State-of-the-Art Aviation Center Opens for Business on Alaska?s North Slope

Deadhorse Aviation Center provides support services for companies involved with production and exploration activities on the North Slope and beyond

Fairweather, LLC, an Anchorage-based provider of remote medical, meteorological and expediting services, has announced the opening its new aviation facility on Alaska’s North Slope. Deadhorse Aviation Center (DAC) is designed to provide oil companies and their suppliers with a safe and efficient aviation command center to successfully manage onshore operations and Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) exploration and production activities on the Arctic Ocean and Beaufort Sea. DAC is wholly owned by Offshore Support Services, LLC (an Edison Chouest Company), Fairweather LLC and the Kaktovik Inupiat Corporation.

DAC is located at the FAA-approved Deadhorse Airport with access to the Dalton Highway and the ocean. Facilities are available for lease to companies working on the North Slope in need of terminal and hangar facilities, logistics support, staging and storage, office space and accommodations for sleeping and dining. The 21,000-square-foot aircraft hangar accommodates two to three large helicopters or smaller fixed-wing aircraft. A secure logistics facility offers complete cargo handling services and a 10.4-acre staging and storage yard. DAC offers multiple offices ready for build-out to suit tenants’ needs, along with a design for a multi-modal Incident Command Center (ICC) that can be shared or utilized by a single tenant.

The DAC terminal complies with all TSA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection requirements, offering passenger and baggage screening and secure baggage and cargo handling for both onshore and offshore operations. The terminal can be configured for one or two levels depending on the size of the aircraft and operations. The lower level of the terminal can accommodate smaller passenger count aircraft, while the combined first and second levels suit the needs of a Boeing 737, with a design in place for a heated jetway and cafe. The cargo handling facility includes counter-to-counter package services, radio frequency identification (RFID) tracking, and loading and offloading of all aircraft from helicopters to 737s. The facility is also equipped to handle heavy equipment and Hazmat materials.

Accommodations for 48 persons are available for leasing tenants’ staff and transient personnel, as well as Fairweather employees. Amenities include private baths and satellite TV, along with a 60-seat dining facility, laundry room and common areas. Additional facilities include training and meeting rooms, high-speed Internet, Wi-Fi, VoIP and video conferencing. The telecom system at DAC is capable of serving multiple tenants with unique IT requirements. Publicly distributed wireless access points (Wi-Fi) will be located throughout the facility offering tenants both public and secure network access. All communications services at DAC are supported by a high-speed fiber optic ring network with a UPS backup power system.

DAC features the latest in advanced security technology featuring an integrated card reader and camera system, allowing for maximum security at each high-risk Security Identification Display Area (SIDA) within the terminal, as well as all lower interior security doors. Security cards can be coded for access to both minimum and maximum security areas.

Ground transportation is available for personnel, as well as equipment rental including vehicles, forklifts, survival suits and other marine and offshore gear. DAC also provides services to clean, store and maintain survival suits and other gear necessary for offshore operations. The terminal area features dedicated rooms for donning and removing suits, eliminating the need for drilling crews to transport their suits back and forth between shift changes.

Incorporated into DAC is a fully-equipped Fairweather Medical Services Clinic designed to facilitate MedEvac air transfers. The clinic allows for patients to be transported into a heated ambulance bay, treated in the trauma room and loaded onto a MedEvac aircraft without leaving the building. The DAC clinic offers 24-hour telemedicine consultation with the emergency room at Providence Hospital in Anchorage allowing for x-rays, EKGs and lab specimens to be digitized and sent over the Internet for examination before making the decision to MedEvac or consult for local treatment. When not attending to MedEvac emergencies, the DAC clinic offers a wide range of medical services, including advanced cardiac life support, acute care, ER physician consultation and aggressive first aid. Additional services include teleradiology x-ray capability, physical exams (CDL/DOT and pre-employment), occupational health screenings, drug and alcohol screenings, return-to-work and fit-for-duty evaluations, and medical case management. The facility also offers on-site laboratories and paramedic ambulance services. The DAC clinic is open to the public and staffed around the clock, 365 days a year.

For additional information, contact Lori Davey at 907-267-4602 or [email protected].