New Policy to Improve Aviation Safety in Alaska
27 January 2008January 25, 2008, Juneau, Alaska – Governor Sarah Palin today announced details of her administration’s comprehensive aviation safety initiative. This multi-departmental effort includes a bill that will establish a new loan program in the Department of Commerce, Community & Economic Development. Under the program, low interest loans will be provided for the purchase and installation of advanced satellite based avionics in aircraft.
Alaska has seven times more licensed pilots than the national average and has the highest aviation accident rate in the nation. One of the leading causes of accidents is bad weather. The avionics and advanced satellite system are aimed directly at preventing that type of accident.
“In addition to reducing aircraft accidents, equipping planes with these advanced avionics can offer safer access to rural communities,” Governor Palin said. “This new technology will also increase the safety and effectiveness of medical evacuations and search-and-rescue operations.”
Other efforts to improve aviation safety include creating new digital maps of the entire state. These maps, used by the new avionics, will feature accurate height and depth data of physical terrain that will be incorporated into the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) terrain models.
The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs is also working with the Medallion Foundation to provide map data in flight simulators. This allows pilots to receive realistic and accurate training for flying in Alaska.
Governor Palin’s plan to improve aviation safety is a critical component of the FAA’s plan to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in the installation, operation, and maintenance of the ground stations as part of its “CAPSTONE” aviation safety program. Aircraft equipped with the avionics can receive signals from the FAA’s ground-based satellite receivers and transmitters.
Pilots flying aircraft equipped with the avionics are able to view their exact position, groundspeed, position relative to altitude and terrain, position relative to other equipped aircraft, course, and destination on a display screen in the cockpit. Pilots can also receive real-time weather conditions.
Governor Palin expressed appreciation for Senator Ted Stevens’ continued support in promoting expansion of the CAPSTONE technology.
Source: Announcement from the Governor’s Office, January 25, 2008
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