‘Critical’ failure would decommission Bettles, Alaska localizer

The FAA has completed a feasibility study of maintaining the Runway 1 localizer/DME at the Bettles, Alaska airport, concluding that the navaid will be decommissioned on the occasion of a critical failure. In the meantime, the navaid will continue to receive routine maintenance as long as it is possible to fund the navaid’s servicing, the FAA said.

The FAA received many comments, including a submission from AOPA, urging that the agency avoid the decommissioning, and has initiated a needs assessment process to consider whether a replacement system is required at the airport.

The airport’s other non-RNAV instrument approach, a VOR/DME RWY 1 approach, would be maintained in service after the decommissioning of the localizer, the FAA said.