Coast Guard Opens Seasonal Aviation Support Facility in Cordova

Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak crews opened up a seasonal aviation support facility Saturday in Cordova in advance of summer fisheries.

Air Station Kodiak aircrews transferred an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and equipment to Cordova to reduce the response time to the Gulf of Alaska in anticipation of historically increased maritime activity in that region during the summer.

“Establishing forward operating locations helps us ensure the safety of mariners during peak fishing seasons in the region by allowing us to get on scene faster,” says Lieutenant Scott Kellerman, a helicopter pilot from Air Station Kodiak. “Staging crews and aircraft in Cordova can eliminate hours of flight time transiting from Kodiak to maritime emergencies in eastern Alaska during one of the busiest fishing seasons of the year.”

Air Station Kodiak utilizes other seasonal locations throughout the state of Alaska to cut down response times to mariners, including Kotzebue and Cold Bay.