Alaska is removing a 1960s radio beacon, changing flight paths for the first time in decades

The Federal Aviation Administration is changing two flight paths in Alaska. This is happening because an old radio beacon, used for navigation since the 1960s, is being shut down. Pilots will now rely on newer GPS technology to fly these routes.

For decades, air travel in remote areas like Alaska relied on ground-based radio beacons. These beacons are expensive to maintain and are slowly being replaced by satellite-based GPS navigation. This small change in Alaska is a data point in a global shift away from old infrastructure, making air travel cheaper and more flexible in the long run.