Legislature(2025 - 2026)BARNES 124
03/18/2025 01:00 PM House TRANSPORTATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Presentation(s): Aviation Weather Systems | |
| Presentation(s): the Effect of the Automated Weather Observing System and Automated Surface Observation System on Pilots | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE
March 18, 2025
1:55 p.m.
DRAFT
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Ashley Carrick, Co-Chair
Representative Ted Eischeid, Co-Chair
Representative Louise Stutes
Representative Kevin McCabe
Representative Elexie Moore
Representative Cathy Tilton
Representative Genevieve Mina
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION(S): AVIATION WEATHER SYSTEMS
- HEARD
PRESENTATION(S): THE EFFECT OF THE AUTOMATED WEATHER OBSERVING
SYSTEM AND AUTOMATED SURFACE OBSERVATION SYSTEM ON PILOTS
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
TROY LARUE, Operations Manager
Division of Statewide Aviation
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Gave a PowerPoint, titled "Aviation Weather
Systems."
WILL DAY, Executive Director
Alaska Air Carriers Association
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented on the Automated Weather
Observing System and Automated Surface Observation System in
Alaska.
DAN KNESEK, Vice President of Operations
Grant Aviation;
Board Member
Alaska Air Carriers Association
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented on the Automated Weather
Observing System and Automated Surface Observation System in
Alaska.
MIKE JONES, PhD, Research Assistant Professor of Economics
Institute of Social and Economic Research
University of Alaska Anchorage
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented on the Automated Weather
Observing System and Automated Surface Observation System in
Alaska.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:55:48 PM
CO-CHAIR EISCHEID called the House Transportation Standing
Committee meeting to order at 1:55 p.m. Representatives
Eischeid, Carrick, Moore, and Tilton were present at the call to
order. Representatives McCabe, Stutes, and Mina arrived as the
meeting was in progress.
^PRESENTATION(S): Aviation Weather Systems
PRESENTATION(S): Aviation Weather Systems
1:57:12 PM
CO-CHAIR EISCHEID announced that the first order of business
would be a presentation on aviation weather systems in the
state.
1:58:52 PM
TROY LARUE, Operations Manager, Division of Statewide Aviation
(SWA), Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
(DOT&PF), gave a PowerPoint, titled "Aviation Weather Systems"
[hard copy included in the committee file]. He expressed the
importance of how weather effects aviation in the state. He
pointed out the list of SWA's responsibilities, as seen on slide
2. He stated that SWA is responsible for building the capital
improvement program. He pointed out the available information
in SWA's Alaska Aviation System Plan (AASP). He noted the
importance of aviation policy planning, as the state must be
compliant with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to
receive funding. He discussed the state's new Airport
Geographic Information System, noting that this is crucial for
data sharing. He pointed out that SWA is addressing the problem
of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances at the state's airports.
He also discussed SWA's rural airport safety and security team,
remote sensing lab, and statewide airport leasing team.
MR. LARUE moved to slide 3 and discussed the outage problems
with the state's Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) and
Automated Surface Observation System (ASOS). He stated that FAA
owns AWOS, and the National Weather Service owns ASOS; however,
FAA technicians would be responsible for maintaining all the
weather stations. He added that weather approval for flights
could not be had without functioning weather stations.
2:04:14 PM
MR. LARUE, in response to a question from Co-Chair Eischeid,
expressed the importance of federal funding. He explained that
FAA would provide the approval for flying conditions in
inclement weather. He noted that federal funding is responsible
for the weather instruments.
MR. LARUE moved to slide 4 and stated that after the 2018 FAA
Reauthorization, there were 8 new AWOS funded and built in the
state. He pointed out the locations of these systems, as seen
on the slide. He stated that these systems had cost around $2.2
million. He suggested that with new technology the systems
would cost around $200,000.
MR. LARUE, in response to a question from Representative McCabe,
stated that all commercial aviation would need weather approval.
He noted that for the larger aircraft and the federally
certified airports, there would be performance requirements.
