Airport type Public 5/23 7,790 Elevation 5.49 m | Elevation AMSL 18 ft / 5 m Code ADK | |
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Owner Alaska DOT&PF - Central Region | ||
Adak Airport (IATA: ADK, ICAO: PADK, FAA LID: ADK) is a state owned, public use airport located west of Adak, on Adak Island in the U.S. state of Alaska. The airport is the farthest west for the entire United States at 176.64W.
Contents
Adak's airport is one of the largest and most sophisticated airports in the Aleutian Islands. Built by the U.S. Navy for Naval air transport, the airport is a world-class facility consisting of a 7,800-foot (2,400 m) runway and a 7,600-foot (2,300 m) runway (perm closed fall 2015), equipped with an Instrument Landing System and glideslope which facilitate Instrument Flight Rules landings. Adak currently has scheduled jet service provided by Alaska Airlines.
As per the Federal Aviation Administration, this airport had 1,989 passenger boardings (enplanements) in calendar year 2008, 1,907 in 2009, and 2,097 in 2010. The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 categorized it as a general aviation facility (the commercial service category requires at least 2,500 enplanements per year).
History
The military first developed an air station on Adak during World War II. Adak Army Airfield was used during the Aleutian Campaign by both USAAF and Naval Air units.
Following the war, the AAF turned Adak over to the Navy who established anti-submarine warfare base there. Adak was most recently run by the U.S. Navy as a deployment base for P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft, primarily to conduct antisubmarine warfare operations against submarines and surveillance of naval surface vessels of the former Soviet Union. On 31 March 1997, the Navy closed Adak Naval Air Facility.
Facilities and aircraft
Adak Airport resides at elevation of 18 feet (5 m) above mean sea level. It has two runways with asphalt surfaces: 5/23 is 7,790 by 200 feet (2,374 x 61 m) and 18/36 is 7,605 by 200 feet (2,318 x 61 m). Runway 18/36 is now permanently closed for all operations.
For the 12-month period ending January 2, 2011, the airport had 340 aircraft operations, an average of 28 per month: 62.4% scheduled commercial, 29.4% general aviation, and 8.2% military.
Airline and destination
Scheduled passenger service is subsidized by the Essential Air Service program. Alaska Airlines provides two flights weekly on Sunday and Thursday. The aircraft used for service on Sunday is a full configuration 737-400 while Thursday's flight is scheduled as a Boeing 737-400C.
In popular culture
Adak Airport was once featured on the television reality show, Alaska State Troopers.