FAA Alaska Flight Service Stations

1. FAA Alaska Flight Service Stations 2008 Customer Satisfaction Survey Results & Flight Service Modernization Status

2. Flight Services - Today • 17 Federal Facilities in Alaska • 200 people • $26 million budget • 1.3 million operations yearly • We are here to serve you and help ensure informed go/no go decisions as well as safety of flight in all phases.

3. Survey • The survey was created to get input on how the users rate various services we provide. • We also asked for input on: • Desires for locating FSS’s and future siting of Remote Communications Outlets (RCO’s). • New Technology. • What works best for your needs (AFSS/FSS)? • Your comments. • We will use the input to improve services.

4. How We Rated

5. How We Rated • On 1-10 scale with 10 the highest: • Pilot Briefing 9.0 • Inflight Radio 8.61 • Airport Advisory Service 8.93 • TIBS Recordings 8.17 • NOTAM Dissemination 7.21 • FSS ATIS/AFIS 7.95 • SVFR Operations 8.78 • PIREP Processing 8.56 • Flight Plan Processing 9.0

6. How We Rated On 1-10 scale with 10 the highest • Phone call wait times 8.29 • Radio call wait times 8.66 • Specialist Courtesy 9.25 • Specialist Speech Quality 9.11 • Specialist Knowledge 8.96 • Product Interpretation 8.55 • Message Relaying 9.20 • NEXRAD Interpretation 8.71 • WX Cam Interpretation 8.72 • Other Services 8.6 • Average of All Services: 8.62

7. User Input • Other Suggested FSS Locations/Number of Responses Bettles/40 Kodiak/42 Galena/53 Merrill Field/98 Tanana/15 Gulkana/77 King Salmon/69 Valdez/41 Bethel/54 Cordova/54 Unalaska/16 Yakutat/43

8. User Input • Which type of Station in Alaska best meets your needs (AFSS or FSS)? Why… • AFSS/14 • FSS/181 • If a customizable weather briefing packet became available, how would you like to receive this information? • Log on to website with exclusive account/138 • Sent to your email address at specified times/45

9. User Input In order to modernize Flight Services in Alaska, what types of new technology and/or other functions would you add? -More Weather Cameras!/Controllable Views -More ASOS/Wx Reporting Tok Matanuska Glacier -Auto-mail NOTAMS -ADS-B -DF Ketchikan -Broadcast Improvements (Customizable)

10. User Input In order to modernize Flight Services in Alaska, what types of new technology and/or other functions would you add? Continued: -Kiosks -X-M/Sirius satellite weather -Electronic Flight Plan submission/acknowledgement -Reliable communications in remote areas/better coverage -Collision avoidance -Broader flight following -More consistent weather reporting from A-Paids -GPS tracking

11. User Input In order to modernize Flight Services in Alaska, what types of new technology and/or other functions would you add? Continued: -More ATIS. -More personnel instead of technology. -Wireless access to wx sites and webcams on PDA’s, smart phones, etc. -Maintain DF’s

12. User Input AFSS or FSS which works best for you? (Question may have been misinterpreted to imply recorded/automated text to voice). • AFSS -Both have their place. -We call AFSS from Outside. -Trend Analysis. • FSS -Local Area/Condition/Wx Pattern Knowledge. -View and Interpretation of changing weather. -Human Contact/Answer questions. -Less chance of lost flight plan.

13. User Input AFSS or FSS which works best for you? Continued. • FSS -Less useless information. -SVFR operations more efficient. -Special Requests allowed.

14. User Input • Desired Future Siting of RCO’s (Not all inclusive) -Arctic Village (submitted) and Savoonga -Ruby -McCarthy (submitted) -Ketchikan area (Rudyard Bay, S. Prince of Wales, N end of Revillagedo Is., Bell Island. -Whittier, Prince William Sound -Chenega -Crooked Creek -White Mountains, Yukon Charlie

15. User Input • Desired Future Siting of RCO’s (Not all inclusive). • South and West of McGrath • Watana Lake • Lower Yukon (Anvik, Holy Cross) • Atkasuk • Glenallen/Copper Center/Farewell? • Red Dog Area • Emmonak • Cape Spencer • Brevig and Teller (funded by SBS office) • Hayes River

16. User Input • Desired Future Siting of RCO’s (Not all inclusive). • Montague Island • Puntilla • Sheep Mountain • Beluga/Tyonek • Port Alsworth • Rainy Pass • Skwentna (funded) • Kobuk, Kiana • Nikolski • Umiat

17. User Input • Future Siting of RCO’s (Not all inclusive). • Shuyak Island • Nulato Hills • Wales, Golovin, Deering, Holy Cross • Kisarilik Lakes. - Fix current ones first. • Seward/Eagle need fixed.