2:08:23 PM
MR. LARUE, on slide 5 and slide 6, discussed the AASP page on
DOT&PF's website. He pointed out the link to the Public Airport
Comment Map and the FAA's AWOS and ASOS Service Report
Dashboard. He noted that the dashboard would show the airport
weather systems that are not currently functioning. He added
that this is important for food security in remote Alaska. He
moved from slide 7 to slide 8, discussing the AWOS and ASOS
outage types. He expressed the opinion that if the state does
not have a backup system, AWOS and ASOS would need to be
operating correctly. He pointed out the different ways AWOS is
transmitted and outage codes.
MR. LARUE, in response to a question from Co-Chair Eischeid,
explained that FAA data is difficult to obtain, as this data is
not readily available to the public. He stated that DOT&PF has
a consultant that produces the data.
MR. LARUE, in response to a question from Co-Chair Carrick on
Emmonak's long-term weather service outages, stated that this
has a "severely negative impact, especially when it comes to
food security." He expressed the opinion that there needs to be
change. In response to a follow-up question, he expressed the
understanding that Emmonak currently has air service.
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE noted that certain types of aircraft could
still fly into Emmonak.
2:14:52 PM
MR. LARUE, on slide 9 to slide 12, discussed the 2024 FAA
Reauthorization. He noted that Alaska was mentioned 37 times in
the reauthorization. Concerning rural airports, he stated that
Section 322 in the reauthorization would allow [Boring RC-135]
aircraft operators to complete an FAA form for the use of
alternative weather systems. He noted that by using this form,
communities could purchase commercial weather systems. He
explained that commercial weather systems would provide a backup
system when the primary weather system is down, and this would
allow technicians to be flown in for the repair of the primary
system.
MR. LARUE, on the next slide, stated that Section 342 is now
named the Don Young Alaska Safety Initiative (DYASI). He noted
that several pieces of this section would give relief for
Alaska. He stated that 44 percent of all fatal air accidents
happen in Alaska. He suggested that the installation of weather
instruments would help decrease this percentage. He noted that
this section would give the U.S. Congress the ability to report
yearly on DYASI. He expressed the opinion that this would hold
the reauthorization more accountable. He stated that this
section would also prohibit FAA from restricting funding for
runway projects in the state. He noted that Section 317 would
establish a Government Accountability Office, which would do a
study on the expansion of the FAA Weather Camera Program. He
stated that Section 332 concerns the ASOS and AWOS Service
Report Dashboard. He argued that FAA needs to be transparent in
the future concerning the maintenance of its weather systems.
2:18:24 PM
MR. LARUE, in response to a question from Representative McCabe
concerning the availability of airport-linked weather cameras,
explained that DOT&PF is actively working on this addition to
its website.
MR. LARUE moved to slide 12 and discussed the Airport
Improvement Program (AIP) handbook. He stated that the handbook
concerns the funding for Alaska's airports. He stated that
Section 733 of the reauthorization requires FAA to update the
handbook to account for legislative changes to the program and
for the unique circumstances in Alaska. He gave some details on
the list of key areas that the handbook addresses.
MR. LARUE, in response to a question from Representative Stutes
concerning federal employee layoffs, expressed the understanding
that the weather station technicians in the state would not be
losing their jobs. He expressed the understanding that aviation
engineers have been exempted from the layoffs. He expressed
concern for the potential job loss of federal wildlife
biologist, as they are essential for wildlife control around
airports.
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE requested clarification on the Visual
Slope Indicator (VASI) and the Precision Approach Path Indicator
(PAPI).
MR. LARUE stated that these visual light indicators would guide
planes on runways.
2:23:11 PM
MR. LARUE moved to slide 13 and discussed the environmental
effects on airports in the state. He emphasized the impact of
climate change on airports and weather forecasting. With the
increase of freezing rain and ice events, he expressed the
opinion that better weather forecasting and modelling would be
needed. He noted that the state needs better access to the
available technology. He pointed out that chemical and deicing
programs are being reviewed, and methods for stabilizing airport
surfaces are being looked at, especially concerning permafrost
and embankments. He expressed appreciation to the committee.
