My Turn: General aviation connects Alaska

  • By ROB STAPLETON
  • Tuesday, May 3, 2016 1:00am
  • Opinion

In Alaska we have a saying: “Fly an hour or walk a week.”

For us, this has real meaning. There are literally hundreds of communities in Alaska that cannot be accessed by the limited road system and rely on general aviation. In my case, I use my plane for my photography business, flying to remote sites to capture landscapes and photos of Alaska, its history, its events, and its people. My plane literally supports my business and livelihood.

I’ve loved aviation since I was nine years old; my dad would fly us as a family together. But, when I moved to Alaska from California, I really began to understand that flying is more than a hobby; it is critical to many people for business and basic transportation.

For example, there are 403 public-use general aviation airports in Alaska, more than any other state in the U.S. And general aviation contributes over $1.1 billion to the state’s total economic output each year and supports 5,800 jobs in our state. General aviation allows us to transport goods, supplies and staff across long distances and make multiple stops in one day.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

General aviation is also critical for services like healthcare, law enforcement, natural resource management and medical care delivery. I know doctors, dentists, and lawyers who all use aircraft to make appointments in remote towns that are otherwise only accessible in the summer. General aviation ensures that everyone in Alaska receives the care they need, no matter how far from Anchorage they are.

However, there has been growing concern among many businesses and pilots in the state that some “inside-the-beltway” want to take our air traffic control system and turn it over to a private entity controlled by the largest commercial interests. Given that routes to small and mid-size cities have already been cut by 20 percent in recent years, we can guess where that type of system would leave Alaska. 

Let’s protect general aviation and access to our air system for Alaskans by saying “no” to a privatized air traffic control.

• Rob Stapleton runs Alaskafoto, which captures Alaska’s aviation images and environmental portraits of Alaska and its people. He is a board member of the Alaska Aviation Museum and the Alaska Airmen Association.

More in Opinion

Web
Have something to say?

Here’s how to add your voice to the conversation.

President Joe Biden and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine depart after a joint news conference during the annual Group of 7 summit, in Savelletri, Italy, June 13, 2024. (Erin Schaff/The New York Times)
Opinion: Supporting Ukraine should have started with defending democracy at home

President Donald Trump just issued a new challenge to congressional Republicans who… Continue reading

Ephraim Froelich, a Juneau resident, testifies in support of House Bill 69 on Jan. 29, 2025. His son, who attends first grade in the Juneau School District, sits beside him. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)
Opinion: Alaskans need to choose between unchecked school funding or improved student achievement

The calls for boosting education funding by increasing Alaska’s Base Student Allocation… Continue reading

Eric Antrim inspecting bridges near Kake in 2023. (Courtesy photo)
My Turn: In response to the mass firings of Forest Service and other federal workers

I am Eric Antrim, a proud member and the elected Recording Secretary… Continue reading

Jane Hale smiles for a photo as the wind blows a newly raised LGBTQ+ flag at the Hurff A. Saunders Federal Building downtown in June of 2023. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire file photo)
My Turn: Juneau’s transgender community and the church

I think of religion the way I think of marriage: a great… Continue reading

The Constitution of Alaska on display in the Seattle University School of Law library in January 2023. (Creative Commons photo)
My Turn: Actions in D.C. means Alaskans need to demand rights in state’s Constitution

The Constitution of Alaska is a masterpiece of careful thought and straightforward… Continue reading

(Juneau Empire file photo)
Letter: An education lession for Begich

Rep. Begich has no public opinion on the dismantling of the Department… Continue reading

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Jan. 24, 2025. (Tom Brenner/The New York Times)
Opinion: The mirror’s reflection Trump and Vance can’t see

While speaking with reporters on Tuesday after a meeting with the King… Continue reading

Most Read