Polar airports
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2025
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Finland
Polar airports
Hi,
I would have some questions, about Polar route airports and possible in-flight Emergency. Interested especially airports like PASY, PACD, PAKN, BGTL and BGSF.
When TWR of some airports in USA and Canada are unmanned, they have CTAF -operation. During CTAF, do they have instrument landing systems powered? For example, is the ILS available, even if TWR remains unmanned.
Approach lights during CTAF, PCL? At USA type Arcal type K, so initially 7 times by microfone?
Is there any information, how these airports would maybe be opened during in-flight emergency, outside of operation hours?
I would also be interested, if there are some special sources available for all these airports. And if You have own experiences, how these airports and facilities work outside of operation hours.
Thank You in advance👍
I would have some questions, about Polar route airports and possible in-flight Emergency. Interested especially airports like PASY, PACD, PAKN, BGTL and BGSF.
When TWR of some airports in USA and Canada are unmanned, they have CTAF -operation. During CTAF, do they have instrument landing systems powered? For example, is the ILS available, even if TWR remains unmanned.
Approach lights during CTAF, PCL? At USA type Arcal type K, so initially 7 times by microfone?
Is there any information, how these airports would maybe be opened during in-flight emergency, outside of operation hours?
I would also be interested, if there are some special sources available for all these airports. And if You have own experiences, how these airports and facilities work outside of operation hours.
Thank You in advance👍

Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 1,052
Likes: 72
From: Village of Santo Poco
Affirmative, all navigation facilities continue operating unless specifically NOTAM'ed otherwise.

Joined: Feb 2004
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 3,689
Likes: 118
From: USA
I don't know if this is what you're looking for but it's what the FAA has to say about non-tower ops:
https://www.faa.gov/documentlibrary/.../ac_90-66c.pdf




