Alaska
Local air carrier adopts new tech with aim to make travel in Southeast Alaska safer, more reliable • Alaska Beacon
The air was clear and smooth over the Lynn Canal between Juneau and Haines on Thursday, so there was no need to use the new technology installed in the Cessna Grand Caravan’s instrument panel. But when the clouds roll in, as they are forecasted to do next week, the updated avionics will allow pilots to fly this common route through conditions that could typically ground passengers, mail and cargo.
“We put all this in place and then we have had just gorgeous weather,” said Alaska Seaplanes’ Marketing Manager Andy Kline with a laugh.
The company has developed new approach paths and installed GPS equipment to make low visibility flights safer and more reliable.
For people who live in communities like Haines, with no jet or road access, travel in and out is mitigated by the weather and the ferry schedule. The comings and goings of the state’s ferries are so critical that they are announced on the radio with the weather. Locals typically build an extra night into their travel plans to account for canceled flights. “If you want to get there, take the ferry,” is a well-worn piece of travel advice that long-time residents dole out to newcomers.
“We have a goal of being as reliable as the jet,” Kline said of the small plane operator. “We’re not there yet. And even these new approaches don’t get us quite there yet. We’re still going to be on the ground sometimes when the jets are flying.”
To realize that goal, Alaska Seaplanes, the region’s most comprehensive carrier, has developed new approach paths and installed GPS equipment sensitive enough to allow instrument flights even in the challenging geography of the region. Haines, Hoonah, Sitka, Juneau, Kake, Wrangell and Petersburg flights will benefit from the upgrades, which were costly for the small carrier. Flight prices have gone up significantly in the last five years. A disadvantage for small companies is that they must go through the same approvals processes for new routes as major carriers, like Alaska Airlines, which is a time burden on the small staff.
Kline said it has already changed how often flights get out and the conditions travelers experience. “People who’ve flown to Hoonah have never flown through the clouds,’ he said. “So we’re actually having to brief our passengers before they get on board because people get really concerned.”
Most Southeast communities do not have airports with ground control and towers; they have airstrips. Pilots typically fly under a set of regulations designed around high visibility conditions, so they have lower thresholds for getting out in inclement weather. Instrument flights can be employed in low visibility conditions. They rely on GPS technology and Federal Aviation Administration approved flight paths. Seaplanes recently updated nearly all its wheeled aircraft — float planes were not part of the change — and just had its new flight paths approved for use.
A new approach years in the making
Alaska Seaplanes Assistant Chief Pilot Gregg Hake helped explain the changes at a community meeting on Thursday at the Haines library. The route between Juneau and Haines is one of the primary runs out of Juneau.
“How many of you have had a flight canceled?” he asked the crowd.
The room erupted in laughter as every hand went up. “Trick question!” called out former mayor Jan Hill.
Hake said in the week after the upgrades, he flew four flights using instruments that would have otherwise been canceled or delayed.
Flights that use what is called IFR, or instrument flight rules, technology are not new, but the sensitivity of the new equipment and the paths it allows the planes to take are new. Federal approvals took years.
“When you don’t have visual recognition in the clouds, it’s flying you on a very specific approach that keeps you away from mountains and keeps you at the right altitude and all those things,” Hake explained.
Water and mountains complicate the flight paths in Southeast Alaska. Cooperation is involved, too. Ground control is in Juneau, but the airspace over Haines and much of Southeast Alaska is controlled by a tower in Anchorage.
“The legendary status of Alaska as being a difficult place to fly in comes particularly true here,” he said. “We’re flying between mountains that come straight up out of the water, which complicates things like radio communication, complicates things like GPS reception.”
Hake said pilots are not able to use very many land-based navigational devices because the mountains block the transmission to the airplane.
There are other variables, too. He said magnetism from iron in the Chilkat mountain range can throw a compass 20 degrees off north. Luckily, that does not affect satellite navigation systems.
High visibility is a perk on a flight over seemingly endless icefields and glacier-carved fjords whose silt marbles the deep jade color of the water. But, for people who live here, the option to fly safely in marginal weather is important.
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Next year, cities and states across the nation will be honoring the American semiquincentennial, marking 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Each of the 50 states will have unique roles in the celebration and Alaska has already established a theme for its participation in America250: baseball.
State historian Katherine J. Ringsmuth and the Alaska Office of History and Archaeology have developed a traveling baseball exhibit, showcasing a uniquely Alaskan stitch in the American tapestry.
“Alaska’s Fields of Dreams: Baseball in America’s Far North” features nine panels — each representing an inning — that explore Alaska’s role in the national pastime.
From the Knock Down and Skin ‘Em club of St. Paul Island to the game’s expansion north to Nome and the formation of the Alaska Baseball League, the exhibit covers more than 150 years of baseball in Alaska.
Late last year, Gov. Mike Dunleavy signed Administrative Order 357, designating the Alaska Historical Commission as the state agency to coordinate with the national America250 organization and plan and coordinate events.
That put Ringsmuth and the commission, which is headed by Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom, into action to develop Alaska’s involvement.
And while some states will highlight their roles during early eras of America, Alaska has a relatively short history as part of the U.S. as the 49th state admitted. But as Alaska developed as an American territory even before statehood, baseball was a connection to the U.S.
