The Alaska Aviation Mapping Gap
Bush pilots need strips, approaches, and terrain—most apps weren't built for Alaska's air system.
Alaska has over 400 public-use airports and countless unimproved strips. Bush pilots, medevac, freight operators, and backcountry aviators rely on accurate strip locations, approach patterns, and terrain awareness. But consumer mapping apps treat Alaska aviation as an afterthought.
The Problem
- Strip locations in FAA databases aren't always accurate—especially for unimproved and private strips.
- Terrain between strip and destination matters enormously; low-resolution basemaps hide critical features.
- Approach visualization (obstacle clearance, minimums) isn't integrated with mapping.
- Offline is non-negotiable—many strips have no cell coverage.
What We're Doing
TrueTopo isn't an aviation app. But we're building the data foundation that aviation apps can build on:
- Verified strip locations from multiple sources
- High-resolution terrain and elevation
- Gazetteer with strip names and identifiers
- Offline-first architecture
We're in early conversations with aviation-focused developers who want to layer approach plates, NOTAMs, and weather on top of solid base data. If you're building for Alaska aviation, we'd like to connect.