Aircraft Use
Airstrips: Landing and Takeoff
The construction of landing strips or pads is prohibited, unless properly permitted by the Northwest Arctic Borough (NWAB) under its zoning ordinance Title 9 and federal (USFWS, NPS, BLM) or state (DNR) landowner agencies. Incidental removal of rocks and other minor obstructions may be allowed for existing landing areas, with landowner permission.
In order to reduce noise and nuisance, aircraft pilots are advised to not take off, land or drop off clients within 1.5 miles of other camps or on lakes where camps are already established. The permittee is encouraged to notify adjacent camps of activities to reduce potential user conflicts.
The GMU 23 User Conflict Working Group also recommends all pilots use measures to minimize noise, nuisance, safety, health and user conflicts affecting surrounding residential and camp properties, including minimizing excessive noise, fumes, odors, smoke, vibration, dust, litter, and waste.
Aircraft Minimums
To minimize disturbing residential and camp properties, aircraft operators should maintain a minimum altitude of two thousand (2000) feet in the vicinity of such properties unless required by weather, emergencies, or if taking off or landing.
Pilots should use flight measures to avoid or minimize disruption to caribou (especially lead animals in groups), birds, and other wildlife groupings or migrations. Recommended flight measures include: providing adequate lateral separation distances from herds and flocks, not circling herds or flocks, flying at altitudes high enough to reduce noise and disturbance, limiting the number of flights per day, and temporarily suspending flight operations to stop disturbances to wildlife.
Archaeological Resources
The pilot and passengers must not disturb any archaeological, prehistoric, historic or cultural resources during the flying/landing activities. In the event that such resources are disturbed, the pilot shall immediately contact the Planning Director at the Northwest Arctic Borough or the National Park Service.
Fueling
Fuel storage and fueling operations are regulated by state, federal and private land management authorities. It is your responsibility to be aware of all legal requirements and to ensure that fuel is not spilled or leaked into waterways or other natural areas. All fuel/oil/hazardous substance storage servicing and fueling operations are prohibited within one hundred (100) feet from any shoreline, river, drainage channel, slough and/or lake. Float planes are encouraged not to fuel away from established fueling stations. If a spill does occur, it must be reported immediately to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation.
