more of Alaska's major resources (pe­ 1. Banow - Distribution hub for northern coast. troleum, mining, tourism, fisheries and timber). Resource airport for tourism, , and arctic fisheries. Possible gateway jet port for polar flights if petroleum resources are tapped and refined lo­ 1. Anchorage International Existing primary cally. gateway jet port in Alaska; major distribution 2. Umiat Area-Resource airport for petroleum and hub for Southcentral and Western Alaska; resource mineral activity on the north slope of Brooks Range. airp01it for tourism, petroleum and government. By Airport will be located near site of northern terminus 1985, there may be a new location for Anchorage In­ of ( Gubik Extension). ternational Airport either on the west side of Cook 3. Upper Kobuk River - Distribution hub for West­ or the south side of Turnagain Arm. The present In­ ern Interior. Resource airport for minerals de­ ternational Airport will become a general avia­ velopment along southern slope of Brooks Range. tion and resource airport for tourism and com­ Airport may be located in vicinity of existing cop­ muter flight activity. per development or near possible railroad terminus 2. Kenai - Resource airport for tourism, petroleum. of western extension of Alaska Railroad. 3. Homer - Resource airport for tourism, petroleum 4. Kotzebue - Resource airport for tourism and and fisheries. Possibly by 1985 a new major air­ Chukchi Sea fisheries. Distribution hub for north­ port fo11 the , and the airports at western shore area of Alaska. communities on the Kenai peninsula, will be devel­ oped in the Kenai/Soldotna/Homer area. This new 5. Nome Area - Existing jet port resource airport airport would then act as the major distribution air­ for minerals, tourism, and North Bering Sea fisher­ port for the Kenai Peninsula and the airports at ies. Distribution hub for Seward Peninsula area. Kenai and Homer will serve the increased activity Major airport may be located near deep water port associated with general aviation and local resource at Teller and possibly could be gateway jet port development. serving polar or U.S. - Siberian routes. 4. Kodiak - Resource airport for tourism, fisheries, 6. Galena - Galena is an existing jet airport and may and timber. Distribution airport for possibly continue to exist as a distribution hub on the and eastern side of . By 1985 a Central Yukon. major new airport to serve the Kodiak area may be 7. Unalakleet - Possible location for a resource airport planned or constructed on the island. for tourism and distribution hub for Eastern Norton 5. Cordova - Resource airport fori tourism, petrol­ Sound communities.

eum, minerals and fisheries. Distribution airport for * Additional resource-use-airports capable of handling Jets are now available in the Prudhoe Bay - Sagwon area, in support of oil operations, and more southeastern portion of Southcentral Alaska. are anticipated. PAGE 8 UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA, INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND GOVERNMENT RESEARCH

SOUTHWESTERN ALASKA 5. Wrangell - Resource airport for fisheries, tim­ I. Andreafsky - Distribution hub for Yukon delta ber, tourism and minerals. communities. Resource airport for tourism. 6. Ketchikan - Resource airport for fisheries, tim­ 2. Bethel - Distribution hub for lower Kuskokwim ber, _tourism and minerals. Gateway jet port for area. Resource hub for tourism and Bering Sea fish­ southern entrance into Alaska. Distribution hub for eries. southern Tongass Forest area. 3. Dillingham - Distribution hub for northern Bris­ 7. Haines/Skagway - Resource ai11port for tour­ tol Bay area. Resource airport for tourism, fisheries ism and minerals. Distribution hub for northern (fresh and salt), and petroleum. portion of Lynn Canal region.

source airport for tourism, petroleum, Bristol Bay fisheries and minerals. Distribution hub for upper TABLE 9 Alaska Peninsula. Status 5. Cold Bay - Existing gateway jet port on great Current Federal-Aid Airports Program circle route. Primary alternate field in eastern (As of November 1968) Aleutian area. Distribution hub for lower Alaska Peninsula. Resource airport for fisheries. LOCATION TOTAL COST 6. Dutch - Distribution hub for central (Millions of Dollars) Aleutians and major port of . Resource Recenlly Completed airport for fisheries and tourism. Anchorage International $6.00 7. Adak - Existing jet port serving military facility. 0.21 Resource airport for fisheries. Nenana 0.26 Juneau 0.01 8. Other Aleutian Airports Other jet ports Palmer 0.23 may continue to exist at government facilities and Homer 0.55 locations along the Aleutian Chain. Examples would Cordova 1.18 be Amchitka, Attu, and . Kotzebue 0.46 9. Upper Kuskokwim - A jet airport to serve as a Wrangell 2.24 Kenai 0.74 distribution hub and resource airport (minerals and Grayling 0.14 possibly petroleum) in the upper Kuskokwim area Petersburg 2.33 is probable. The location would probably be at some Total $14.35 Million point south and west of McGrath. 10. Port Heiden - Resource airport for fisheries, Ur.der Construction tourism and petroleum. Anchorage International $3.34 11. St. Paul Island - Resource airport for fisher­ Barrow 2.86 Bethel 0.45 ies and tourism. Distribution hub for Pribiloffs. Kenai 0.14 King Cove 0.44 SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA Manakotak 0.11 1. Juneau - Resource airport for tourism, timber Total $7.34 Million and minerals. Distribution point for northern portion of Tongass National Forest and Glacier Bay National Projects Ready to Start Construction (Under Tentative Allocation) Monument. New jet port to serve Juneau area will Anchorage International probably be constructed on Douglas Island to serve $1.48 Bethel 0.37 this area and to serve as a gateway jet port. Homer 0.71 2. Yakutat - Resource airport for fisheries, timber, Ketchikan 1.61 mineral, tourism and petroleum. Kotzebue 1.88 3. Sitka - Resource airport for fisheries, timber, Tolal of Current Projects Total $6.05 Million tourism and minerals. Distribution hub for , southern portion of Chichagof Island, and ad­ FAAP Share $17,400,000 jacent areas. State Share 10,440,000 4. Petersburg - Resource airport for fisheries, Total $27,840,000

timber, tourism and minerals. Distribution hub for Source: Federal Aviation Administration adjacent areas and islands.