Helpful Aviation links

  • FAA Weather Cams — the single most Alaska-specific planning tool. The FAA says the Weather Camera Program gives near real-time visual weather data from airports, mountain passes, coastlines, and other strategic locations, and Alaska has a dedicated camera list you can filter by state.

  • Alaska Aviation Weather Unit (AAWU) — best for Alaska-specific weather synthesis. It links FAA webcams, obs charts, GFA, advisory weather, lightning, radar, satellite, and fire status in one place.

  • Flight Service / 1800wxbrief — use it for official briefings, filing, and flight-plan management. The Alaska Flight Service hub can be reached through 1-833-AK-BRIEF, and Leidos still supports 800-WX-BRIEF as well.

  • FAA NOTAM Search — best place to check airport/facility NOTAMs before you launch.

  • FAA Graphic TFR Map — the quickest way to see active TFRs visually before a route or sightseeing flight.

  • FAA SUA Map — useful for special-use airspace awareness when planning longer Alaska legs.

Charts and publications

  • Chart Supplement Alaska — your Alaska airport/facility directory. FAA says it includes airports, seaplane bases, heliports, NAVAIDs, comms, weather data sources, special notices, airport diagrams, and Alaska-specific operational information, and it’s issued every 56 days.

  • FAA VFR Raster Charts — official digital sectionals and other VFR charts. FAA notes these are digital images of the paper VFR charts, and Alaska has its own chart coverage index.

  • Alaska Terminal Procedures / d-TPP — if you fly IFR or want airport diagrams and procedures, this is the official Alaska volume. FAA says the Alaska Terminal Procedures Publication includes IAPs, DPs, STARs, airport diagrams, and related support data.

Airport and destination research

  • Alaska DOT Aviation & Airports portal — the best statewide jump-off point for airport resources. Alaska DOT says it maintains an expansive network of 235 airports, and the portal links the public-airport list, statewide aviation pages, and major airport resources.

  • Alaska Public Airports List — handy when you want a quick statewide list of publicly owned, public-use airports, broken out by region and non-state-owned airports.

  • Alaska Aviation Database — useful for looking up facilities and reports inside the Alaska Aviation System Plan database.

  • Statewide Aviation “General Aviation Information” page — a good Alaska-specific reference hub that points pilots to charts, terminal procedures, and other planning materials.

Especially useful if you fly floats or around Anchorage

  • Lake Hood / ANC General Aviation page — the main official page for Lake Hood operations, contacts, and updates. It explicitly says conditions change seasonally and advises checking NOTAMs or contacting Lake Hood/airport operations for current info.

  • Lake Hood ice conditions page — worth bookmarking if you operate there in shoulder season or winter. Alaska DOT posts its ice testing plan and status notes there.

Safety and Alaska-specific flying knowledge

  • FAA Alaska / DYAASI — the FAA’s Alaska safety initiative page. FAA says the Don Young Alaska Aviation Safety Initiative is the blueprint for increasing aviation safety in Alaska and is focused on Alaska-specific challenges.

  • FAASTeam seminars — good for current safety webinars and in-person events; FAA says the FAASTeam sponsors thousands of safety seminars and webinars each year.

  • Alaska Airmen’s Association — the main Alaska GA community/advocacy hub. The association says it was established in 1951, has over 2,000 active members, and is the largest GA organization in Alaska.

  • Alaskan Aviation Safety Foundation — a solid Alaska-specific safety resource with seminar videos and training material. The foundation says it exists to improve aviation safety in Alaska through education, advocacy, and research.

  • Alaska DOT “Aviation Links” page — a curated Alaska-specific link hub that points to user groups and FAA resources in one place.

If you’re flying your own airplane to Alaska from the Lower 48

  • AOPA Alaska travel guide — useful for cross-border prep. AOPA notes that pilots crossing the U.S. border need to use eAPIS, which matters if your route goes through Canada.

A simple Alaska preflight workflow

  • Check AAWU for the big-picture Alaska weather.

  • Check FAA Weather Cams for the route, passes, and destination.

  • Review NOTAMs, TFRs, and SUA.

  • Open Chart Supplement Alaska and any needed VFR charts or Alaska terminal procedures.

  • Get or confirm your briefing through Flight Service.