“What we’re seeing by the 1910s, 1920s with the establishment of places like Anchorage, you see these places turning into real American towns,” Ringsmuth said. “And baseball is part of that agent that’s carrying those values.”
Alaska’s history with baseball is diverse both geographically and in the makeup of its participants.
The exhibit documents the history of Alaska Native baseball and details games in Goodnews Bay in Western Alaska and in Nome, where miners used burlap bags as bases to play on the tundra. It also covers Alaska women who play the game, the arrival of Negro League’s great Satchel Paige in Alaska in 1965, and Midnight Sun games.
The theme for Alaska’s involvement in the America250 is “History for Tomorrow,” and Ringsmuth said that look to the future is a nod at younger populations.
“I thought, let’s do something that makes our young people filled with optimism and (shows) that they can dream for tomorrow, and this can be the promise of tomorrow,” she said. “And I thought sports was a fantastic way to do that.”
The exhibit was shown at a number of places throughout the state over the summer. On Wednesday, the display will be at the Bear Tooth Theatrepub as part of the AK Sports Shorts storytelling event.
One of the seven speakers is Olga Zacharof of St. Paul, who will talk about the Knock Down and Skin ‘Em club, considered Alaska’s first baseball team.
Ringsmuth and Lorraine Henry with the Alaska Department of Natural Resources will also be on hand to talk to attendees about America250-Alaska during the intermission.
The event starts at 6 p.m. and tickets are $20. A portion of the proceeds goes to the Healthy Futures Game Changer program, which “provides small grants to youth from low income families to remove barriers to participation in sports and recreation such as equipment, fees, and transportation costs,” according to its website.
Ringsmuth said the exhibit is a device to get people to learn about the history of baseball in Alaska and an entry into other America250-Alaska events and activities.
The state has big plans for the Week of Dreams — a weeklong tribute to the nation’s pastime culminating on July 4, 2026.
Plans for the week include youth games, legacy softball and Indigenous baseball games and celebrating the addition of Growden Memorial Ballpark in Fairbanks to the National Register of Historic Places.
It will also highlight the Knock Down and Skin ‘Em club, which was founded in 1868.
With the help of Anchorage coach and former pro player Jamar Hill, Ringsmuth connected with the Major League Baseball commissioner’s office, and the event will bring up former MLB players who are also ABL alumni for the Week of Dreams events.
Even active MLB players like Aaron Judge, who was a former star for the Anchorage Glacier Pilots, could be involved via remote methods.
“Our office is talking about doing a story map we can (post) online,” Ringsmuth said. “You know, call us and we’ll record you. What’s your story of playing in Alaska? What’s your favorite memory?”
“We can still engage the players who are going to be a bit busy next summer.”
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – As the playoffs inch closer, each successive week of high school action carries more seeding implications and general importance – and one could tell as much from watching the slate of games this weekend.
Every team in the state was active this week except Seward in 9-man, giving plenty of opportunities for statement performances at every level.
Bartlett 12 – Service 6 (3OT)
Service played host to Bartlett looking to extend its record to 5-0, but couldn’t survive a chaotic, back-and-forth game that featured 12 combined turnovers and defensive dominance on both sides.
Golden Bears standout Deuce Alailefaleula notched a first-quarter interception and fell on an errant Service snap to tie the game at 6 late in regulation. After two overtime frames with no scoring, Bartlett back Colt Jardine plunged in for the walk-off touchdown on the first play of triple-OT.
Dimond 25 – Colony 22
The Dimond Lynx invaded a wet and wild Pride Field to take on Colony, and weathered the storm by scoring 19 unanswered points to eke out their first win of the season.
Colony fans huddled underneath tents and umbrellas watched in horror as Dimond surged ahead on a late touchdown strike, before the Knights’ last-gasp drive ended in a sack.
Eagle River 14 – Palmer 31
Though it was a much tighter contest most of the way than the final score would indicate, Palmer’s high-powered offense continued to produce in a similarly rainy matchup with Eagle River.
Twenty-four unanswered Moose points helped Palmer extend its winning streak to four, and secured its first 4-1 start since 2013.
WEEK 5 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCORES
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ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – The Anchorage Police Department said an outage continues to impact the Anchorage 911 system.
It continues to encourage people in Anchorage who need to use the service to dial 3-1-1 and select option one, or call (907) 786-8900 to connect with police.
ORIGINAL: Anchorage is experiencing a 911 and voice service outage, Alaska Communications told Alaska’s News Source Friday evening.
Alaska Communications spokesperson Heather Cavanaugh said disruption involves home and business landline service as well as 911 calls in Anchorage.
Technicians are working to restore service, but there is no estimated time for when it will be back online, Cavanaugh said. The cause has not been identified, though crews are investigating the source.
“Technicians are still on site working to restore service as quickly as possible,” Cavanaugh said at about 9:40 p.m. Friday night.
Police urged residents to use alternative numbers to reach emergency dispatchers while the outage continues. Anchorage residents can dial 3-1-1 and select option one, or call (907) 786-8900 to connect with police.
Anchorage police first reported a statewide outage late Friday afternoon. Alaska Communications confirmed this evening that the issue is limited to the greater Anchorage area.
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Copyright 2025 KTUU. All rights reserved.
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