October 19, 2009

Mobile reindeer processing unit deployed to western Alaska

By Ned Rozell

Like herds of northern cattle that lived on tundra plants, more than 600,000 reindeer ranged over Alaska less than a century ago. Today, reindeer numbers are down to about 10,000 or so, due to their tendency to elope with caribou, be eaten by wolves and bears, and other reasons.

At one time, more than 600,000 reindeer ranged over Alaska. Now there are about 10,000 in state. Photo courtesy UAF Reindeer Research Program.

Air Station Kodiak was commissioned as an air detachment April 17, 1947 with one PBY Catalina aircraft, seven pilots and 30 crewmen representing the first permanent Coast Guard aviation resource in Alaska. Dating from its humble beginnings to today, the air station is now staffed with 53 officers, six chief warrant officers, 300 enlisted personnel, and six civilian personnel who help maintain as well as provide support for five HC-130 Hercules fixed wing aircraft, four MH-60 Jayhawk and four HH-65C Dolphin helicopters.

rcraft," said Lt. Cmdr. Scott Jackson, pilot at Air Station Kodiak. "We dropped 100 feet in less than a second. The bottom of the aircraft dropped out of the sky as we realized the weather was going to limit us and we were not going to be able to hoist them from their vessel."

This column is provided as a public service by the Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, in cooperation with the UAF research community. Ned Rozell is a science writer at the institute.

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