Some opinion, mostly facts. If you fly to AK this old and new information may interest you.

If it were up to me I'd never stop at the Northway Airport. Bad weather, bugs, lack of scenery, no services, limited Customs hours, and site contamination make it a flyby. But for many of us it is not our choice to make.

Since CBP has eliminated their on field office their phone service has been disconnected. The CBP airport contact list from AOPA and the CBP website both show a number that is no longer in service (2223). The current numbers are 907-774-2242 and 907-774-2252. This is an agent's email response regarding invalid contact info:

"As numbers may change, this list can only be accurate at the time it was originally published.  For more information, or for a listing online, please go to http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/ports/." I noticed the same error on the website. You'd think that after nearly a year someone would have an interest in updating the contact information!

I phoned a Northway CBP agent on 3-10-11 and this is what he said:

1. HAZARDOUS CONTAMINATES: The Northway Airport is technically condemned. There is a radioactive hazard.
a. Following a cursory investigation into this comment, the agent's comment appears to conflict with a contamination report posted by Alaska DEC http://www.dec.state.ak.us/spar/csp/sites/northway.htm which fails to mention a radiation hazard, but does list other hazardous substances such as petroleum, chemicals including Benzene, herbicides, and pesticides including DDT at the Northway Airport. The US Army was responsible for this environmental terror and the Northway Airport has Superfund Status. Here's another old story: http://www.newsminer.com/bookmark/79112 ... -to-vanish

2. PILOT COMPLAINTS: When asked about the number of complaints made about EAPIS or Northway Airport's narrow window for trans border flights the agent replied that nearly every pilot complains about the burden of complying with the EAPIS rules and working around limited hours of operations. The agent confided they also complain about this themselves but his superiors are unresponsive. He said if 12 planes were inbound and they were short staffed at the Alcan facility that their entry at Northway Airport would be denied. Which leads to no 3:

3. INTERNATIONAL vs LANDING RIGHTS AIRPORTS: Here's an example of how CBP requires compliance, creates an expectation of service, but fails to consistently provide the service. International Airports of Entry are bound by a schedule of operation that guarantees staffing and trans border operations during specified time periods. However, a Landing Rights Airport of Entry, such as Northway, AK or Friday Harbor, WA are not obligated to provide trans border services and may deny those services at any time. LRAs do not abide a schedule of operation. A site supervisor has the authority to change the schedule or services at any time without notice.

4. WHAT ARE CBP's REAL HOURS OF OPERATION AT THE NORTHWAY AIRPORT? SHOULD THERE BE ANY DOUBT? According to the CBP website the hours are 7am to 4pm. But the agent told me their official hours are 8am to 5pm and their “effective” hours (the hours they can accommodate aircraft) are 9am to 3pm. Since the CBP website contains errors, I tend to believe the agent and will expect a 9am to 3pm schedule. Let me just say that with the exception of winter, THE HOURS OF OPERATION AT THE NORTHWAY AIRPORT ARE ABSURD!

I question why $15M was invested to upgrade the Northway Airport? Because “it was there”? Upgrading the existing airport was probably more economic than to relocating it. But if this is a strategically important field then the value of security considerations alone should justify a CBP presence and reasonable hours of operation. And what are they doing with that $25. I have to pay to cross the border? Could that be used to finance a swing shift at Northway? I suggested to the Northway agent that locating the AOE at the Alcan facility would make a lot of sense – he agreed. I asked what we pilots can do to encourage an increase in the hours at Northway and he replied WRITE YOUR CONGRESSMAN.

Last summer we stopped at Northway on our way north and we got some of the FBO guy’s last load of gas. I think he had less then 500 gallons after we filled.

He told us his story about how the government tried to “stick” him with a multi million dollar clean up bill for the mess the US government made in WW2. I felt bad for him.

On our return, we went further north and stopped at Chicken (taxing up the road a mile to the café was fun too). Our Canada customs stop was Dawson (either Creek or City??) and it was a nice experience. I don’t know where a guy would check in for customs going the other way though? I don't have a map in front of me, but would Tok or Talketeena have customs people??

You can clear Customs at Ketchikan, Wrangell, Skagway, Sitka, Haines, Juneau or Valdez and then remain in Alaska if your destination is Southcentral. Haines and Ketchikan require more notice and Ketchikan wheel plane inspection hours are linked to the local ferry schedule. Other AK AOEs are: Northway, Anchorage, Fairbanks, Gambell, Fort Yukon and Cold Bay.

patrol guy wrote:I don't have a map in front of me, but would Tok or Talketeena have customs people??

No on either unfortunately. Next customs is Fairbanks or Anchorage.

For me, it was out of range from Whitehorse to Fairbanks. Since my last trip through the hours were pretty unreliable as Vmc noted, my plan was to land at beaver creek (just on the border), add another 10 gallions i had in cans and continue on to Fairbanks. Kind of a pain, but what are you going to do?

The situation is sad for pilots and for the nice people that owned the lodge. Hard to believe the State has not made a fuss, since they are so into tourism

Chris

I thought one could clear customs on the Taylor Highway at Boundary Airport. Poker Flats is a stones throw down the highway, I mean dirt path with potholes.

http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/hea ... /BYA-e.jpg

http://www.airport-data.com/airport/BYA/



The runway

That's a great question. I think what Northway Customs is telling me about this airport is inaccurate. They say the field is private and may not be safe or usable (really, if not the road will do!). Online data shows it as public. CBP maintains that Poker Creek is a land border only and not an authorized air service port. It would be a reasonable alternative.

That's the key: It has to be an AVIATION port of entry, and Boundary isn't. Neither is Fort Yukon any more either, as far as I know. They used to have someone there who was a part time Customs type, like they used to have in Eagle. No more.

There is no Customs at Tok. Until CBP decides to make it PRACTICAL to fly into Alaska in the interior, it's going to be tough. Whitehorse to FAI is a LONG haul in any airplane.

As to the State raising a fuss--those are the folks (the AK DOT) that screwed the Lodge operator at ORT, by telling him they wouldn't renew his permit to operate unless he took responsibility for all the leftover WW II "stuff" in the soil, etc. It wasn't the feds that ran him off.

The other issue that nobody's brought up yet is Yarger Lake. Will Customs still clear you at Yarger Lake, just east of Northway? If not, that REALLY screws the seaplane crowd as well.

MTV

Yes, Northway Customs will clear float planes at Yarger Lake, prior notice is the same as with wheel arrivals - 2 hours.

Do they provide any weekend service at PAOR this time of year?

I live and fly out of Whitehorse (CYXY), it used to be so easy to fly to the US using northway... the option of landing in Beaver Creek, filling it up with Jerry Cans and heading straight to Fairbanks is a good one but if you're like me and like to land in small places for a snack or to meet great folks, its a little more difficult... call US customs well ahead of time, land in Northway, fill it up and go from there.

If anyone ever needs assistance or a free place to stay in Whitehorse, make sure to give me a ring...you may just score yourself a ride in a Tundra while at it!

Cheers

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