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The Nome Nugget
Nome, Nome County, Alaska
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Alaska Senators Bartlett and Gruening oppose using Ladd AFB for civilian flights after FAA freezes Fairbanks airport funds, citing runway limitations and military priority. (148 characters)
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Alaska Senators Denounce Use of Ladd for Civilians
WASHINGTON, (A) — Senators Bob Bartlett and Ernest Gruening, said Saturday they would be opposed to Ladd Air Force Base being used by both military and civilian aircraft.
Their views were expressed in response to an announcement Friday by Governor Egan. The Governor said he was informed the Federal Aviation Agency had frozen a $1,584,325 allocation for Fairbanks International Airport, pending a study on possible use of Ladd by civilian craft.
A Pan American World Airways jet plane flight last week from Seattle to Ladd prompted the FAA, to freeze the allocation, Bartlett, said.
"I think the study will reveal that extension of the runway at Fairbanks International Airport will be necessary even if the Air Force were to allow continued use of Ladd for civilian jet operations," said Bartlett.
"I think this will be the case for two reasons.
'First, the runway at Ladd is 9,150 feet long and on either end is the Chena River, so that for all practical purposes it could not be extended. This length of runway will suffice for a 707 jet flight from Seattle to Fairbanks, but would not be long enough for planes taking off to Tokyo because of the additional fuel load. So, even if Ladd were made available, it would not accomplish the purpose intended, serving as a site for polar route operations.
"The planned improvements for Fairbanks International Airport call for a runway 10,300 feet long, which is about the minimum necessary.
"In the second place, if the Air Force should permit civilian use of Ladd now, the military would still have priority, and in six months a situation might arise which would exclude civilian use of the base.
"I don't think the Ladd arrangement will be suitable, no matter how appealing it may seem at first to taxpayers."
Gruening said he also had an immediate negative reaction to the proposal and intends to check into the situation. He said the air coordinating committee has announced that as a general policy it is against joint use of an airport by civilian and military aircraft.
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Domestic News Details
Primary Location
Alaska
Event Date
Saturday, March 5, 1960
Key Persons
Outcome
senators oppose joint use of ladd air force base by military and civilian aircraft; faa freezes $1,584,325 allocation for fairbanks international airport pending study.
Event Details
Alaska Senators Bob Bartlett and Ernest Gruening expressed opposition to using Ladd Air Force Base for both military and civilian aircraft, in response to Governor Egan's announcement that the FAA had frozen funds for Fairbanks International Airport to study possible civilian use of Ladd. The freeze followed a Pan American jet flight to Ladd. Bartlett argued that Ladd's runway cannot be extended due to the Chena River and is insufficient for Tokyo flights, while Fairbanks needs a longer runway for polar routes; military priority could exclude civilians. Gruening also opposes joint use per air coordinating committee policy.