New GPS-based Routes for Alaska Pilots.

Alaska has about six times as many pilots per capita than other states, according to the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities' Statewide Aviation Division, and about sixteen times as many aircraft. More than 400 Alaska communities rely on aviation for year-round access, with planes often taking the place of cars, buses, trucks, and even ambulances.

With the necessity of travel even in harsh weather and through remote mountain passes, pilots often rely on instrument flight rules (IFR) to navigate when clouds are less than 1,000 feet above the ground or visibility is less than three miles.

One challenge with IFR flying in bad weather is that flying at higher elevations can cause icing conditions on aircraft. Pilots sometimes fly at lower elevations to keep from icing, but that can be dangerous in mountainous terrain. Additionally, flying too low puts pilots outside of radio range and out of contact with air...