For many travelers, aviation is a convenience — a method to get from one place to another without the anxiety of traffic or long drives. For Alaskans, it’s essential infrastructure. From medical evacuations to mail and fuel deliveries, airplanes are central to how residents live, work and stay connected.
That reality is why Alaska has its own dedicated category in the Federal Aviation Administration’s plan to modernize the nation’s air traffic control system. As Congress weighs fully funding the effort, the state’s reliance on aviation provides a compelling case for action.
The U.S. aviation system safely maneuvers more than 45,000 flights each day. But growing cracks in recent years have become harder to ignore. Under former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, agencies responsible for improving air travel infrastructure instead focused on funding diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and climate justice programs.
The result? An air traffic control system prone to disruptions thanks to years of neglect.
For Alaska, this issue is especially acute. That’s because more than four in five communities are only accessible by air. Meanwhile, Alaska’s airports handle nearly seven times as many passenger boardings compared to the state’s population in a given year. This means air traffic control disruptions don’t just delay trips; they interrupt daily life.
Recognizing this urgency, federal lawmakers — including Alaska Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan — greenlit a budget reconciliation package last July that is beginning to address the deficiencies. The measure unlocked $12.5 billion to modernize the infrastructure underpinning air traffic control operations. Specifically, it jump-started the replacement of outdated radars, analog radios, aging software and obsolete telecommunications systems with technologies built for today’s aviation environment.
Alaska — with its unique geography and operating conditions — has its own laundry list of upgrades. The plan includes 110 new weather stations across the state, 64 additional weather camera sites and expanded monitoring in remote regions. These investments build on proven efforts like the Don Young Alaska Aviation Safety Initiative, which shows how better weather data and situational awareness can dramatically reduce fatal accidents outside the Lower 48.
The plan is already moving from paper to practice. According to FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford, more than one-third of the agency’s legacy copper wiring has been replaced with fiber optic cable. Meanwhile, the FAA has deployed its first digital radios and voice switches, and new radar systems are already coming online at major facilities like Houston.
The early progress is encouraging. But the job is far from over. Officials estimate $19 billion is still needed to finish the modernization effort and the window to act is now. Without additional congressional action, the FAA risks delivering a partially upgraded network — new technology layered on top of old foundations — leaving critical vulnerabilities in place.
The government already has the blueprint to bring the U.S. air traffic control system up to speed with the 21st century. Alaska’s reliance on air travel shows why it matters. Now, Congress must fulfill its end of the bargain by fully funding the modernization effort to give travelers an aviation system they can depend on.
Jackson Shedelbower is the executive director of the Center for Transportation Policy.