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Ketchikan International Airport (IATA: KTN, ICAO: PAKT) is a public airport located on Gravina Island, just west of Ketchikan, Alaska on the other side of the Tongass Narrows. Passengers must take a fifteen-minute ferry ride across the water to get to the airport from the town.
[edit] History
The history of Ketchikan International Airport starts before World War II. Air travel to Ketchikan was via Grumman Goose or Catalina PBY from the old military airfield on Annette Island. Many Ketchikan residents wanted an airport closer to Ketchikan and in 1965 the Alaska State Division of Aviation contracted for a site study of the areas around Ketchikan. In 1967 another more detailed study was done and Gravina Island was chosen as the best site. Clearing the land began in 1969. The runway, taxiway and aircraft parking areas were funded by State and Federal money, and Ketchikan Gateway Borough voters approved a bond for the Terminal building, utilities and related facilities. The Ketchikan International Airport was jointly constructed by the Ketchikan Gateway Borough, the State of Alaska, Department of Public Works and the Federal Aviation Administration. The official opening and dedication was August 4 and 5, 1973. In 2004 a new taxiway "Bravo" was added to facilitate taxiing to the end of the frequently used runway 11 (the runway is located about 30 feet higher than the apron further up the hillside, requiring long, gently sloped taxiways to either end). Before that taxiway, some smaller planes were allowed to use taxiway "Alpha" to take off and land because it was not worthwhile to backtaxi on the actual runway. In addition this allows the airport's system of taxiways to be used by more than one plane at once. More recently the airport is applying to construct another runway on a different heading which is better suited to handle the infamous crosswinds, sometimes up to 90 knots. These winds have been known to blow approaching planes out across Tongass Narrows in certain conditions.
[edit] Airlines
[edit] Passenger
[edit] Charter / 'Flightseeing'
- Family Air Tours
- Pacific Airways
- Sea Wind Aviation
- Taquan Air
[edit] Accidents
- An Alaska Airlines Boeing 727 overran the southern end of the runway on April 5, 1976. The aircraft was trying to land, but the braking seemed sluggish after the fast landing, so the pilot decided to perform a go around. The thrust reversers on the engines didn't fully disengage, so the engines did not rev up enough to allow a takeoff. The pilot aborted the takeoff and the aircraft overran the runway by 700 feet. One of the 50 passengers died.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
