Juneau airport's low-visibility approaches stay down as FAA cites trees

Juneau International Airport Manager Andres Delgado updated the Airport Board on Sept. 10 on efforts to restore the LDA X and Z approaches, which pilots use to reach Runway 8 in poor weather, and said the approach has been out of service for well over a year. He said he was told the FAA would have more updates in about six months, according to the board's minutes, included in the packet for its Thursday, Oct. 8, meeting.

Private jet operators and the military have asked whether they can land, Delgado told the board. They cannot, he said, unless it is a clear day.

Delgado said the airport's federal lobbyist, Katie Kachel, took the question to the highest levels of the FAA. He was told trees are scattering the localizer signal that guides aircraft in. The FAA is looking at cutting trees or physically raising the localizer, Delgado said. Some of those trees stand on property the airport does not own.

Board Vice Chair David Epstein asked whether any localizer approaches are working now. None that would benefit the airport, Delgado said.

FAA notices to pilots list both approaches as not available and the Runway 8 localizer itself as out of service. LDA Z is a special procedure, the kind the FAA approves for a particular company's operations, and its notice cites a flight check.

Delgado said Delta Air Lines has stated that work on the approach continues, and has suggested the airport seek new approaches or a feasibility study. If the airport pursues an Instrument Flight Procedure Feasibility Study, he said, it would first hire a consultant to judge what is possible before committing to development. His September report says staff are exploring the study, which would weigh possible procedures for both ends of the runway, and expect to seek proposals competitively.

Board member Charlie Williams said the problem is not only the mountains but also wind shear, and that new approaches would be very expensive. Delgado agreed, saying they would cost multiple millions of dollars.

Thursday's agenda lists no item on the study or the approaches.