^PRESENTATION(S): The Effect of the Automated Weather Observing
System and Automated Surface Observation System on Pilots
PRESENTATION(S): The Effect of the Automated Weather Observing
System and Automated Surface Observation System on Pilots
2:25:12 PM
CO-CHAIR EISCHEID announced that the final order of business
would be a presentation on the Automated Weather Observing
System and the Automated Surface Observation System.
2:25:54 PM
WILL DAY, Executive Director, Alaska Air Carriers Association
(AACA), co-presented on the Automated Weather Observing System
(AWOS) and the Automated Surface Observation System (ASOS)
[presentation not included in the committee file]. He
introduced himself, stating that he would be advocating on
behalf of the air carrier community. He indicated that AACA is
a nonprofit trade association, and it was established in Alaska
in 1966. He stated that AACA's mission would be to ensure the
perpetual prosperity of Alaska's commercial aviation industry.
He noted that AWOS and ASOS outages would be addressed in the
presentation.
MR. DAY spoke about Alaska's reliance on the aviation industry,
as 82 percent of communities in the state are disconnected from
the road system. He stated that 65 communities rely on the
Essential Air Service (EAS), with aviation providing the primary
method of intercommunal transportation. This includes access to
groceries, supplies, mail, and health care. He discussed the
history of aviation, noting that because of technology, flying
is safer than it has been in the past. He expressed the
importance of weather and observation systems in aviation.
MR. DAY pointed out that historically there have been three
major risks for pilots in Alaska. He stated that the first risk
was vertigo while flying in clouds, which is known as Instrument
Meteorological Conditions (IMC). He explained that this is when
conditions prevent visual flying, creating the risk of crashing
into obscure terrain. He stated that the development of
technology has proven to be crucial while flying in IMC. He
stated that getting lost and then running out of gas has been
the second major risk for pilots flying in Alaska. He discussed
how pilots could be blown off course by headwinds and
crosswinds. He stated that global positioning systems would
give pilots a constant awareness of their precise locations. He
stated that the third major problem with aviation in the state
has been icing. He explained that as ice accumulates on
aircraft, it prevents their ability to lift. He added that this
could cause a plane to fall out of the sky. He noted that now
there is technology to address this problem; however, this is
often not suitable for smaller aircraft because of the weight
and cost of the technology. He stated that modern pilots use
weather radar, forecasts, weather cameras, and automated weather
and surface observation systems to detect icing conditions and
minimize unexpected encounters.
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES questioned the implications of a reduction
in EAS in Alaska.
MR. DAY responded that when there is not enough financial
incentive for an air carrier to provide transportation and
freight to a community, the federal government would subsidize
this service. He stated that 65 communities in the state would
be affected by the loss of EAS. These communities would lose
access to air travel and services, such as mail and groceries.
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE questioned whether this service is funded
through the U.S. Postal Service.
MR. DAY deferred to Dan Knesek.
2:33:43 PM
DAN KNESEK, Vice President of Operations, Grant Aviation; Board
Member, Alaska Air Carriers Association, in response to the
question from Representative McCabe, he stated that 17 different
communities in the state are subsidized by EAS, which is funded
through the U.S. Department of Transportation.
MR. KNESEK co-presented on AWOS and ASOS. He stated that Grant
Aviation services over 60 communities, including Emmonak, the
Aleutian Islands, and the Pribilof Islands. He noted that less
than half of these communities have a AWOS or ASOS weather
station. He stated that these stations allow for real weather
information prior to the departure of flights carrying
passengers and freight. He stated that these flights fly under
the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA's) visual flight
rules (VFR) and instrument flight rules (IFR). He noted that
aircraft that fly under VFR would especially rely on AWOS or
ASOS for weather trends, including wind data. He stated that
accidents are more prone to happen in airports that do not have
AWOS or ASOS. He noted that in airports without these systems
an agent on the ground would provide a weather estimate.
