Unalaska, AK – Construction is underway on Atka's new runway. The runway is being lengthened by 13 hundred feet and widened by 14 feet to allow for larger aircraft to land. When the 17 million dollar, FAA-funded project is completed in August 2009, it will be able to accommodate the Metro 23 and the SAAB 340, commuter planes usually used by PenAir. It will also support partially loaded larger aircraft such as the DC-3 and DC-6, which are frequently used to transport fish.

Department of Transportation project engineer Bob Anderson says the airport last had work done on it in 1983. "The existing condition of the asphalt wasn't the best. It needed to be addressed anyway."

Anderson says it also needed to be upgraded to current FAA standards for airspace penetrations and separation distances. The new runway is angled differently to help aircraft land, as well.

"It's rotated 3 degrees from the original strip and I know they do that after doing wind studies. It's better prevailing winds for aircraft," he explains.

Community member Leonti Lokanin says currently they have problems with freight and mail backing up because bad weather frequently prevents small planes from landing. The new airport should alleviate these problems.