Because aviation is Alaska’s highway in the sky, Senator Begich is working hard to improve safety and make sure the Administration and members of Congress understand and appreciate Alaska’s unique relationship with aviation.

In Alaska, aviation is not a luxury, it’s a way of life. More than 80 percent of Alaska communities are not connected to the road system and for many regions in our state, aviation is the only reliable year-round means of transportation. Alaskans rely on aviation and small aircraft in particular to transport people, goods, and mail over our vast and rugged terrain.

Alaska has six times more pilots and 16 times more planes per capita than the rest of the country. The State of Alaska owns and operates 258 airports and there are hundreds of other municipal and privately owned airstrips across the state. Anchorage is also home to Lake Hood, the busiest seaplane base in the world.

The aviation industry contributes over $3.5 billion to the state’s economy annually, supporting local businesses and employing thousands of Alaskans. Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is the fifth busiest cargo airport in terms of cargo throughput and is located just nine hours from 90 percent of the industrialized world. Some 40 cargo operators and over 20 passenger airlines call the Alaska Airport System home.

Given our state’s unique relationship with aviation, a one-size-fits-all approach to regulation seldom works. That’s why Senator Begich has opposed the EPA’s proposal to regulate aviation gasoline and fought to repeal regulations banning the transportation of oxygen cylinders on aircraft, a rule meant for larger passenger jets in the Lower 48.  Senator Begich was successful in securing the inclusion of an amendment in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act exempting the intra-Alaska transport of cylinders of oxygen from this one-size-fits all regulation.