About This File
FS2004 Scenery--Alaska South Slope 9 - Wales IWK. There are four main northwestern Alaska towns which are serviced by Alaska Airlines, and from which local flights spread out. The northernmost is Barrow. Southwest of Barrow is Kotzebue, then Nome, and the furthest south is Bethel (not yet made). This is the second in a series for local flights from Nome, and it is on the furthermost western mainland point of Alaska, Wales IWK. It is 110 miles northwest of Nome and on the eastern shore of the Bering Strait, with a view of the two Diomede Islands. Wales is a small village with a population of only around 145, strung along the beach on a single road. The airfield is at the northwestern end of the village, with a runway of 4, 500 feet of lit gravel aligned 35-17 and an apron at the southern end. There are scheduled flights by the usual Era and Bering Air, both of them originating in Nome and also visiting Shishmaref. The AI includes these flights along with Northern Air Cargo and GA. The runway is just long enough to accomodate a DC6 (as is Shishmaref) and the AI has been revised to include this, along with a revision of the parking at Shishmaref. To the southeast of Wales is Tin City, which was built as a base for the support of radar on the hills between the two. The radar is now automatic and unmanned and the base is unused except for the annual maintenance and fuel supply; now included is the hilltop radar and the remains of the cable lift, which was used to get the material for the original station up to the top from the beach below. By Roger Wensley.