“Alaska’s outdated maps make flying a peril, but a high-tech fix is slowly gaining ground”
By Lori Montgomery
“Stack, 38, and Beane, 33, died on impact, leaving behind three small children. Ifsar later measured the final ridge 263 feet higher than Stack’s GPS would have shown that day. The plane slammed into rock about 300 feet below the ridgeline, rescuers said — close enough to suggest the bad map may have made a difference.”
Steve Colligan, E-Terra Aviation Safety:
“I told them [FAA], this is not the same as the lower 48. You’ll kill people here.”
Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell:
“There was a crucial four or five minutes where we didn’t know where we were… I have lost 25 friends in plane crashes.”
Dr. James Eule (Survivor):
“He [Stack] was probably doing a really good job, because he navigated quite a ways in the clouds. If he had better tools, maybe he would still be around.”
“Alaska, it turns out, has never been mapped to modern standards. While the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is constantly refining its work in the lower 48 states, the terrain data in Alaska is more than 50 years old, much of it hand-sketched from black-and-white stereo photos shot from World War II reconnaissance craft and U-2 spy planes.”
“We lobby. I’m sure Fugro lobbies. But as soon as they go to a CR [continuing resolution], you’re screwed… We’re talking about $30 million to finish the state. Thirty million dollars. When you consider all the benefits of the program, it seems like a no-brainer.” - Ian Wosiski, Intermap Technologies
The Washington Post Problem: Terrain mapping errors kill pilots
SkyBridge Solution: Real-time pilot reports bypass faulty government maps
The Washington Post Problem: Weather prediction failures in remote areas
SkyBridge Solution: Peer-to-peer weather sharing from actual pilots
The Washington Post Problem: $30M+ government mapping programs stuck in budget gridlock
SkyBridge Solution: $50 community-operated nodes, no federal dependency
The Washington Post Problem: “GPS is no good if it only covers four blocks downtown”
SkyBridge Solution: Mesh network extends coverage across remote Alaska
This 2014 article validates every aspect of SkyBridge’s mission and demonstrates why traditional government solutions have failed to solve Alaska’s aviation crisis.