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Ketchikan International Airport

Coordinates: 55°21′42″N 131°43′15″W / 55.361576°N 131.720881°W / 55.361576; -131.720881
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Ketchikan International Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerState of Alaska DOT&PF - Southeastern Region
ServesKetchikan, Alaska
Elevation AMSL88 ft / 27 m
Coordinates55°21′20″N 131°42′50″W / 55.35556°N 131.71389°W / 55.35556; -131.71389
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
11/29 7,500 2,286 Asphalt
NWW/SEW 9,500 2,896 Water
Statistics (2006)
Aircraft operations16,208
Based aircraft13

Ketchikan International Airport (IATA: KTN, ICAO: PAKT, FAA LID: KTN) is a state-owned public-use airport located one nautical mile (2 km) west of the central business district of Ketchikan, a city in Ketchikan Gateway Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska.[1]

The airport is located on Gravina Island, just west of Ketchikan on the other side of the Tongass Narrows. Passengers must take a seven-minute[2] ferry ride across the water to get to the airport from the town.

History

Around the World War II era, air service to Ketchikan was possible using an old military airfield on Annette Island. Aircraft used in that era included the Grumman Goose and Catalina PBY. The current airport was opened on August 4th, 1973 and dedicated the following day. The airport opening was the culmination of an effort by local residents, a 1965 study by the Alaska State Division of Aviation, another study in 1967 choosing the current site on Gravina Island, and land clearing in 1969.[3]

Facilities and aircraft

Ketchikan International Airport covers an area of 2,600 acres (1,052 ha) at an elevation of 88 feet (27 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 11/29 with 7,500 x 150 ft (2,286 x 46 m) asphalt pavement. It also has a seaplane landing area designated NWW/SEW which measures 9,500 x 1,500 ft (2,896 x 457 m).[1]

For the 12-month period ending January 1, 2006, the airport had 16,208 aircraft operations, an average of 44 per day: 60% air taxi, 33% scheduled commercial, 6% general aviation and 1% military. At that time there were 13 aircraft based at this airport: 77% single-engine, 8% multi-engine and 15% helicopter.[1]

In 2004, a new taxiway "Bravo" was added to facilitate taxiing to the end of the frequently used runway 11 (the runway is located about 30 feet (9.1 m) higher than the apron further up the hillside, requiring long, gently sloped taxiways to either end). Before that taxiway, some smaller planes were allowed to use taxiway "Alpha" to take off and land because it was not worthwhile to backtaxi on the actual runway. In addition this allows the airport's system of taxiways to be used by more than one plane at once. More recently the airport is applying to construct another runway on a different heading which is better suited to handle the infamous crosswinds, sometimes up to 90 knots (170 km/h). These winds have been known to blow approaching planes out across Tongass Narrows in certain conditions.

Proposed road access

Main article: Gravina Island Bridge

There is no road access between Ketchikan and the airport. A bridge, sometimes referred to "bridge to nowhere", was proposed costing an estimated $398 million. After protracted attention to the high cost of the bridge, the U.S. federal government changed its original decision to fund the bridge in 2007. The money was transferred to the state of Alaska to determine the use of the funds. [4]

Airlines and destinations

Scheduled passenger service

AirlinesDestinations
Alaska Airlines Juneau, Seattle/Tacoma, Sitka, Wrangell
Pacific Airways Craig, Hollis, Metlakatla, Thorne Bay
Promech Air[5] Craig, Hollis, Metlakatla, Thorne Bay[6]
Taquan Air Coffman Cove, Craig, Dora/Cholmondely Sound, Edna Bay, Hydaburg, Hyder, Metakatla, Mosier/Deep Bay, Naukati,Point Baker, Port Protection, Thorne Bay, Whale Pass[7]

Cargo Airlines

AirlinesDestinations
Ameriflight Seattle-Boeing, Vancouver

Charter and flightseeing

  • Family Air Tours
  • Misty Fjords Air
  • Pacific Airways
  • SeaWind Aviation
  • Southeast Aviation

Accidents

  • An Alaska Airlines Boeing 727-100 overran the southern end of the runway on April 5, 1976. The aircraft was trying to land, but the braking seemed sluggish after the fast landing, so the pilot decided to perform a go around. The thrust reversers on the engines didn't fully disengage, so the engines did not rev up enough to allow a takeoff. The pilot aborted the takeoff and the aircraft overran the runway by 700 feet (210 m). One of the 50 passengers died.[who?]

References

  1. ^ a b c d FAA Airport Form 5010 for KTN PDF, effective 2008-04-10
  2. ^ Taxpayers for Common Sense (2005-08-22). "$315 Million Bridge to Nowhere" (PDF). Retrieved 2006-11-06. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. ^ Ketchikan International Airport History
  4. ^ Alaska ends plan for 'Bridge to Nowhere' - Politics - MSNBC.com
  5. ^ http://www.promechair.com/
  6. ^ "Scheduled Flights". Promech Air. Retrieved 2008-10-19.
  7. ^ "Current Flights". Taquan Air. Retrieved 2008-10-19.

55°21′42″N 131°43′15″W / 55.361576°N 131.720881°W / 55.361576; -131.720881

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