FAA Overview: Planning A Flight To Alaska
Complete overview of steps from the FAA (link here)
Other Alaska Resources
There are many other resources, such as Flight Service 2-way texting for flight plan & emergency services, covered on the “Tips & FAQs” page.
Proposed FAA Alaska Charting Changes
To improve situational awareness and increase safety, the FAA recently adopted a new policy allowing the use of VFR waypoints and checkpoints to help pilots find mountain passes. The first passes to reflect these charting elements are found in the Brooks Range in northern Alaska—however, this convention may also be applied in other parts of the country. Link here
Alaska DOT Information Site
Alaska maintains an excellent site covering many of the unique aspects involved in flying within Alaska. Link here
A few of the key sections they highlight:
- Alaska Designated CTAF Areas: Excellent overview PDF link
- Alaska Aviation Database (Dept of Transportation) Many useful information sources: link
- Matanuska Susitna Valley designated CTAF areas & Frequencies link
- Anchorage Area: Google Earth KMZ & KML (for import to ForeFlight if desired) CTAF. Thank you Anson M!
- Alaska DOT “Flying in Alaska–Special Considerations” link
- Alaska Aviator’s Safety Handbook link
- Transporting Firearms in Alaska: Alaska Dept of Fish & Game (link)
- Suggested (req’d) emergency rations & equipment (regulation: link). Here’s a PDF of the Alaska DOT page covering this also link
- A reminder that numerous (primarily native) communities prohibit bringing alcohol. You can have your airplane confiscated if you bring alcohol to such communities. Here is a site to review current community regs link. Also covered here at bottom of page.
- Alaskan Aviation Safety Foundation link
- Alaska Aviation Museum (at Lake Hood–highly recommended) link
- Kenai Flight Service Station (lots of links) link
- Juneau Flight Service Station (lots of links) link
- FAA: Pilot Minute: Alaska Fatigue (short video)
- Alaska Remote Communication Outlets (RCO) link
- Lake Clark Pass RCO & reporting points link
- Cook Inlet CTAF link
- SE Alaska (Skagway, Haines, Gustavus, Hoonah, Juneau) CTAF (link)
Alaska Aviation Systems Plan
From their website intro: “To assist with the Department’s mission, the Alaska DOT&PF Division of Statewide Aviation launched the Alaska Aviation System Plan (AASP). The AASP sets the vision for the Alaska aviation network by addressing Alaska’s aviation infrastructure and policy needs.”
There are a number of outstanding links here. For instance, please check out their METAR status board (link) which gives you a visual overview of what airports have METAR capability and their current (up/down) status.
General Information by AOPA
Multi-page overview and drill down info regarding flying to Alaska (link). To the best of my knowledge, everything on the AOPA site is also available on the appropriate pages on this site.
Alaska Airmen Association–Alaska Aviation Resources
Alaska Airmen’s Association last published the excellent “Alaska Airmen’s Association Logbook For Alaska” by Don Bowers in 1992. Though out of print, a PDF is available here (167 mb). Good information but seriously out of date.
TFR & MOA
Special Use Airspace: See the “Flying in Alaska” set of links here
Special Use Airspace Information Service (Alaska) link
TFR & SUA kneeboard for Civil Aviation. Good summary in concise format link
Current TFR status link
Part 93 Chart Supplements (new every 56 days)
Alaska CHART SUPPLEMENT–latest version (Must have! @ high traffic airports) link to main page & link to CS AK pdf download page
For instance, VFR Reporting Points for Merrill Field are shown on page 323 in the latest (March 19th Edition) supplement. Juneau VFR Reporting Points are on page 354. Note that these page numbers of course will likely change with the release of each new Supplement Edition. LOTS of information for Merrill Field (Anchorage area), Lake Hood, Juneau, et cetera. Please download and review the Part 93 Supplement for the latest information.
Another tidbit: Juneau area CTAF (download link here).
Emergency Equipment & Supplies
AOPA produced a good overview PDF covering Alaska survival information for pilots (link here).
Other relevant survival skills articles include: water purification and assembling a survival kit.
Alaska Camping & Outdoors Information
Alaska Public Use Cabins (by area, by access, by feature, by setting, by capacity). This site is maintained by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources. (link)
RAF Alaska Liaison Jeff DeFreest and his wife Kari created a new website covering 122 of these cabins. At this link you’ll find the article on these facilities, and a comprehensive website of 122 of the cabins. Originally researched and created by Montana RAF supporter and pilot Tom Bass in his straight-float Cessna 180, pilot Bill Rusk called the directory “an incredible resource,” and was concerned about its future when Mr. Bass retired from flying. The online directory is now managed by the Seaplane Foundation, sponsored in part by the Seaplane Pilots Association (link to their website), and is administered by Mr. Bill Rusk. (Thank you to the RAF for highlighting this wonderful resource in their website update here.
Public Lake Cabins of Alaska. Excellent resource put together by Tom Bass (Thank you!); Now updated by RAF Alaska Liaison Jeff DeFreest and his wife Kari and maintained by Bill Rusk. Bill has many Alaska trips under his very experienced belt!: link to Alaska Public Use Cabins. This cabin resource is part of the Seaplane Pilots Association resource site (link here).
Specific Airport Comments
Childs Glacier backcountry strip: RAF just had a very interesting article on this remote strip. Experienced pilots only! Link to article. I stopped here in 2025. Awesome views. Bicycles available to ride around. State of Alaska fishery folks around May-end of July counting fish via radar by bridge. Introduce yourself. No services.
Gustavus: PAGS. No 100LL as far as I know.
Juneau: Super helpful very detailed Juneau area content provided by a two very experienced locals. (link here)
Petersburg PAPG: Fuel is at Temsco Helicopters. Here is an image of where they are located. Advise calling them before taxiing over as they hot-fuel various helicopters and you would not want to be in their way while they are doing that (e.g. a helicopter scheduled in for fuel at x:xx Zulu). Also, if you want to walk over from the aircraft tie-down area, you must exit the man-gate and walk thru the parking lots/along the road–you cannot walk across the ramp as that takes you thru the airline restricted area–and the TSA/airport security do not allow that!
Juneau: The FSS at Juneau has a lot of great information (link here).
Wrangell PAWG: No camping at airport. Stikine Inn reported to be good hotel–they have an airport shuttle too.
Tongass Aircraft Pilots Association
Good information, (website link) especially in their Services / Links page. Key relevant links below.
NOAA Ketchikan current & forecast weather (link) (note the forecast is out of Juneau)
Helicopter tours & charters out of Juneau (link)
NorthStar Helicopters, tours & charters out of Juneau (link)
Temsco Helicopters, tours & charters: Juneau, Skagway, Denali (link)
Tongass National Forest Resources
Tongass National Forest (General Information: Main page) link.
Tongass National Forest…Interactive Visitor Map link. This site provides the public with an online view of Forest Service roads, trails, recreation sites, wilderness areas, and wild & scenic rivers.
Tongass National Forest Cabin Users (Facebook group): link. The Forest Service actively monitors this group’s comments. Please contribute!
Tongass National Forest (new as of 2020) Sustainable Cabin Strategy (PDF download).