Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL)

Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport is the main airport serving Galena and the surrounding middle Yukon River region of interior Alaska. The state-owned, public-use airport is located about 2 miles (3 km) west of the Galena town center and provides an essential air link for residents, visitors and supplies in this remote part of the state.

The airfield was first developed in the early 1940s during World War II, when it was used as a military transport base and supported the movement of Lend-Lease aircraft to the Soviet Union. During the Cold War the site operated as Galena Air Force Station, an interceptor base guarding western Alaska, before being downsized in 1993 and returned primarily to civilian use.

Today the airport operates two runways, including a 6,000-foot paved runway, and has a compact air-carrier terminal rather than a large passenger complex. Scheduled regional services, primarily through Wright Air Service, connect Galena with Fairbanks and nearby Yukon River communities, while air cargo and other services link the area with Fairbanks and Anchorage.

The airport is reached by the local road network, and most travelers cover the short distance into Galena by prearranged pickup, taxi or rental vehicle. As the region's principal aviation hub, it supports passenger travel, cargo, mail and general aviation for the middle Yukon area.