April 23, 2025

From flight planning to offloading: A Day in the Life at Ryan Air’s Nome Station

By: Stefanie Miller

in Alaska, Freight Transportation, People of Saltchuk

In Bush Alaska, where air service is the only way to receive and send furniture, clothing, food, medical supplies, and more, the runway is a community’s lifeline. Ryan Air, an Alaska Bush carrier for more than half a century, is a familiar sight in Alaskan villages.

Here, we take a look at a typical day for Ryan Air’s Nome employees, who receive, dispatch, load, and unload flights for Northern Air Cargo and Everts Air Cargo from the same facility. They also sort and deliver Priority Mail locally to Nome by truck.

Ryan Air’s Nome station operates scheduled and charter flights to nine rural Alaska villages:

- Brevig Mission
- Elim
- Gambell
- Golovin
- Savoonga
- Shishmaref
- Teller
- Wales
- White Mountain

A Day in the Life at Ryan Air's Nome Station

A Ryan Air flight starts with the Traffic Coordinator reviewing the weather to plan the day’s flights. The weather is continuously monitored in case of changes.

Readying the flight

Cargo and Traffic crew review the flight load and pre-plan load order for Savoonga and Gambell.

Pilots begin planning

Once the flights to Savoonga and Gambell are confirmed, the flight paperwork is prepared, and the pilots begin their planning process.

Ready for release

The pilot calls Anchorage Dispatch for flight release.

Loading the plane

While the Second in Command (SIC) Pilot fuels the plane, Cargo Agents load the aircraft per the Pilot in Command’s (PIC) direction.

First Stop: Savoonga

The first stop is Savoonga. The crew unloads as customers come to meet the plane.

Greetings in Savooga

Pilots Manny and Kevin are greeted by Ryan Air’s long-time Savoonga Village Agent, Edward.

Ryan Air pilots often develop close relationships with village agents whom they see regularly for years.

Second stop: Gambell

Pilots Kevin and Manny view as they approach and land the CASA C-212 in Gambell.

Second in command takes over

Generally, the Pilot in Charge (PIC) flies the first leg of the flights to the village, while the Second in Charge (SIC) pilots the return flights.

Greetings in Gambell

Long-time Village Agent Valentina meets the plane. Our agents are sometimes accompanied by their families.

Second-generation Village Agents serve some Ryan Air stations!

Heading back to Nome to reload

Manny, the SIC pilots the plane on the return leg from Gambell to Nome.

Readying for arrival

While the crew is still flying, the next flight is already being planned and staged for loading. The CASA will return for another load to Gambell.

Cargo staged

Flight loads are staged in preparation for loading when the aircraft returns.

Landing

Manny, the SIC flies the return flight leg and prepares to land in Nome.

Weather check

Once the CASA returns to Nome, the pilot checks the weather and confirms the weight and balance for the next flight, while the traffic coordinator confirms the weather.

Safety first

Cargo Agents meet the plane as it returns to the station. Safety cones and stands are placed, and the aircraft is loaded.

Talented agents

Ryan Air Nome CSAs represent four different companies daily: Ryan Air, Northern Air Cargo, Everts, and FedEx—while utilizing four different freight tracking systems!

Reloaded and headed back over the Bering Sea to Gambell

The CASA heads back to St. Lawrence Island, flying over the Bering Sea to deliver another load to Gambell. Sivuqaq is the Yupik name for St. Lawrence Island and Gambell.

Returning to Gambell

At the sound of the CASA overhead, customers, along with the Village Agent head to meet the plane.

Important deliveries

Bypass mail is unloaded for local delivery by truck, while a customer picks up a snow machine after calling the Nome station to confirm it would be on this flight.