Randy Babbitt is coming at U.S. Sen. Mark Begich's request. A Begich spokeswoman says the trip was planned before last week's plane crash that killed former U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens and four others.
Begich's office says this will be Babbitt's first trip to Alaska, a state where air travel is vital for many residents. The office says the trip is intended to help Babbitt get a sense of technology, terrain, weather and other challenges pilots face. He's also expected to get a firsthand look at new technologies being implemented and to visit an aviation school.
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