Fairbanks International Airport’s air traffic control tower will go quiet overnight under a temporary Federal Aviation Administration order.
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According to the order, published Oct. 17, flights will still be able to take off and land overnight — as they do in many other Alaska communities without full-time air traffic control services. Pilots departing and arriving in Fairbanks will also have support from air traffic control staff in Anchorage.
Alaska Airlines doesn’t expect the closure to significantly affect Fairbanks operations, except in low-visibility conditions, company spokesperson Tim Thompson said in an email.
“Alaska Airlines pilots use the same communication procedures during the ATCT [Air Traffic Control Tower] closure hours as they do at other airports with part-time or no ATCTs,” he said.
However, the airline strongly supports full-time air traffic control in Fairbanks to ensure seamless service, Thompson said.
Adam White, a pilot and the government affairs director for the Alaska Airmen’s Association, said the timing is unfortunate, with the arrival of the cold and darkness.
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“It will be interesting to see what happens as we get deeper into winter because Fairbanks is very prone to ice fog,” he said.
Part of a larger staffing problem
White said the change is still a safe way to operate, but it’s not ideal. An emailed statement from the FAA cites a staffing shortage as the reason for the overnight closure, which will last from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. until further notice. It’s part of a pattern White has observed for years, he said.
“You can’t just put an ad in the paper and try to find somebody to come in and fill that position,” he said. “The average time frame is about two years from the time somebody starts into the training academy until they get fully certified and working unsupervised in a facility like Fairbanks.”
The FAA said it’s still trying to close its nationwide staffing gap. But in May, the agency cut its hiring target for certified controllers by about 2,000.
In the meantime, White said there are still a few things the airport and the agency can do to ensure crews can continue to do their jobs safely and without delay, such as installing pilot-controlled lighting on the runway or improving the local weather reporting system.
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