MR. KNESEK noted that Grant Aviation serves many rural
communities with inclement weather. He stated that if a
community does not have AWOS, ASOS, or IFR, a flight cannot
depart if the weather ceiling is less than 1,000 feet or less
than 3 miles of visibility at the destination. He pointed out
that many of the weather stations in remote Alaska are becoming
antiquated and data cannot be transported. He discussed some
ways to work around this; however, more than half of the weather
stations are not working adequately. He pointed out that there
are commercial weather stations available for purchase, but they
are not FAA certified as an approved weather source. He stated
that Grant Aviation is working with the FAA regulations so some
of these commercial systems could be used. He discussed an
example of using a test commercial system for FAA approval.
MR. KNESEK, in response to a question from Representative
Stutes, explained that Federal Aviation Regulations have
specific weather reporting requirements for different types of
commercial air carrier operations. He noted that smaller
aircraft would have different departure rules. He discussed the
problems with air service in Emmonak and the connecting
communities.
2:44:59 PM
MIKE JONES, PhD, Research Assistant Professor of Economics,
Institute of Social and Economic Research, University of Alaska
Anchorage, co-presented on ASOS and AWOS. He stated that
currently his work concerns rural Alaska and its dependency on
the aviation supply chain and the impacts of outages. He noted
the funding for his research, which involves the integration of
drones in the aviation infrastructure. He pointed out that per
year around 400 million pounds of cargo is moved within the
state, and he noted that this is high compared to other states.
He stated that AWAS and ASOS are critical in enabling this
transport.
DR. JONES described his interest in researching the effects of
weather systems on aviation and how weather systems effect the
delivery of food and services within remote Alaska. He listed
the many agencies and organizations that are familiar with the
problems concerning AWAS and ASOS outages in remote Alaska. He
noted that vast amounts of information have been gathered on the
effects of outages in the 150-plus weather stations in the
state. He noted that in 2023, 50 percent of these stations had
some level of daily outages. He spoke to the average length of
time of these outages, with three-to-four days being the
average. He noted the maximums and minimums in these
statistics, with the maximum outages being years. He expressed
the opinion that FAA and those working with these weather
systems are not to blame, and he expressed the hope that
appropriations for these systems would be made from the current
FAA Reauthorization bill.
DR. JONES expressed the importance of delivering perishable
goods in remote Alaska. He discussed the general model of the
effects of a weather system outage in a village, which would
limit IFR flights. These delays would then result in a backlog
of flights containing perishable goods in remote airports. He
explained that these goods would need to be stored within
recommended temperature ranges; however, storage space in these
airports would be very limited. He continued, noting that this
backlog could push into the larger airports in the state. He
remarked that these problems are complex, as an outage in one
area would create a consequence in another area. He stated that
a system-wide solution would be needed.
DR. JONES discussed the comprehensive data provided by
commercial companies on spoilage during transit, which is called
"non-sellable on arrival." He stated that in 2022, around
360,000 servings of fruits and vegetables arrived spoiled at
storage facilities. He discussed the detailed analysis that is
being done on this spoilage. He noted that the cost of food
spoilage in remote Alaska has totaled millions of dollars over
the past five years. He commented on the essential vitamins
lost in the food spoilage.
DR. JONES discussed specific foods and the percentages of each
lost during transport in rural Alaska. He discussed the
severity of this problem during the winter holidays. He
explained that food shipments would be ramped up during this
time, which coincides with more severe weather conditions. He
pointed out that the Alaska Food Protection Task Force
recommends ASOS and AWOS be more reliable. He stated that this
also concerns the transport of medications. He expressed
concern, as the delay of a medical air evacuation could result
in death.
2:56:18 PM
MR. DAY advised the committee that reliable, FAA-approved
weather observation systems are critical to ensure aviation
safety in Alaska. He stated that these systems are the
keystones that allow pilots to take full advantage of modern
aviation safety infrastructure. He emphasized that this is
critical for the safety and wellbeing of Alaska residents.
2:56:50 PM
CO-CHAIR EISCHEID thanked the presenters, and he gave closing
comments.
2:57:24 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Transportation Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 2:57
p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Aviation Weather Systems DOTPF 3.18.25 Rescheduled from 3.11.pdf |
HTRA 3/18/2025 1:00:00 PM |
Aviation Weather Systems Presentation, DOT&PF |