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t > "? > ^ / O - ^ G Q 9 Sf4/V PARNELL , GOVERNO R OEPARTKIEII T o rTRANSPORTATIO N

AN D PUBLI C FACILITIE S OFFIC E O F TH E COMMISSIONE R 313 2 CHANNE L DRIV E P O Bo x11250 0 JUNEAU . ALASK

A99611-250 0 FAX : (907 ) 586-836 5 PHONE : (907 ) 465-390 0

Ma y27 . 201 0

Dor aJohnson , Presiden t Chaluk aCorporatio n POBo x 10

4 Nikolski , Alask a9963 8 Dea r Ms . Jolinson : You r recen t lette r convey s a

n understandabl e faistratio n wit hth e limite dacces s t o Nikolski , on e o f

th e mos t remot e communitie s i

n Alaska . I hav e bee n a

n Alaska n pilo t fo r man y year s an dfull

y appreciat e th e difficultie s poo r weathe r condition s pos e for

smal l aircraft . Th e challengin g weathe r condition s i

n th e Aleutian Island s can limi t flying for day s o r eve n week s a

t atime . Thi s restricte daccessibilit y create s real problem s for th e peopl e an dconamunitie s solel y dependen t upo n thes e limite dflights an dweathe r condition s fo

r basi c access . Th e Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n (FAA ) ha s bee n workin g toward s establishmen t o f a non-precisio n instrumen t approac hprocedur e t o th e Nikolski Airport . Th e issu e appear s to b e tha t adequat e weathe r

infonnatio n i s not

currentl y availabl e fo

r thi s airpoH , whic hi s anecessai y preconditio n fo r establishmen t

o f thi s approac hprocedure . I n th e future , i f adequat e weathe r

(altimeter ) informatio n can b e provided , FAA ma y b e abl e t o establis ha non-precisio n instmmen t approac hprocedur e t o Nikolski . A s note din you r

letter . Peninsul aAirway s (PenAir ) provide s schedule dservic e t o Nikolski unde r a n Essentia l Ai r

Servic e (EAS ) progra mcontract . Th e Grumman Goos e utilize db y PenAi r t o provid e tlii s schedule dservic e i s no t equippe dwit

hth e instrumentatio n necessary t o utiliz e anon-precisio n instrumen t approach , i f

thi s approac hprocedur e wa s establishe d i n th e future . I f

th e FAA ca

n establis hanon-precisio n instiumen t approac hprocedur e t o Nikolski Airport

i n th e future , thi s shoul dimprov e th e reliability o f acces s t o Nikolski b y aircraf t an dpilot s wit

hth e capabilit y o f

utilizin g th e non-precisio n instrumen t approac h procedure .Dor aJohnso n Pag e 2 May 27 , 201 0

Th e Alask aDepartmen t

o f Transportatio n an dPubli c Facilitie s (DOT&PF ) ha s n o operationa l authorit y ove r th e Nikolsk i Aiiport

an dha s n o oversigh t

authority regardin g EA S prograi n contracts . Th e EA S progra mi s manage db y Denni s DeVany , Chief , Essentia l Ai r

SeiTic e Division , Offic e o f Aviatio n Analysis , U.S . Departmen t o f Transportation . I amfoi'wardin g acop y o f you r letter to Mr . DeVany a s wel l a s Mr . Kyl e Christianse n o f th e FAA , s o the y ar e awar e o f you r concerns . Sincerely ,

vo n Scheben , P.E. , L.S . Commissione r M.B.A . cc : Kyl e Christiansen , Senio r Airspac e Evaluatio n ProgramSpecialist , FAA (w . F.,KI.) Denni s DeVany , Chief

, EA S Division , Offic e o f Aviatio n Analysis , U.S . DO T <UEI,CI. / Joh n Moller , Rural Advisor , Offic e o f th e Governo r Rand y Ruaro , Deputy Chie f o f Staff , Offic e o f

th e Governo r