04/10/2003 01:40 PM Senate TRA

               SJR 14-FAA FLIGHT SERVICE STATIONS                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  DONNY OLSON,  sponsor of  SJR 14,  explained to  members                                                               
that SJR  14 requests the  Federal Aviation  Administration (FAA)                                                               
to  fully  staff and  maintain  its  flight service  stations  in                                                               
Alaska. He told members:                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Alaska   is   a  vast   state   that   relies  on   air                                                                    
     transportation   for   much   of   its   commerce   and                                                                    
     continuity.  A substantial  portion of  the state  does                                                                    
     not   have  road   infrastructure  to   facilitate  the                                                                    
     transportation of  freight and the movement  of people.                                                                    
     Furthermore, coastal and  river communities in western,                                                                    
     central   and  northern   Alaska   lose  their   marine                                                                    
     transportation during five to  eight months when winter                                                                    
     ice  conditions persist.  There communities  are solely                                                                    
     dependent on  air transportation for travel,  goods and                                                                    
     emergency  services   for  that   part  of   the  year.                                                                    
     Furthermore, there are a large  number of Alaskans that                                                                    
     own and  fly airplanes.  Indeed Alaska has  the highest                                                                    
     percentage of general aviation users  per capita in the                                                                    
     United  States. General  aviation users  depend on  FAA                                                                    
     flight  service  stations  to  inform  them  of  runway                                                                    
     closures and conflicting runway traffic.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     FAA  flight  service  stations are  essential  for  the                                                                    
     continued  safety and  dependability of  Alaska's vital                                                                    
     air   transportation  network.   Both  commercial   and                                                                    
     private  pilots are  totally reliant  on the  expertise                                                                    
     and competence  of FAA's flight service  personnel. The                                                                    
     State of  Alaska has over  180 airports and  depends on                                                                    
     flight  service stations  for  weather updates,  runway                                                                    
     conditions and  assistance with safe air  travel. After                                                                    
     speaking  to a  number of  people having  been involved                                                                    
     with flight service station  communicators, I'd like to                                                                    
     go ahead  and quote a  gentleman who has been  a flight                                                                    
     service  station communicator  for  over  30 years.  He                                                                    
     wants to go ahead and  see this present system continue                                                                    
     because of  its safety record.  With that, I  urge your                                                                    
     support  for  the  resolution,  hoping  to  ensure  the                                                                    
     safety of air travel in Alaska.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR COWDERY said he not only  supports SJR 14, he would like to                                                               
co-sponsor the resolution.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  WAGONER  said  he  has  received  several  e-mails  from                                                               
constituents about this resolution. One  was from an employee who                                                               
stressed  the   necessity  of   continuing  the   flight  service                                                               
stations.  Senator  Wagoner  asked   if  the  federal  government                                                               
reduced the  number of  flight service stations  in the  state to                                                               
three in one action.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR OLSON  responded that there  was a  substantial reduction                                                               
but he did not recall the number.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR WAGONER said  the system was supposed to  be automated to                                                               
the point it would  take care of the needs of  the program for 40                                                               
years. The  City of Kenai built  a $40 million facility  to house                                                               
the FAA and the FAA requested  a 20-year lease with an option for                                                               
a  20-year  renew lease.  Later  he  found  the FAA  had  already                                                               
started contracting  out services  to run the  towers in  some of                                                               
the smaller  communities. He questioned why  dismantling a system                                                               
that is working.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR OLSON agreed.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  WAGONER motioned  to  pass SJR  14  from committee  with                                                               
individual recommendations and attached zero fiscal note.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  COWDERY  asked  for  unanimous  consent.  There  being  no                                                               
objection, the motion  carried. He then adjourned  the meeting at                                                               
1:45 p.m.