Port supports Oregon Air National Guard request

The Port of Portland is supporting a request from the Oregon Air National Guard 142nd Fighter Wing to conduct continuous descent overhead approach landings with some restrictions when training at PDX.

The landing procedure increases pilot safety when landing in combat situations. During the procedure, F-15 pilots begin their descent from a high altitude, reduce power and then circle close to the airport while landing.

The Port is supporting the PDX Citizen Noise Advisory Committee recommendation that the military be allowed to conduct the procedure with some restrictions. The procedure is limited to weekdays from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. on the south runway. The procedure requires a weather ceiling of at least 5,000 feet, a minimum visibility of five-miles, no more than a two-jet formation, and status reports every six months.

The committee recommended an initial test of the procedure in May 2008, resulting in the committee and the Port supporting a longer test spanning from October 2008 - March 2009. Members observed the procedure again on Aug. 1, and at its Aug. 13 meeting, discussed observations, heard comments from the community, and reviewed noise data and community feedback.

Alaska Airlines Cargo: A to Z

The following snapshot of cargo flown by Alaska Airlines gives a sense of the wide variety of items flown onboard airplanes – virtually everything from alligators to zucchini. More than 75 percent of shipments flown by Alaska Air Cargo touch the state of Alaska, and nearly one-quarter of the airline’s shipments involve seafood.