Regional Affairs

Air force base construction to affect Merrill Field traffic

Alaska's busiest general aviation airport, Merrill Field in Anchorage, will see a change in arrival and departure procedures during this flying season. Summer construction at nearby Elmendorf Air Force Base is causing military aircraft to use its crosswind runway at times, which overlaps with the traffic pattern at Merrill. The FAA has defined a section of airspace, which will be activated as needed for military operations. Under those conditions pilots must use alternate arrival and departure procedures. "Local and transient users of Merrill Field will need to know about these changes," said AOPA Airport Support Network volunteer Jim Cieplak. Cieplak worked with air traffic control to help develop a graphic to clearly communicate the changes.

May 20, 2005