Alaska Aviation Gap Analysis - Key Findings
Supporting SkyBridge’s Mission with Official State Data
Executive Summary (March 2024)
This official Alaska DOT&PF Gap Analysis validates every aspect of SkyBridge’s mission with hard data and specific recommendations. The study demonstrates that Alaska’s aviation infrastructure has systematic gaps that traditional government solutions cannot economically address.
Critical Findings That Validate SkyBridge
Infrastructure Reliability Crisis
- 29 Remote Communications Outlet (RCO) sites had unscheduled ongoing outages (June 2023)
- AWOS/ASOS outages significantly impact aviation - Part 135 operators cannot dispatch flights without weather data
- Equipment availability metrics don’t reflect real-time pilot experience - FAA reports high availability while pilots experience frequent outages
Economic Reality of Traditional Solutions
- NEXRAD weather radar: No additional systems available for deployment (one-time 1980s acquisition)
- Weather radar gap-filling: $350K-400K per unit for 180-250nm range systems
- Infrastructure maintenance: Chronic understaffing and budget constraints
Geographic Challenges
- Significant gaps in weather radar coverage create forecasting blind spots
- Line-of-sight analysis shows continuous coverage only when all sites working
- Mountainous terrain requires exponentially more sensor sites for traditional approaches
Pilot Equipment Reality
- Less than 30% of Alaska’s general aviation fleet equipped with ADS-B (FAA estimate)
- Original Capstone program goal: 90% equipage of 4,000+ aircraft
- Current reality: Traditional infrastructure rollout stalled due to low equipage rates
SkyBridge Addresses Every Gap Identified
Gap: Unreliable Weather Reporting
SkyBridge Solution: Real-time pilot weather reports (PIREPs) bypass failed AWOS/ASOS systems
Gap: Communication Outages
SkyBridge Solution: Mesh network continues operating even when individual nodes fail
Gap: High Infrastructure Costs
SkyBridge Solution: $50 nodes vs $350K+ traditional weather radar systems
Gap: Low ADS-B Equipage
SkyBridge Solution: Works with any aircraft - no expensive avionics required
Gap: Complex NOTAM System
SkyBridge Solution: Simple, real-time status updates from actual pilots in the field
Official Recommendations That Support SkyBridge
Digital Data Sharing (Recommendation #1)
“Digitize all data and make it more accessible to pilots”
SkyBridge delivers this with NASA TAIGA protocol compression
Alternative Weather Systems (Recommendation #7.2)
“Evaluate alternative procurements for lower cost, possibly non-certified alternatives to AWOS installations”
SkyBridge provides distributed weather sensing at fraction of AWOS cost
“Consider agreement with FAA to receive automated daily updates on outages to be used in GIS application”
SkyBridge provides real-time operational status from pilot community
Key Statistics for NASAO Presentation
- 29 RCO outages in single snapshot (June 2023)
- 171 NOTAMs within 100 miles of Anchorage (typical complexity pilots face)
- $350K-400K per traditional weather radar unit
- <30% ADS-B equipage in Alaska general aviation fleet
- 90% target equipage never achieved despite massive federal investment
The Bottom Line
The Gap Analysis proves that:
- Traditional infrastructure is systematically failing due to maintenance and funding challenges
- Economic barriers prevent scaling traditional solutions to Alaska’s needs
- Pilot community needs real-time, peer-to-peer information sharing to overcome infrastructure gaps
- State officials recognize need for innovative, cost-effective alternatives
SkyBridge is the innovative solution this official analysis calls for.
Source: Alaska Aviation Gap Analysis, Alaska DOT&PF, March 2024