NASA developing tablet-based app for Alaska pilots

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — It takes a bit of nerve to fly in Alaska, where pilots deal with the continent’s tallest peaks, coldest weather and many sheer unknowns.

Take, for example, the radio silence. Small planes lose contact minutes after leaving cities or villages, and pilots usually don’t have accurate maps when they take off because Alaska is the only state that hasn’t digitally collected elevation data.