18. User Input General Comments: • Kudos to several specific facilities including: Ketchikan, Palmer, Kenai, Talkeetna, Kotzebue, Dillingham, Iliamna, Nome, Sitka, Homer, Juneau • Radio Coverage, quality, content of com +/-. Only links, safety issue for flight plans. • Local area knowledge/trend analysis/quality of briefings +/-. • AWOS/ASOS reliability. • Contacts for service from Outside.

19. Survey For 2009 we anticipate survey notification to all active Alaska pilots. We appreciate the input in 2008 and look forward to continuing the dialogue. Next subject…………..

20. Alaska Flight Service Modernization This is a continuous process. - We have just commissioned the new Nome FSS. • Last year the new Kotzebue FSS was commissioned.

21. Alaska Flight Service Modernization -Cooperative ventures between FAA, State DOT and National Weather Service. • We anticipate new FSS at Cold Bay in Spring 2009 in leased Aleutians East Borough space. • Homer, Dillingham and Sitka FSS upgrades are planned. • We are installing Digital “SAWS” wind instruments.

22. The old and the new at Nome

23. The new, temporary and old at Cold Bay

24. Alaska Flight Service Modernization We also have relatively new facilities in Talkeetna, McGrath, Iliamna, Deadhorse and Northway. New RCO installations are funded for: Skwentna Girdwood Ruby King Cove Yukon River Bridge Chignik

25. Alaska Flight Service Modernization Future Flight Services requested RCO sites: McCarthy Anaktuvuk Pass Arctic Village Galbraith Lake Central

26. Alaska Flight Service Modernization AFIS We have expanded Flight Services ATIS information to many locations where we provide local airport advisory service and now call it AFIS (Automated Flight Information Service). In FY-09 we will complete the AFIS installs with the last at Barrow. The Dillingham system will be upgraded with the AWOS interface. 10 AFIS Facilities: BRW, HOM, ILI, KTN, OTZ, OME, SCC, SIT, DLG, TKA.

27. Alaska Flight Service Modernization Automation System/Voice Switch In 2007 we transitioned from our old Flight Services briefing and data telecommunications platforms to the OASIS automation system at all facilities. This was a tremendous improvement in automation of weather information, flight data capabilities and graphical displays. OASIS is contractually limited to 2010. We continue to develop future automation requirements for improved service delivery and safety assurance.

28. Alaska Flight Service Modernization

29. Alaska Flight Service Modernization • Some Future Modernization Elements: • Kiosks for remote self briefing and flight plan filing at locations accessible to pilots. • Expanded Automated Flight Following (AFF) SAR. • ADS-B Flight Plan Tracking for SAR and enhanced local airport advisories. • Web Portal to Alaska Flight Services Global database. • Delta Briefings. No repeated information/new info highlighted for delivery to pilot. • Email notifications of wx and NOTAM changes. • Electronic Strip Bays at FSS’s.

30. Alaska Flight Service Modernization Automation System/Voice Switch Continued: We are targeting the initial phase of our new automation system to be in place in early 2010. We also need a new voice switch to handle increased number of RCO’s and provide agility in managing the radio calls. (Un-gang Frequencies). The new voice switch will be an Alaskan solution planned for acquisition in 2011.

31. Alaska Flight Service Modernization Summary: We are improving our infrastructure and automation to better meet your needs and soliciting your input with safety and efficiency our most critical priorities. Please respond to our next user survey or contact us at any time with questions or concerns. Visit our web site at: www.alaska.faa.gov/at Thanks! Marshall.G.Severson@faa.gov 907-271-5464