Try, try again seems to be the continuing fate of Friedman Memorial Airport's efforts to provide some sort of landing approach system that allows pilots to land when ceilings and horizontal visibility are restricted.
On Tuesday, Feb. 3, the airport authority approved airport manager Rick Baird's suggestion that a possible new electronic system be investigated, and told him to return at the March monthly meeting with ideas on sources for funds to study the idea.
Baird told the board an initial study probably would cost between $15,000 and $20,000. If pursued to completion, development and certification of the system by the Federal Aviation Administration could cost up to $100,000. Baird said finding a partner to share costs, such as an airline, would be an ideal arrangement.
The proposed system is the work of ASRC Research and Technological Solutions, whose Web site describes the company as a wholly owned subsidiary of Arctic Slope Regional Corp., an Alaska native corporation formed under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.
As described by Baird, the satellite-linked GPS navigation system could allow landing approaches when cloud ceilings are as low as 1,000 feet with 2.5 miles visibility. Aircraft would need only relatively inexpensive GPS receivers and displays to hook up to the system.
Friedman has been struggling since 1994 to get certification of a $1 million, FAA-funded transponder landing system already installed at the airport. But the FAA, for unexplained reasons, has balked and the TLS has been non-operational.
"If this is an alternative that produces better minimums," said authority member Len Harlig, "it would be prudent for us to do the initial study and see where we are." He added that increasing safety at the airport is vital.
Board member Susan McBryant said studying the system "is probably something we should do," but said finding a cost-sharing partner is a must.
Support for the study was quickly provided by Jim Perkins, president of the Blaine County Pilots Association, who attends authority meetings as an observer.
